96
69.

pack. Wolves are cautious about attacking human beings; ihey usually require some little time to work themselves up to the poûnt. Every few moments a clark object would brush past poor old Dj~k‘~ legs with a Snapping sound like that of a cteel trap, while the yelling and crackling increased with terrible rapidity.

	Djøk new that to run would mean ±ristant death, as the cowardly padk would all rush on him the morient he showed fear. HIS only chance of safety consisted in preserving the utrno~t coolness. A ahort distance bof or&him lay somo open ground; and he hoped that on reaching this they would leave him, as they do not like to make an attack in such a place.

	ife remembered, too, that in the middle of the open space there stood an old ca‘~in, in which he rni~ht be able to find refuge. But now the wolves rushed at him more and more boldly, snapping in clo.$or and closer proximity to his legs.

	~	Sxmp~ .. Snap~ Nearer and. nearer~ Instinctively he thrust out his fiddle at them. Th~ jarring of the strings made thoia leap back. Hope returned. ~ drew his hand violently across the strings ~ twang, twang~ Instantly the wolves sprang back as if he had fired a gun among them.

	H~ was now at the edge of the open space. He twanged h~s fiddle — the wolves recoiled. Djøk rushed taward the hut with all his speed, raking the

.	strings more violently at every jump, till they rang again.

	The astonished wolves paused for a moment on the edge of the open ground, with tails between their legs. But the sight of his flying form renewed their savage instincts. With a loua burst of yeiis they darted after him at full speed. Ho reached the hut just as the jaws of the fore~nost wolf opened to seize him.

~ ~ V He, rushed in, and VV the closing door dashed agei.nst the nose of the V