"The bear is now safe for the winter in the hollow of some tree or under some root, where he has made a den. It will not come out till the spring. The catamount or panther is a much more dangerous animal than the wolf; but it is scarce. I do think, however, that the young ladies should not venture out, unless with some rifles in company, for fear of another mischance. We have plenty of lynxes here; but I doubt if they would attack even a child, although they fight when assailed, and bite and claw severely." The Misses Percival now made their appearance. Emma was very merry, but Mary rather grave. Captain Sinclair, having shaken hands with them both, said-- "Why, Emma, you appear to have recovered sooner than your sister!" "Yes," replied Emma; "but I was much more frightened than she was, and she supported me, or I should have fallen at the wolf's feet. I yielded to my fears; Mary held up against hers; so, as her exertions were much greater than mine, she has not recovered from them so soon. The fact is, Mary is brave when there is danger, and I am only brave when there is none." "I was quite as much frightened as you, my dear Emma," said Mary Percival; "but we must now help our aunt, and get dinner ready on the table." "I can not say that I have a wolfish appetite this morning," replied Emma, laughing; "but Alfred will eat for me and himself too." In a few minutes dinner was on the table, and they all sat down without waiting for Martin and John, who were still busy skinning the wolf. CHAPTER XVIII. "Here come Martin and John at last," said Mr. Campbell, after they had been about a quarter of an hour at table. But he was mistaken; instead of Martin and John, Malachi Bone made his appearance, and, to their surprise, accompanied by his young squaw, the Strawberry Plant. Every one rose to welcome them, and the Misses Percival went to their little female acquaintance, and would have made her sit down with them, but she refused and took her seat on the floor near the fire. "She ain't used to chairs and stools, miss; let her be where she is," said old Bone, "she'll be more comfortable, and that's what you want her to be, I'm sure. I brought her with me, because I could not carry all the venison myself, and also to show her the way in and out of the house, and how it is fastened, in case of sending a message by night." "Of sending a message by night," said Mrs. Campbell, with surprise, "why, what possible occasion could there be for that?"