from his dress all the
ornaments and other signs which might show that they had been
manufactured by the Sioux, and hid them away in a hole beneath the snow.
He had a tinder-box and powder-horn in his pouch, so that he was able
to light a fire. As night approached, he made his way towards a wood,
near the bank of a stream, where he could procure fuel. Here he built
himself a hut with birch-bark, banking it up thickly with snow. He had
not forgotten the fate of his companions on the previous night; but he
hoped that the Crees were by this time far away, and he knew that,
without a fire, he should run the risk of being destroyed by wolves
prowling about. He therefore made it inside the hut, where it was also
well sheltered from the wind, and he hoped that the light would not be
seen at a distance; his chief fear was that, should he sleep too long it
might go out. Closing the entrance of his hut with a sheet of bark, he
made up his fire, and sat down to sup on a piece of meat which he cooked
before it. There was but little space in his hut to allow him to go to
sleep without the risk of burning his clothes, though he had drawn
himself as far away from it as he could, and leaned back against the
wall of the hut. Fatigue at length, however, overcame his desire to
keep on the alert.

He was awoke by hearing a wild howling around him: he knew the sound
full well; it was that of a pack of wolves. His fire had almost gone
out; he hurriedly scraped the embers together, and drew in from the
front of the hut some fuel which he had kept in store. The voices of
the wolves came nearer and nearer. He had just time to light a bundle
of sticks when he heard the savage animals close to his hut. He boldly
went out and waved his torch around, shouting and shrieking with all his
might. The wolves, alarmed at the sudden glare of the light and the
sound of a human voice, took to flight. He once more closed the
entrance of his hut and sat down. It did not occur to him that it was
his duty to return thanks to God for his deliverance. He fancied that
it was his cleverness and boldness that had saved him. He had been
ready to ask that unknown Great Spirit to preserve him. How many daily
receive blessings from the Giver of all good, and yet ungratefully
forget to acknowledge them and refuse to do His will!

Fear of the wolves prevented Laurence from sleeping soundly, and he
started up constantly, expecting to hear their savage ho