three gray forms showed themselves in the circle of light. Three bows
twanged. Two of the wolves fell, and the third, with a howl of pain,
fled in the darkness. There was a sound of snarling and growling; a cry
of pain, a fierce struggle, and then a long continued snarling.

"What are they doing?" Malchus asked with a shudder.

"I believe they are eating their wounded comrade," Halcon replied. "I
have heard such is the custom of the savage brutes. See, the carcasses
of the other two have disappeared already."

Short as had been the time which had elapsed since they had fallen,
other wolves had stolen out, and had dragged away the bodies of the two
which had been killed. This incident, which showed how extreme was the
hunger of the wolves, and how noiseless were their motions, redoubled
the vigilance of the party.

Malchus threw a handful of brushwood on to each of the fires.

"We must be careful of the fuel," Halcon said. "I would we had thought
of this before we lay down to sleep. If we had collected fuel enough for
our fires we should have been safe; but I doubt much if our supply will
last now till morning."

As the hours went on the attitude of the wolves became more and more
threatening, and in strong bodies they advanced close up to the fires.
Every time that they did so armfuls of fuel were thrown on, and as the
flames leaped up brightly they each time fell back, losing several of
their numbers from the arrows of the little party. But the pile of
fuel was now sinking fast, and except when the wolves advanced it was
necessary to let the fires burn down.

"It must want four hours yet of daylight," Halcon said, as he threw on
the last piece of wood. "Look round as the fire blazes up and see if you
can make out any tree which may be climbed. I would that we had taken to
them at first instead of trusting to our fires."

Unfortunately they had chosen a somewhat open space of ground for their
encampment, for the brushwood grew thick among the trees.

"There is a tree over there," Malchus said, pointing to it, "with a
bough but six feet from the ground. One spring on to that and we are
safe."

"Very well," Halcon assented; "we will attempt it at once before the
fire burns low. Put your swords into your sheaths, sling your bows and
arrows behind you, and take each a burning brand. These will be better
weapons in such a case than swords or spears. Now, are you ready? Now!"

Waving the burning brands over their