With a new terror filling his own faithful heart he knelt beside the form which lay so limp and lifeless, his blazing eyes traveling from the ghastly face to the oncoming wolves, his rifle ready in his hands.

He could now discern the wolves trailing out from the spruce forest like ants.

A dozen of them were almost within rifle-shot.

Wabi knew that it was with this vanguard of the pack that he must deal if he succeeded in stopping the scores behind.

Nearer and nearer he allowed them to come, until the first were scarce two hundred feet away.