“Jest look yander!” cried Sneak, pointing up the river.  The scene was a remarkable one.  They beheld a very small deer (the lightness of which enabled it to run on the snow that covered the ice with great fleetness, without breaking through the crust,) chased about on the river by a pack of wolves!  These hungry animals had evidently been racing after it a great length of time, from the distressed appearance of the poor victim, and, having driven it upon the ice, they seemed resolved to prevent it from ever again entering the thickets.  The plan they adopted was systematic, and worthy the imitation of biped hunters.  They dispersed in various directions, and formed themselves in a circle of about a half mile in diameter, hemming the deer in on all sides, while only one or two of their number at a time chased it.  Round and round it ran; and though its pursuers were left far in the rear, yet it remained entirely surrounded by the enemy.  Occasionally, when a chasing wolf became exhausted, one of the guards (abandoning his post) would enter the ring, and, not being fatigued, was able to carry on the pursuit with redoubled vigour.  Thus the chase was kept up with increasing fierceness by means of a succession of fresh wolves, until the poor deer finally sank down and surrendered its life.  The voracious pack then rushed from their stations indiscriminately, and coming in contact immediately over their prey, a most frightful contest ensued among them.  Horrific yells and screams could be heard by the men as they looked on from their distant position.  At times the wolves were so closely jumbled together that nothing could be distinguished but one black, heaving, and echoing mass.  But the struggle was soon over.  In a very few moments, they became quiet, and started off in a comparatively peaceful manner towards the island, whence their prize had been driven, in quest of others.  When they abandoned the spot where their victim had fallen, not so much as a bone remained.

“That’s making a clean business of it!” said Sneak.

“Its no such thing!” said Joe; “it’s a nasty trick to swallow hide, bones, and bowels, in that manner.”

“Its clean for wolves,” said Sneak.

“Oh, may be you’re part wolf,” said Joe.

“Now, none of your gab, or I’ll play some other trick on you, worse than that at the spring.”

“You be hanged,” retorted Joe; “I’ll give you leave to do it when you get a chance the next time.”

“It is a great pity that the deer are subject to such destruction,” remarked Glenn.

“The wolves we saw are all on yonder island,” said Boone, “and if you are disposed to have a hunt, I have no doubt we might kill some of them.”

“We are entirely dependent upon the deer for animal food,” said Roughgrove; “and if we could only surround that party of wolves as they did the deer, we might do the settlement much good service.”

“I go in for it,” said Sneak.