bounty for every scalp; for he considered that as there was no mention
made in the act respecting the size the wolves must be, he might as
well have the benefit of that oversight. He put his scheme,
accordingly, into effect, and it proved quite successful. Her wolfship
in a few days was safely delivered of five fine whelps, whose scalps,
with that of their mother, were duly presented to the magistrate. At
first he demurred respecting the certificate, but upon referring to the
statute, he found there was no provision to meet a case of this kind.
He, however, satisfied his moral justice by the reflection, "that if
the dam had remained at large a few days longer, and whelped in the
Bush, it would have amounted to the same thing, and that, perhaps, many
sheep had been saved from the greedy fangs of the growing family, by
the ingenious plan of the trapper." It was a clever trick, no doubt--a
real Yankee shave; but one for which the sternest moralist can scarcely
get up an effective lecture.

The Canadian wolf is not nearly so ferocious as the European animal,
nor I believe quite so large. I have heard of very few well-
authenticated accounts of persons having been destroyed by these
creatures, though I must say I should not like again to be in their
vicinity in a dark night, as more than once I have been. I was
returning from Whitby after dark, and had just entered the woods,
through which my path lay for a full mile and a half. The night being
dark, and the road not particularly good, I gave Prince the rein, and
allowed him to choose his own pace. Presently, I thought I heard a
pattering on the leaves, like the tread of animals, at which sound my
horse pricked up his ears, snorted, and shied nearly across the road,
so suddenly that I was nearly thrown out of the saddle. Well for me was
it, however, that I kept my seat; for instantly such an infernal
howling was raised all round me as made my heart leap up to my mouth,