IN TROUBLE ONCE MORE
The next day it snowed again and the four boy hunters were almost in
despair, for they had calculated to strike out for Firefly Lake as
soon as it grew light.
"It would be foolish to try it just now," said Snap, looking at the
sky. "just see how fast the snow is falling!"
The heavy snow kept up all day, but cleared away as evening came on.
Looking out about eight o'clock Shep gave a shout:
"Boys, the stars are shining. It is as clear as crystal!"
All rushed forth to verify the glad tidings. It was indeed clear and
the glittering stars made a scene of royal splendor.
"We'll start for camp early to-morrow," announced Snap. "Now let us
get to bed and get a good night's rest. It is going to be no picnic
walking on this snow."
They turned in, after fixing the fire, leaving Giant on guard for the
first three hours. After Giant came Whopper, and then Snap took his
turn.
Snap had scarcely commenced his vigil when he heard the bark of a fox
at a great distance.
Presently the barking of the fox ceased and utter silence reigned for
all of half an hour. Then came another sound which made the leader of
the Gun Club listen with intentness.
"Wolves, as sure as fate!" he murmured. "I trust they are not coming
here!"
Another period of silence, and the mournful howls came still closer.
There were many more of them and Snap came to the conclusion that a
regular band of wolves were closing in on the little shelter beside
the spruces.
"Guess I had better wake up Shep," he told himself. "He has got to
take the next watch anyway."
He aroused his chum and told Shep of what he had heard. Then came more
of the howls, still closer.
"They are certainly coming this way," said the doctor's son, picking
up his gun. "And I'm afraid there must be quite a number of them."
After this came another period of silence. Both boys kept on the
alert, Snap on one side of the camp and Shep on the other. They felt
sure that the wolves were coming closer and they were not mistaken.
"I see one!" cried Snap, as a pair of gleaming eyes showed themselves
over a rim of snow.
"I see three or four," responded Shep. "Call Giant and Whopper."
The words had scarcely left his lips when Snap took aim and fired at
one of the wolves, wounding it in the shoulder. The report of the
shotgun brought Giant and Whopper to their feet without delay.
"What's up?" came from both.
"Wolves!" answered the leader of the club, laconically. "Get your
guns!"
The shot had caused the wolves to fall back a little, and taking
advantage of this, Snap reloaded the empty barrel of his shotgun and
stirred up the fire still more.
Bang! went Shep's shotgun, and a wolf was taken directly in his
throat. He turned to run away and then fell dead. Without hesitation
his fellows fell upon him and rent the carcass asunder.
"What horrible cannibals!" muttered Whopper. "Say, how do you like
that?" he went on, and fired a bullet from the rifle into the mass of
wolves, hitting one in the leg and another in the side. The first wolf
was merely wounded but the second was killed.
The death of another of their band made the other wolves retreat and
they kept away for fully a quarter of an hour. But then their numbers
were increased by the arrival of more equally hungry, and they came on
in a wide semi-circle, as if to pounce upon the four boy hunters and
eat them up.
"Shoot 'em--don't let 'em come any closer!" called out Whopper, and
banged away with his shotgun, hitting a wolf in the breast. Then the
others fired and another of the ugly beasts went down. Still another
was wounded just sufficiently to make him ugly, and with bloodshot
eyes he leaped straight into the camp and at Snap's very feet!
It was a moment of extreme peril, and for the instant Snap's heart
seemed to stop beating. Then little Giant turned swiftly and pulled
the trigger of his shotgun and sent the load into the wolf's ear.
There was one short yelp, a leap of agony, and the wolf landed in the
fire, dead, scattering the burning embers in all directions.
"Good for you, Giant!" cried Snap, when he could speak. He caught the
dead wolf and threw the body among the trees.
"Fix that fire up!" yelled Whopper. "It's our best protection!"
He ran for some sticks, and they built the fire into a roaring blaze
that illuminated the forest for a considerable distance. Then Shep and
Whopper fired more shots, wounding two more wolves, and the pack
slowly retreated, growling and howling savagely.
"What an attack!" said Whopper, wiping the cold perspiration from his
forehead. "I don't want to experience another."
Further sleep was out of the question, and for the remainder of the
night the boys kept a good fire going and watched all around the
temporary camp for their enemies. But the wolves did not show
themselves again.
"And now for Firefly Lake and Birch Tree Inn!" cried Shep, when they
were preparing breakfast. "My! the Inn will seem like home, after such
experiences as we have had!"
It was clear and mild, with hardly any wind blowing. As the sun came
up it made the great drifts of snow glitter and sparkle in a manner
which was dazzling.
"Oh, look!" screamed Giant, just as they were getting ready to set
out. "There's a shot for somebody!" and he caught up his gun.
Over the spruce trees a flock of wild ducks were soaring, evidently
searching for food. They came quite close, and all of the young
hunters blazed away, in rapid succession. Six of the ducks came down,
one so straight that it hit Whopper directly on the head, almost
knocking him over.
"There's luck for you!" cried Snap, gleefully, "We've got a few ducks
anyway."
They placed the game in their bags, and a few minutes later bade
farewell to the shelter of the spruces. It was so clear they could see
the distant hills and mountains with ease and Snap regulated the
course accordingly.
Some of the snowdrifts were truly immense, one, they reckoned,
measuring twenty feet in height. They had to proceed with care, for
they did not want to break through and sink out of sight. Once Whopper
fell over and it was all the others could do to set him straight on
his snowshoes again.
They had thought to take almost a direct course to Firefly Lake, but
after covering a mile found this impossible.
"We'll have to take something of a round-about way," said their
leader. "It will be longer, but it can't be helped."
"That will bring us between Firefly Lake and Lake Cameron, won't it?"
asked Giant.
"Yes."
They hurried on for another mile. It was certainly hard work and made
them warm in spite of the lowness of the thermometer. Then they came
to a big drift of snow and found it no mean task to get over the same.
"Hark I what was that?" said Shep.
"A gunshot," answered Whopper. "There goes another."
After that they heard several more shots, coming from some point
ahead.
"Some other hunters must be out," said Snap. "Wonder who they can be?"