THE WOLF GHOST
The little clock on the mantle over the fireplace had struck ten and
in spite of his resolve, Rex had drifted off into sleep, when
suddenly he was awakened. Yes, it was no dream. From far off in the
woods came the long drawn out howl of the wolf. He smiled as he lay
there listening. The boys had started something, but just what they
had planned he could only guess. Soon came another howl and now it
was nearer. A movement, on the other side of the room assured him
that Parry was awake, but he did not speak.
“Let it soak in,” he muttered.
Again and again the howls rang through the forest, each time coming
nearer. The sound of the cry was deep and long drawn out.
“That kid’s a peach,” Rex smiled as he listened. “He’s got that howl
down to perfection.”
“You hear dat?” Parry finally asked in a frightened tone after a
particularly loud cry had boomed through the woods.
“Yes, of course I heard it. I’m not deaf. What do you make of it?”
Rex said, grinning to himself.
“I tink eet dat wolf,” Parry whispered.
“Well, if it is I only hope it isn’t after me,” Rex declared. “But
don’t you think you ought to untie me, Parry?” he asked putting all
the fear he could into his voice. “I’d be perfectly helpless the way
I am if he gets in here.”
“Heem no want you,” Parry declared as he got out of his bunk and
crossed the room. “Heem after me. You tink heem can get in here?”
“Well, of course, no ordinary wolf could,” Rex replied slowly, “but
if that’s a spirit wolf as you seem to think, I don’t imagine a
little thing like a door would bother him much.”
“I untie you, you try help me, oui?” the breed promised as another
howl, now evidently very near, came to their ears.
“Sure, I’ll help you if I can. But if that fellow really gets in,
good night.”
Parry quickly untied the ropes and Rex sat up on the edge of the
bunk.
Parry had lighted the little lamp and Rex could see that the man was
in a bad way. His swarthy face was as pale as a face of that hue
could get and his hands trembled violently as he replaced the
chimney on the lamp.
Never had he seen such fear in a man’s face and a wave of pity swept
over him as he watched.
“But he deserves all that’s coming to him,” he thought.
All this time the cries had been coming nearer. Until now it seemed
that the wolf must be close at hand. Then, for a time they stopped.
What was coming next Rex wondered. But he did not have long to wait.
Soon the sound of the patter of feet was heard on the roof. Patter,
patter, they sounded as thought some large animal was running across
the roof.
Parry sank down in a chair, his face livid.
“Heem geet me ver’ queek,” he muttered.
Just then, down the big chimney came a deep booming howl, and then
all was still for several minutes.
Although, of course he was not frightened, Rex was keyed up to a
high pitch wondering what would happen next.
“Look, Parry,” he suddenly cried, pointing to the window.
There, pressed close against the pane, was the face of an enormous
wolf, but such a wolf as Rex had never dreamed of seeing. A long red
tongue hung from its half open mouth and the eyes glowed like balls
of fire, while streams of fire seemed to dart from the pointed nose.
Parry gave one look and started to his feet. Then, suddenly, with a
hoarse cry, he threw up his hands and fell in a crumpled heap, on
the floor. Rex was quick to grasp his chance, and, picking up the
ropes, with which he had been tied, he soon had the breed trussed up
so that there was little chance of his being able to get free. This
done he threw open the front door and shouted.
“All right, boys, you can come in now.”
Bob and Jack, the latter carrying the wolf’s head on the end of a
short stick, were quick to accept the invitation.
“You certainly did the trick, all right,” Rex declared as he pointed
to the form lying on the floor. “That head was too much for him and
he tumbled over, and I don’t wonder. It was enough to scare anyone
out of a year’s growth.”
“He isn’t dead is he?” Bob asked anxiously.
“Not a bit of it,” Rex replied. “He just fainted and I’ll bet it’s
the first time such a thing ever happened to him. His kind don’t
keel over easily but he was scared half to death before he saw that
thing and that was the last straw.”
“You are sure you’ve got him good and fast?” Bob asked.
“I think so, but, perhaps, you had better take a look. I guess you
know more about such things than I do.”
But, after a hasty examination, Bob declared that it was a good job.
“Couldn’t have done a better myself,” he said.
“How, in the name of common sense, did you fix up that thing?” Rex
asked, pointing to the wolf’s head, which Jack had thrown on the
floor.
