showed that they could not long maintain the pace.

Suddenly, ten yards ahead of the wolf, a man, armed with
a hatchet, stepped out from behind a tree directly in its way. He
was a wood-cutter whose attention being called by the sound of the
galloping feet of the horses, had left his half-hewn tree and stepped
out to see who was coming. He gave an exclamation of surprise and
alarm as he saw the wolf, and raised his hatchet to defend himself.
Without a moment's hesitation the animal sprang upon him and
carried him to the ground, fixing its fangs into his throat. There
was a struggle for a few moments, and then the wolf left its lifeless
foe and was about to continue its flight.

"Get ready to fire, Harry," Ernest exclaimed as the wolf sprang
upon the man, "it is our last chance. If he gets away now we shall
never catch him."

They reined in their horses just as the wolf rose to fly. Harry
fired first, but the movement of his panting horse deranged his aim
and the bullet flew wide. More accustomed to firing on horseback,
Ernest's aim was truer, he struck the wolf on the shoulder, and
it rolled over and over. With a shout of triumph the boys dashed
forward, but when they were within a few paces the wolf leapt
to its feet and endeavoured to spring towards them. Harry's horse
wheeled aside so sharply that he was hurled from the saddle.

The shock was a severe one, and before he could rise to his
feet the wolf was close upon him. He tried as he rose to draw his
hunting-sword, but before he could do so, Ernest, who had, when he
saw him fall, at once leaped from his horse, threw himself before