This gave Harry a moment’s respite, of which the exhausted boy was not slow to take advantage. He came to a tree whose branches were scarcely seven feet from the ground, and, with a jump, landed in several of them. He managed to haul himself up just as the remaining wolf made an unsuccessful attempt to bury his gleaming teeth in his leg. But, alas! as Harry reached the branches in safety, his gun slipped from his hand, and went down into the snow under the wolf’s feet! He was now practically defenseless. And the worst of it was every one of his chums with their guns were at least a hundred feet or more away. “Here’s a fine mess!” he muttered to himself, as he looked down and surveyed the situation. “If I had that gun I could easily settle that fellow, but without it I can do practically nothing.” “Hullo, Harry! where are you?” sang out the voice of Jack, from a tree which was out of sight. “I’m up a tree and I’ve dropped my gun!” was the dismal response. “How about the wolves?” “They are all dead but one, and he is sitting under the tree waiting to make a meal of me.” “If there’s only one left I’ll soon finish him!” responded Jack, quickly. “Just wait till I load up again.” “Look out there!” suddenly shouted Boxy, from another direction. “Here comes another wolf!” A yelping from the woods left behind told that he was right. The beast stopped under the trees Boxy and Andy had climbed for safety. Presently both boys fired on him, and he was mortally wounded. With a yelp of pain almost human he dragged himself out of sight through the brush. “He’s cooked!” cried Andy. “Any more coming?” questioned his big brother, anxiously. “Not that we can hear,” replied Boxy, after a pause. “By the way, where is Pickles?” That was a puzzling question. In their excitement all of the members of the Zero Club had forgotten the negro youth. But they now had no time to think over the matter. Jack was determined to kill the wolf under Harry’s tree. He saw to it that his gun was ready for use, and then dropped down into the snow. He had hardly gone a dozen steps when the wolf saw him and made a rush forward. Taking hasty aim, Jack fired. The shot struck the wolf in the side, wounding him just sufficiently to make him still more ugly. He flew at Jack with wonderful ferocity, knocking the boy off his feet and sending him flat on his back. Through the tree branches Harry saw the disaster and his companion’s great peril. With a half-suppressed cry of horror he leaped to the ground and caught up his own gun. The wolf paused for a moment when he saw that he was to be attacked in the rear. Then he again turned and flew at Jack’s leg. But ere he could bury his teeth into the flesh Harry hit him a resounding crack on the side with the stock of his gun. The blow, delivered with all strength, knocked the wolf away several feet. Jack turned over and leaped to his feet. Then the wolf came at both boys.