ay with care, for fear of tumbling down into a crevice,
or twisting an ankle.

"This is growing worse, Whopper," said Giant, coming to a halt for
breath. "I had no idea it was so rough, had you?"

"No. One thing is certain---we are not on the trail."

"Just what I was thinking."

"We are getting deeper and deeper into this mess. We'll have to
turn back."

"And without that deer! That's too bad!"

"We may see the deer elsewhere."

They walked on a hundred feet further, reaching an opening surrounded
by rocks on every side. Here was a tall tree, with branches hanging
low to the ground.

"I'm going up into the tree and look around," said Whopper.

He hung his rifle on one of the limbs and began the ascent. Giant
did likewise, and soon the pair were close to the top of the tree.

By parting the topmost branches they got a fairly good look of the
country for a long distance on every side. They could see the
waters of Lake Cameron shimmering in one direction, and the waters
of Firefly Lake shimmering in another, and they also caught
several glimpses of Rocky River, and some other bodies of water
still further away.

"Nothing of the deer," sighed Whopper, after a long look around.

"Let us make sure," came from Giant, and swept every point of
the compass with his sharp eyes.

"I see something far to the north of here," he announced. "But
what it is I can't make out."

Whopper looked in the direction, but could see nothing clearly.

"Something is moving among the bushes," he said, slowly. "It
may possibly be a deer, but I doubt it."

It was rather pleasant in the tree, and they rested near the top
for some time. Then, of a sudden, Whopper started up.

"What's that, Giant?"

"What's what?"

"That noise below."

"I don't hear anything."

"I do, and I am going down to see what is doing."

Whopper began to descend and the smaller youth followed him.

"Well, I never!"

"Wolves!"

"Yes, and look at the number!"

The words were true. Under the tree a number of wolves had
congregated. There were at least twenty-five or thirty of them, and
they were all of good size.

As soon as they saw the boys they retreated a few feet and then began
to snarl savagely.

"Say, Whopper, I don't like this," observed Giant, with a grave
shake of his head.

"I don't like it myself."

"They don't look extra friendly."

"Friendly? I guess not. They are mighty savage."

"I wonder where they came fro