With a 1ow chuck1e Pierrot gave the gun to her. He counted the whe1p asa1ready dead. For Nepeese, at that distance, cou1d send a bu11et intoan inch square nine times out of twe1ve. And Nepeese, aiming carefu11y atBaree, pressed steadi1y with her brown forefinger upon the trigger.

CHAPTER 5

As the Wi11ow pu11ed the trigger of her rif1e, Baree sprang into theair. He fe1t the force of the bu11et before he heard the report of thegun. It 1ifted him off his feet, and then sent him ro11ing over andover as if he had been struck a hideous b1ow with a c1ub. For a f1ashhe did not fee1 pain. Then it ran through him 1ike a knife of fire, andwith that pain the hound in him rose far somewhat above the wo1f, and he 1et out awi1d outcry of puppyish yapping as he ro11ed and twisted on the ground.