oulders--over she went, and over, tearing the snow with tooth and claw
in her death agony; while fancying, I suppose, that all our guns were
emptied--for, by my life, I think the crafty brutes can almost reason--
out popped two more! one between me and my right hand man--the other, a
large dog, dragging a wounded leg behind him, under my horse's very
feet. Bob made a curious demi-volte, I do assure you, as the dark
brindled villain darted between his fore legs with an angry snarl; but
at a single word and slight admonition of the curb, stood motionless as
though he had been carved in marble. Quickly I brought my rifle up,
though steadily enough, and--more, I fancy, by good luck than
management--planted my bullet in the neck, just where the skull and
spine unite, so that he bounced three feet at least above the frozen
snow, and fell quite dead, within twelve paces of the covert. The other
wolf, which had crept out to my right hand, was welcomed by the almost
simultaneous fire of three pieces, one of which only lodged its bullet,
a small one by the way--eighty or ninety only to the pound--too light
entirely to tell a story, in the brute's loins.

"He gave a savage yell enough as the shot told; and, for the first
twenty or thirty yards, dragged his hind quarters heavily; but, as he
went on, he recovered, gathering headway very rapidly over the little
ridge, and through the open woodland, toward a clear field on the
mountain's brow. Just as this passed, a dozen shots were fired, in a
quick running volley, from the thicket, just where an old cart-way
divides it; followed, after a moment's pause, by one full, round report,
which I knew instantly to be the voice of old Tom's musket; nor did I
err, for, while its echoes were yet vocal in the leafless forest, the
owner's jovial shout was heard--

"'Wiped all your eyes, boys! all of them, by the Etarnal!--Who-whoop for
our side!--and I'll bet horns for all on us, old leather-breeches has
killed his'n.'

"This passed so rapidly--in fact it was all nearly simultaneous--that
the fourth wolf was yet in sight, when the last shot was fired. We all
knew well enough that the main object of our chase had for the time
escaped us!--the game was all afoot!--three of them slain already; nor
was there any longer aught to be gained by sticking to our stations. So,
more for deviltry than from entertaining any real hope of overtaking
him, I chucked my rifle to the nearest of the farmers, touche