it for Miss Emma.

"And I'll make a footstool of it," said Emma; "that shall be my revenge
for the fright I had from the other wolf. Come, Oscar, good dog; you and
I will go wolf-hunting. Dear me, who would have thought that I should
have ever killed a wolf--poor little Trim!"

Martin said it would be useless to return for the venison, as the wolves
had no doubt eaten it already; so they locked the palisade gate, and
went into the house.

Emma's adventure was the topic of the evening, and Emma herself was much
pleased at having accomplished such a feat.

"Well," said Martin, "I never knew but one woman who faced a wolf except
Miss Emma."

"And who was that, Martin?" said Mrs. Campbell.

[Illustration: FACING A WOLF.]

"It was a wife of one of our farmers, ma'am; she was at the outhouse
doing something, when she perceived a wolf enter the cottage-door, where
there was nobody except the baby in the cradle. She ran back and found
the wolf just lifting the infant out of the cradle by its clothes. The
animal looked at her with his eyes flashing; but having its mouth full,
it did not choose to drop the baby, and spring at her; all it wanted was
to get clear off with its prey. The woman had presence of mind enough to
take down her husband's rifle and point it to the wolf, but she was so
fearful of hurting the child, that she did not put the muzzle to its
head, but to its shoulder. She fired just as the wolf was making off,
and the animal fell, and could not get on its feet again, and it then
dropped the child out of its mouth to attack the mother. The woman
caught the child up, but the wolf gave her a severe bite on the arm, and
broke the bone near the wrist. A wolf has a wonderful strong jaw, ma'am.
However, the baby was saved, and neighbors came and dispatched the
animal."

"What a fearful position for a mother to be in!" exclaimed Mrs.
Campbell.

"Where did that happen?"

"On the White Mountains, ma'am," replied Martin. "Malachi Bone told me
the story; he was born there."

"Then he is an American."

"Well, ma'am, he is an American because he was born in this country, but
it was English when he was born, so he calls himself an Englishman."

"I understand," replied Mrs. Campbell, "he was born before the colonies
obtained their independence."

"Yes, ma'am, long before; there's no saying how old he is. When I was
quite a child, I recollect he was then reckoned an old man; indeed, the
name the Indians gave to