them out when they approach the holes, or as they pass over any of
the crevices."

"I don't know, Boduoc; I think we shall do better if we have light. We
may not make them out so well, but at least we can use our spears
better than we could in the dark, when we might strike them against
the rafters or thick branches."

The woman at once gathered some of the pieces of wood that had
fallen through as the wolves made the holes and put them on the
hearth, where they soon blazed up brightly.

"I will take this big hole," Boduoc said, "it is the only one by
which they can come down at present. Do you try and prevent them
from enlarging any of the others."

There was a sudden thump overhead, followed almost immediately by
several others.

"They get up by the wood pile," the woman said. "It is against that
side of the hut, and reaches nearly up to the eaves."

There was a sharp yell as Boduoc thrust his spear up through the
hole when he saw a pair of eyes, shining in the firelight, appear
at the edge. At the same moment there was a sound of scraping and
scratching at some of the other holes. The roof was constructed
of rough poles laid at short distances apart, and above these were
small branches, on which was a sort of thatch of reeds and rushes.
Standing close under one of the holes Beric could see nothing, but
from the sound of the scratching he could tell from which side the