od fast, struggling with the stubborn rage
that filled his young breast, till Pen was a dozen paces in front,
marching sturdily on in the direction of the howls that they had heard,
and without once looking back.

Then from out of the silence came the boy's voice.

"You'll be sorry for this," he shouted.

Pen made no reply.

"Oh, it's too bad of him," muttered Punch. "I say," he shouted, "you
will be sorry for this, comrade. D'ye 'ear?"

Tramp, tramp, tramp went Pen's feet over the stony ground.

"Oh, I say, comrade, this is too bad!" whimpered the boy; and then,
giving his musket one or two angry slaps as if in an exaggerated salute,
he shouldered the piece and marched steadily after his leader.

Pen halted till the boy closed up, and then started again.

"There, Punch," he said quietly, "I knew you better than you know
yourself."

The boy made no reply, but marched forward with his teeth set; and
evidently now thoroughly strung-up to meet anything that was in store,
he stared straight before him into the darkness and paid no heed to the
distant howls that floated to them upon the night-air from time to time.

CHAPTER FORTY.

FRIENDS OR FOES?

"This is rather hard work, Punch, lad," said Pen, after a long silence;
but the boy took no notice. "The ground's so rugged that I've nearly
gone down half-a-dozen times. Well, haven't you anything to say?"

The boy kept his teeth firmly pressed together and marched on in
silence; and the night tramp went on for quite a couple of hours, till,
growing wearied out by the boy's determination, Pen began again to try
and break the icy reserve between them.

"What a country this is!" he said. "To think of our going on hour after
hour never once seeing a sign of any one's dwelling-place. Ah, look at
that!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Do you see that light?"

"Yes," said Punch sulkily, "a wolf's eye staring at us."

"Then he's got one shut," said Pen, laughing softly. "I can only see
one. Why, you are thinking of nothing else but wolves. It's a little
watch-fire far away."

Punch lowered his piece quickly and cocked it.

"Look out, comrade," he said, "some one will challenge directly. Drop
down together, don't us, if he does?"

"I don't think they will be sentries right up here," said Pen.

"What then?"

"Shepherds," replied Pen abruptly.

He was about to add, "to keep off the wolves," but he checked himself in
time, as he half-laughed and thought