now-refreshed wolves again entered the chase, thus they relieved one
another. The ill-fated doe, in a vain hope of throwing aside her
pursuers, twice rushed into the very centre of the caribou herd; but it
was of no avail, for, as the wolves relentlessly followed her, the
other deer wildly scattered away to a safer distance, where, however,
they soon came together again, and stood watching their enemies running
down their doomed comrade. Now first one wolf and then another took
the lead; closer and closer they pressed upon the exhausted doe whose
shortening stride told that her strength was fast ebbing away.

"My son, perhaps you wonder why I did not use my gun? I was out of
range, and, moreover, while I was afraid that if I ventured out of the
woods I might frighten the game away, I knew I had but to wait a little
while and then I should be sure of at least one deer without even
firing my gun. I did not have to wait long. With a few tremendous
leaps the leading wolf seized the doe by the base of the throat and
throwing her, heels over head, brought her down.

"Realizing that I must act at once, I rushed out upon the lake, but in
my haste I fell and broke the stock off my gun--just behind the hammer.
But as I still had my axe, I picked up the broken gun, and charged in
among the wolves that now began to back away, though not without much
snarling, glaring of angry eyes, and champing of powerful jaws. As one
remained too near, I let drive at it with a charge from my almost
useless gun; and though I missed my aim, the report relieved me of any
further trouble. Cutting up the deer, I feasted upon it for several
hours, then loaded my sled and hurried home with the meat for my
starving family."

There are three principal species of Canadian caribou: the smallest