between his teeth almost bit it off. The appalling
yell that followed this cruel act seemed to subdue the dogs, for they
ceased to fight, and crouched, whining, in the snow.

With a bound like a tiger young Hamilton sprang upon the guide, and
seizing him by the throat, hurled him violently to the ground.
"Scoundrel!" he cried, standing over the crestfallen Indian with flushed
face and flashing eyes, "how dare you thus treat the creatures of God?"

The young man would have spoken more, but his indignation was so fierce
that it could not find vent in words. For a moment he raised his fist,
as if he meditated dashing the Indian again to the ground as he slowly
arose; then, as if changing his mind, he seized him by the back of the
neck, thrust him towards the panting dogs, and stood in silence over him
with the whip grasped firmly in his hand, while he disentangled the
traces.

This accomplished, Hamilton ordered him in a voice of suppressed anger
to "go forward"--an order which the cowed guide promptly obeyed, and in
a few minutes more the two friends were again alone.

"Hamilton, my boy," exclaimed Harry, who up to this moment seemed to
have been petrified, "you have perfectly amazed me! I'm utterly
bewildered."

"Indeed, I fear that I have been very violent," said Hamilton, blushing
deeply.

"Violent!" exclaimed his friend. "Why, man, I've completely mistaken
your character. I--I--"

"I hope not, Harry," said Hamilton, in a subdued tone; "I hope not.
Believe me, I am not naturally violent. I should be very sorry were you
to think so. Indeed, I never felt thus before, and now that it is over
I am amazed at myself; but surely you'll admit that there was great
provocation. Such terrible cruelty to--"

"My dear fellow, you quite misunderstand me. I'm amazed at your pluck,
your energy. _Soft_, indeed! we have been most egregiously mistaken.
Provocation! I just think you had; my only sorrow is that you didn't
give him a little more."

"Come, come, Harry; I see you would be as cruel to him as he was to the
poor dog. But let us press forward; it is already growing dark, and we
must not let the fellow out of sight ahead of us."

"_Allons, donc_," cried Harry; and hastening their steps, they travelled
silently and rapidly among the stems of the trees, while the shades of
night gathered slowly round them.

That night the three travellers encamped in the snow under the shelter
of a spreading pine. The enc