"Yes, what else, Don?" asked Mrs. Murray. "It is a good road, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes, I suppose it is good enough," said Don, doubtfully, "but I
heard--"

"We will come out at our own clearing at the back, you know," Ranald
hurried to say, giving Don a kick. "Whist, man! She is set upon going."
At that moment away off toward the swamp, which they were avoiding, the
long, heart-chilling cry of a mother wolf quavered on the still night
air. In spite of herself, Mrs. Murray shivered, and the boys looked at
each other.

"There is only one," said Ranald in a low voice to Don, but they both
knew that where the she wolf is there is a pack not far off. "And we
will be through the bush in five minutes."

"Come, Ranald! Come away, you can talk to Don any time. Good night,
Don." And so saying she headed her pony toward the clearing and was off
at a gallop, and Ranald, shaking his head at his friend, ejaculated:

"Man alive! what do you think of that?" and was off after the pony.

Together they entered the bush. The road was well beaten and the horses
were keen to go, so that before many minutes were over they were half
through the bush. Ranald's spirits rose and he began to take some
interest in his companion's observations upon the beauty of the lights
and shadows falling across their path.

"Look at that very dark shadow from the spruce there, Ranald," she
cried, pointing to a deep, black turn in the road. For answer there came