I crept out as fast as I could, and perceived men and dogs not two hundred yards off in full chase.

I hastened to the large tree, and had not ascended six feet when they came up; the dogs flew to the hole, and in a very short time the wolf was killed.

The hunters being too busy to observe me, I had in the meantime climbed up the trunk of the tree, and hidden myself as well as I could.

Being not fifteen yards from them, I heard their expressions of surprise as they lifted up the blanket and dragged out the dead wolf, which they carried away with them; their conversation being in Dutch, I could not understand it, but I was certain that they made use of the word "_English_." The hunters and dogs quitted the copse, and I was about to descend, when one of them returned, and pulling up the blankets, rolled them together and walked away with them.

Fortunately he did not perceive our bundles by the little light given by the moon.