"No; wolves. They chased him once. Got away by climbing a tree and pulling the tree up after him."
"Dear me! what an extraordinary occurrence!" exclaimed grandma.
"But do you believe it, grandma?" asked Ralph.
"Oh no; certainly not. I never believe any of your uncle Henry's animal stories."
"Well," said Ralph, slowly. "I've been a little afraid of some of them myself. He couldn't pull up a tree he was in, could he, grandma?"
"I don't believe he could, unless he pulled pretty hard. I remember my uncle Henry used to tell a wolf story when I was a little girl. He said that one day, when he lived in Vermont, two wolves came after him, and he ran as fast as he could. By-and-by he began to get tired. Just then he came to a big rock, half as big as a house, and leaped upon it. The wolves were close behind, and so furious that they were almost or quite blind. One rushed around the rock one way, and the other the other way. They met on the farther side, and each thought he had caught Uncle Henry, and they began to fight like cats and dogs. Pretty soon they stopped to rest, and saw their mistake, and Uncle Henry said he never saw two wolves look so disgusted."
"Do you believe that story?" asked Ralph.
"Well," answered grandma, "it does seem to have its hard points. I think he may have stretched it a little."
"Tell me a true wolf story, grandma," pleaded Ralph.
"I'm afraid I don't know any more wolf stories—except the one about Little Red Riding-hood. Once on a time—"