"It's a fine creature," observed Malachi, "a wolf would stand no chance against him, and even a bear would have more on its hands than it could well manage I expect; but, come here, boy," said the old hunter to John, leading the dog outside of the door. "You'd better leave the dog, John," said Malachi, "the crittur will be of use here, but of no good to us." John made no reply, and the hunter continued-- "I say it will be of use here, for the girls might meet with another wolf, or the house might be attacked; but good hunters don't want dogs. Is it to watch for us, and give us notice of danger? Why that's our duty, and we must trust to ourselves, and not to an animal. Is it to hunt for us? Why no dog can take a deer so well as we can with our rifles; a dog may discover us when we wish to be hidden; a dog's track will mark us out when we would wish our track to be doubted. The animal will be of no utility ever to us, John, and may do us harm, 'specially now the snow's on the ground. In the summer-time, you can take him and teach him how to behave as a hunter's dog should behave; but we had better leave him now, and start at once." John nodded his head in assent, and then went in-doors. "Good-by," said John, going up to his mother and cousins; "I shall not take the dog." "Won't take the dog! well, that's very kind of you, John," said Mary, "for we were longing to have him to protect us." John shouldered his rifle, made a sign to Strawberry Plant, who rose, and looking kindly at Mrs. Campbell and the girls, without speaking, followed John out of the hut. Malachi certainly was not very polite, for he walked off, in company with John and the squaw, without taking the trouble to say "Good-by." It must, however, be observed that he was in conversation with Martin, who accompanied them on the way.