SURROUNDED BY WOLVES
From Jack Dalton the boys had heard of a beautiful silver deer,
said to be roaming the woods on the hills back of Firefly Lake,
and Whopper and Giant talked a great deal of going after the game
and seeing if they could not lay the deer low.
"I know we can do it if only we can spot the animal," said Giant.
"And think what a feather it will be in our cap."
"I am going after that deer, even if the others won't go," added
Whopper, and so it was finally decided that Whopper and the small
youth should go in quest of the silver deer, while Snap and Shep
remained at the camp, to try their hands at erecting a trap for
beavers and also some traps for birds. It may be added that deep
in the woods they had erected a bear-fall and baited the same,
but so far no bear had shown himself in that vicinity, although
the wolves had stolen the bait on two occasions.
In order to be prepared for big game, Whopper and Giant took along
one shotgun and the rifle, and also a hunting-knife. One game-bag
was filled with provisions, for they did not know how long the
outing would last.
The boys started off in the best of spirits, taking to a trail
the old hunter had pointed out to them. There had been a flurry
of snow during the night, but this was soon melted by the sun
which, at breakfast time, had come out as brightly as ever.
"What a beautiful spot this is!" said Giant, gazing back to the lake
before plunging into the woods. "It is strange that so few folks
come up here to camp."
"Well, it's lucky for us," answered Whopper. "We shouldn't care for
many---especially of the Andrew Felps kind."
"Oh, don't mention him, Whopper. It makes me angry to think of him,
and I don't want my day's fun spoiled."
Soon the vicinity of the lake was left behind, and then the boys
began to climb the first rise of ground. Fortunately, the trail was
good and they made rapid progress. Arriving at the top of the hill,
they gazed around eagerly.
"Nothing in sight so far," said Whopper, after a long pause.
"Well, the day is young yet," was the hopeful answer.
Again they went on, and this time scared up several rabbits and also
several animals they could not name, so quickly did they disappear
again. The boys did not fire, however, being determined to do
nothing to scare the deer away, should the game be within hearing.
When, about noon, they came to a clear spring of water, they were
glad enough to sit down and rest and partake of their noonday lunch,
washing it down with copious draughts of water.
"Folks can say what they please," remarked Whopper, smacking his lips.
"When one is good and dry, nothing is so satisfying as a drink of
plain, clear water."
"You're right there, Whopper. How some men can prefer liquor is
beyond my comprehension."
"They don't know what is good for them, that's why, Giant."
The boys looked around the spring with care and made out several
tracks which they thought might belong to a deer. These led along
the trail they were following, and once more the boy hunters moved
on, refreshed by the rest and the lunch, and cheered by the hope
that they might soon get a glimpse of the game they were after.
Less than a quarter of a mile further on they found that the trail
came to an abrupt end in something of a glade at the foot of another
hill. There had been a landslide during the summer and this had
obliterated the path.
"Here's a go!" cried Whopper, gazing around in perplexity. "I
suppose old Jack Dalton didn't know about this landslide."
"We must be careful---if we go on, Whopper. That land may give
way. We don't want to get underground again."
"Not much! Once was enough."
They walked along the hill, and at last came to something that
looked a little like a trail. Then they went forward once more,
covering a good mile. The vicinity was full of rocks, and they had
to pick their way with care, for fear of tumbling down into a crevice,
or twisting an ankle.
"This is growing worse, Whopper," said Giant, coming to a halt for
breath. "I had no idea it was so rough, had you?"
"No. One thing is certain---we are not on the trail."
"Just what I was thinking."
"We are getting deeper and deeper into this mess. We'll have to
turn back."
"And without that deer! That's too bad!"
"We may see the deer elsewhere."
They walked on a hundred feet further, reaching an opening surrounded
by rocks on every side. Here was a tall tree, with branches hanging
low to the ground.
"I'm going up into the tree and look around," said Whopper.
He hung his rifle on one of the limbs and began the ascent. Giant
did likewise, and soon the pair were close to the top of the tree.
By parting the topmost branches they got a fairly good look of the
country for a long distance on every side. They could see the
waters of Lake Cameron shimmering in one direction, and the waters
of Firefly Lake shimmering in another, and they also caught
several glimpses of Rocky River, and some other bodies of water
still further away.
"Nothing of the deer," sighed Whopper, after a long look around.
"Let us make sure," came from Giant, and swept every point of
the compass with his sharp eyes.
"I see something far to the north of here," he announced. "But
what it is I can't make out."
Whopper looked in the direction, but could see nothing clearly.
"Something is moving among the bushes," he said, slowly. "It
may possibly be a deer, but I doubt it."
It was rather pleasant in the tree, and they rested near the top
for some time. Then, of a sudden, Whopper started up.
"What's that, Giant?"
"What's what?"
"That noise below."
"I don't hear anything."
"I do, and I am going down to see what is doing."
Whopper began to descend and the smaller youth followed him.
"Well, I never!"
"Wolves!"
"Yes, and look at the number!"
The words were true. Under the tree a number of wolves had
congregated. There were at least twenty-five or thirty of them, and
they were all of good size.
As soon as they saw the boys they retreated a few feet and then began
to snarl savagely.
"Say, Whopper, I don't like this," observed Giant, with a grave
shake of his head.
"I don't like it myself."
"They don't look extra friendly."
"Friendly? I guess not. They are mighty savage."
"I wonder where they came from?"
"I am sure I don't know. Perhaps from over the mountains. Don't you
remember Jed Sanborn telling us of the packs of wolves over near
Pine Mountain?"
"Yes."
The two boy hunters had not ventured to the lowest limb of the tree.
Now, as Whopper started to step down, one of the wolves, large and
savage, leaped up at him with a vicious snarl.
"Not to-day!" cried Whopper, and drew himself up again. "I don't
want you to sample my leg!"
"If we only had our guns!" sighed Giant.
"I wanted to get them, Giant. But I don't know if it will do any
good---there are so many of them. One or two less won't count."
The wolves now seemed to grow impatient and snapped and snarled
loudly as they crowded around the tree and tried to leap up towards
the boys. They were evidently a hungry lot.
"I've got an idea!" said Giant, presently. "I am going to cut a
notched stick and reach down for the guns with that."
"Just the thing!" answered his chum. The stick was soon cut, and
then both boys went "Fishing" with it. Both the gun and the rifle
were hanging up by straps, and it was an easy matter to catch the
notch under the straps and hoist the weapons up to where the youths
stood.
"Hurrah! So far so good!" cried Giant. "Now then, we'll give the
wolves something that will surprise them."
"Yes; but don't forget one thing, Giant. The shots will surely
scare the game away from around here, and that will mean good-by to
the silver deer---at least for the present."
"Well, we have got to do something."
"I agree on that."
"I'll take that savage-looking fellow right below us."
"And I'll fire at the one over yonder. Are you ready?"
There was a pause.
"Yes."
"Then fire!"
And the shotgun and the rifle spoke up almost as one piece.