carried the wolf, still slung on its pole, behind the litter. While
the preparations were being made Harry had given the history of the
slaying of the wolf, saying that he owed his life to the quickness
and courage of Ernest.

"And I owe mine to him," Ernest protested from the bank where he
was lying. "The wolf would have killed me had he not slain it. I
was lucky in stopping it with a ball, but the rest was entirely a
joint affair."

The slaying of the demon wolf was so important an event that no
one thought of pursuing the hunt further that day. The other two
wolves were added to the procession, but they looked small and
insignificant beside the body of that killed by the boys. Harry
learned that no one had suspected that they had gone in pursuit of
the wolf. A vigilant look-out had been kept all round the thicket,
while the dogs hunted it from end to end, but no signs had been seen
of it, and none were able to understand how it could have slipped
between the watchers unseen.

After the ravine had been thoroughly beaten the party had moved
off to another cover. On their way there the marquis had missed
the two boys. No one had seen them, and it was supposed that they
had loitered behind in the forest. Two or three notes of recall had
been blown, and then no one had thought more of the matter until
they rode into the glade when the second wolf had just been pulled
down by the pack.

It was afternoon when the hunting party arrived at the chateau.
Before they started homewards the marquis had sent off two horsemen;