om dogs who hated and trembled
in the scattered clearings. But no wolf-howl made reply. The pack, for
all the sign they gave, might have vanished off the earth. And Kane
wondered what strong command from their leader could have kept them
silent when all their ancient instincts bade them answer.

As if well satisfied with his music, the great wolf continued to
beseech the moon so persistently that at last Kane lost patience. He
wanted more variety in the programme. Muttering, "I'll see if I can't
rattle your fine composure a bit, my friend!" he raised his rifle and
sent a bullet whining over the wolf's head. The wolf cocked his ears
slightly and looked about carelessly, as if to say, "What's that?"
then coolly resumed his serenade.

Nettled by such ostentatious nonchalance, Kane drove another bullet
into the snow within a few inches of the wolf's forefeet. This proved
more effective. The great beast looked down at the place where the
ball had struck, sniffed at it curiously, got up on all fours, and
turned and stared steadily at Kane for perhaps half a minute. Kane
braced himself for a possible onslaught. But it never came. Whirling
lightly, the Gray Master turned his back on the disturber of his song,
and trotted away slowly, without once looking back. He did not make
directly for the cover, but kept in full view and easy gunshot for
several hundred yards. Then he disappeared into the blackness of the
spruce woods. Thereupon the yellow mongrel, emerging from his shelter
behind Kane's legs, pranced about on the snow before him with every
sign of admiration and relief.

But Kane was too puzzled to be altogether relieved. It was not
according to the books for any wolf, great or small, to conduct
himself in this supercilious fashion. Looking back along the white
bed of the brook, the path by which he must return, he saw that the
sinking of the moon would very soon involve it in thick shadow. This
was not as he wished it. He had had enough of fishing. Gathering up
his now frozen prizes, and strapping the bag that contained them over
his shoulder, so as to leave both hands free, he set out for home at
the long, deliberate, yet rapid lope of the experienced snowshoer; and
the yellow dog, confidence in his companion's prowess now thoroughly
established, trotted on heedlessly three or four paces ahead.

Already the shadow of the woods lay halfway across the bed of the
brook, but down the middle of the strip of brightness, st