“Let me see how much asafoetida you’ve got,” said Sneak, after they had walked a few moments in silence.

“Here it is,” said Joe, unwrapping a paper containing several ounces; “but hang me, if that ain’t rather too strong a joke of Mr. Boone’s about its collecting the wolves.  I can’t believe that.”

“Did you ever hear of Mr. Boone’s telling a lie?” asked Sneak.

“No, I never did, and that’s a fact,” said Joe; “but I’m afraid he’s got into a scrape this time—­Jingo! look yonder!” he continued, throwing his musket up to his face, and pointing it at a very large black wolf that stood in the path before them.

“Don’t shoot!  I put two loads in your gun,” cried Sneak, hastily.

“Confound your long-necked gourd-head, I say!” said Joe, throwing down the muzzle of his musket in an instant, and the next moment the wolf disappeared among the tall bushes.  “Why, hang me, if you didn’t tell a lie!” continued Joe, running down his ramrod.

“Don’t I know it?” replied Sneak.  “I jest said so to keep you from shooting; becaise if you had shot, you’d ’ave skeered all the other wolves away, and we wouldn’t ’ave killed any.”

“It’s well you didn’t put in another cartridge,” said Joe, “for I wish I may be smashed if I stand this kicking business any longer.”

“Now, I guess you’ll believe there’s something in the asafoetida, after all! and the wolves’ll come all round you and won’t go off for shooting at ’em, if you’ll only rub it on the soles of your boots.”

“I’ll try it!” said Joe, suiting the action to the word, and then striding onward, and looking in every direction for the wolves.

“You’ll have to tree, if they come too thick.”

“Pshaw!” replied Joe, “you can’t scare me in that way.  I don’t believe a hat full of it would make them stand and be shot at.”

They were now opposite the island.  Joe selected a position even with the upper end of it, and Sneak remained below.  Boone, after stationing Roughgrove and Glenn to the best advantage, walked out to the main-land, and taking some of the gum fetid in Joe’s possession, returned to the island; and, ere long, he, Roughgrove, and Glenn were heard discharging their guns with great rapidity, and the cries of the wolves attested that they were labouring with effect.  But none of the beleaguered animals had yet retreated from the scene of destruction.  On the contrary, several were seen to run across from the main-land and join those on the island.  Presently Sneak commenced a brisk fire.  There seemed to be a whole army of wolves congregated in the vicinity.  Joe at first laughed, and then became confused and puzzled.  He anxiously desired to make the roar of his musket join the melee; but at times he thought the ravenous enemy rather too numerous for him to be in perfect safety.  The firing on the island continued without abatement.  Sneak’s gun was likewise still heard at regular intervals, and