again now that their hunger was somewhat appeased, yet unwilling also to abandon their prey. Finally a troop of deer approaching from the windward quarter passed within fifty yards before scenting the waiting wolves. In this troop was a doe whose haunch had been badly raked and wrenched by a puma the day before. When the deer, scenting danger at last, wheeled and ran, this doe dropped a little behind.
The siege ended then. Here was game which could be caught after a short chase and which could be pulled down without a battle. Every wolf leaped away in pursuit, and they were scarcely out of sight when Awi Agwa resumed his journey. Even in the excitement of the combat with the pack he had not forgotten the more dreaded enemy before whom, in blind obedience to instinct, he was fleeing towards the mountains.
Almayne had halted to roast and eat some of the breast-meat of the gobbler which he had shot. It was afternoon when he reached the place where Awi Agwa had made his stand. The trampled ground, the blood-spattered litter of leaves, the mangled remnants of the two wolves which the rest of the pack had eaten told the hunter what had happened.
He examined the ground carefully and worked
