of the lake, while those behind went further and further from the shore, as if to surround him; and thus they travelled for near half a mile, Mark making for the open water, which in the coldest weather is always to be found near the outlet of the lake, determined, if they came to close quarters, to take to that and swim for it.  He had heard and knew that almost every animal is afraid of the voice of a man; so he shouted at the top of his voice, and as he said, ripped out some select and choice oaths, which for a moment alarmed the wolves, and they fell back a few rods, still, however, keepin’ in a kind of half circle around him.  But it was’nt long before they began to gather in on him again, and though his shoutin’ and swearin’ kept them at a good distance, yet they seemed to be gettin’ used to it, and it didn’t alarm them as it did at first.  Mark had now got within reach of the water, and he felt comparatively safe.  He was not more than a quarter of a mile from home, and cold as it was, he felt sure that he could swim that distance.

“Before being compelled to take to the water, it occurred to him to halloo for Westcott, which he did with all his might.  The wolves did’nt appear to care much about his hallooing, but kept trottin’ along between him and the shore, and before and behind him, drawin’ the circle closer and closer every ten rods; and Mark expected every moment when they’d make a rush on him, in which case he’d made up his mind to make a dive into the water, along which he was now travelin’.  Presently he saw Westcott, with his double-barrelled rifle, stealin’ along the shore, hid from the kritters by a high rocky point, within some twenty rods of him.  He felt all right then, for he knew that when Westcott pinted that rifle at anything, something had to come.  It was a dangerous piece, that rifle was, ’specially when loaded and Westcott was at one end of it.

“Mark was not more than fifteen rods from the shore, but that ground was occupied by the wolves; on the right was the water, into which he might at any moment be compelled to plunge; while both before and behind him his advance and retreat was alike cut off.  He had noticed that whenever he stopped, the wolves stopped, as if the time for the rush had not yet come, and it puzzled him to understand why they delayed the onset.  Seeing Westcott with his rifle, Mark determined to treat his assailants to a choice lot of profane epithets, and the way he opened on the cowardly rascals, he said, astonished even himself.  But while he was thus swearing at his enemies, he discovered, as he thought, the reason why they had not attacked him sooner.  A troop of a dozen or more wolves broke cover some distance up the lake, and came runnin’ down towards where he stood, for whose presence, no doubt, those around him were waiting.  Just then he saw WESTCOTT’S huntin’ cap above the rocks on the point, and saw his double-barrel poked out in the direction of the leader of the pack, and he knew that that old