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           Forinthatinstanttheshe-wolfleapedsidewisefromthetrailintotheclumpofsprucetreesanddisappeared. 

           Thetwomenlookedateachother. Henrywhistledlongandcomprehendingly. 

           "Imighthaveknowedit,"Billchidedhimselfaloudashereplacedthegun. "Ofcourseawolfthatknowsenoughtocomeinwiththedogsatfeedin’time,‘dknowallaboutshooting-irons. Itellyourightnow,Henry,thatcritter’sthecauseofallourtrouble. We’dhavesixdogsatthepresenttime,‘steadofthree,ifitwasn’tforher. An’Itellyourightnow,Henry,I’mgoin’together. She’stoosmarttobeshotintheopen. ButI’mgoin’tolayforher.I’llbushwhackherassureasmynameisBill." 

           "Youneedn’tstrayofftoofarindoin’it,"hispartneradmonished. "Ifthatpackeverstartstojumpyou,themthreecartridges’dbewuthnomore’nthreewhoopsinhell. Themanimalsisdamnhungry, an’oncetheystartin,they’llsuregetyou,Bill." 

           Theycampedearlythatnight. Threedogscouldnotdragthesledsofastnorforsolonghoursascouldsix,andtheywereshowingunmistakablesignsofplayingout. Andthemenwentearlytobed,Billfirstseeingtoitthatthedogsweretiedoutofgnawing-reachofoneanother. 

           Butthewolvesweregrowingbolder,andthemenwerearousedmorethanoncefromtheirsleep. Soneardidthewolvesapproach,thatthedogsbecamefranticwithterror, anditwasnecessarytoreplenishthefirefromtimetotimeinordertokeeptheadventurousmaraudersatsaferdistance.