“We were lucky,” Bob laughed, as he picked up the head. “You see we
found the skeleton of a sheep and took the head and made it larger
with some birch bark and spruce twigs smeared over with pitch which
we got off a pine tree. Jack’s under shirt had to suffer to supply
the tongue. Mine isn’t red. Then we got that fire effect by using
the heads of pretty near a whole box of matches. It’s pretty crude
you see, when you get close to it, but at a distance, I guess it
looked real enough.”
“I should say it did,” Rex declared as he picked up the head. “If I
hadn’t known that you were back of it I’m not sure but what I’d have
gone with Parry.”
“What did you think of Jack’s howls?” Bob asked.
“They were perfect,” Rex replied. “He hadn’t the least doubt, but
that his wolf was after him.”
Just then the breed gave a low moan, and, as Rex bent over him, he
slowly opened his eyes.
“He’s coming round all right,” Rex said as he straightened up.
“Did wolf geet in?” Parry asked in a weak tone.
“Not exactly,” Rex replied. “But something else did,” and he glanced
at the two boys who were standing close together a little to one
side.
Parry followed his gaze and, as he saw the boys, he gave Rex a
questioning look.
“They are two friends of mine,” Rex explained.
“Then dere was no wolf, non?”
“I’m afraid not,” Rex replied.
“But der head. I seed heem.”
“There it is on the table.”
Parry gave one glance at the object and as the thought that he had
been tricked worked its way into his brain, he seemed to notice, for
the first time that he was tied. Instantly his face grew dark with
anger and he began to strain at his bonds. But Rex had done his work
well and with all his great strength, he could not loosen them. Rex
let him struggle until, panting, he gave it up.
“It’s no use, Parry,” he said. “Your game is up and you might as
well make the best of it. Be a sport. You had your innings and now
it’s my turn.”
For the space of a minute the breed glared at him. Evidently a
struggle was going on in his mind. He was licked for the time being,
at any rate.
“All right. I geet up. I be sport lak’ you be.”
“That’s the talk,” Rex declared. “Nothing like knowing when you’re
licked.”
“What you do wid me, eh?” Parry asked humbly.
“We haven’t got to that yet,” Rex said. “I guess that’ll need some
figuring,” he added turning to Bob and Jack. “But first let’s get
the fire going. It’s getting rather cold in here.”
As soon as the fire was sending its shower of sparks up the chimney,
at Rex’s suggestion, they lifted the breed into his bunk and drew a
thick blanket over him. He said no word, but lay with a look of
dejected resignation on his face.
“Now we’ll get together by the fireplace and go into executive
session of the ways and means committee,” Rex said, as he drew a
chair up close to the fire. “It don’t look to me as though we were
out of the woods yet,” he added as the boys followed his example.
“Not by a good many long miles,” Bob agreed.
“Literally and figuratively both,” Rex laughed.
“Looks to me as though we had a white elephant on our hands,” Jack
said hitching his chair nearer the fire.
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Rex agreed. “We’ve got to decide what
to do with Parry. We can’t leave him here to starve to death and I
don’t see how we can take him with us either. So there we are,
betwixt the devil and the deep sea. I tell you,” he whispered, “we
must take absolutely no chance of his getting loose. The fat would
be in the fire for sure if he did.”
“Well, have you any plan?” Bob asked.
“Not a glimmer, have you?”
“No, I can’t see a way out yet. How about you, Jack?” and Bob looked
at his brother.
“Guess I’m about in the same boat as the rest of you,” the boy
replied.
“The only thing I’ve thought of so far is for one of us to go to
Ashland, I believe that’s the nearest town, and get help while the
others stay here and watch him.”
“Well, I’d like to know what’s the matter with that plan?” Rex
smiled.
“Ashland is only twelve miles from here and one of us could be back
with help tomorrow night easily enough. What do you say, Bob?”
“Sounds good to me,” Bob replied. “I’ll go.”
“Not much you won’t,” Rex objected. “This is my job.”
“Now look here, Rex,” Bob began, “You know as well as I do that it’s
best for me to go. I don’t want to brag, but I can make a good deal
better time on snow-shoes than you can and besides you don’t know
the woods as well as I do, and you could easily lose your way and
then we would be in a fix.”
Rex realized the force of Bob’s argument and gave in.
“I suppose you’re right,” he said. “But I hate to have you do all
the hard work.”
“Bosh on that hard work stuff,” Bob laughed.
“Well, have it your own way,” Rex smiled. “But I haven’t thanked you
for—”
“Just lay off the thanks,” Jack interrupted. “We’ll take all that
for granted, eh Bob?”
“Sure we will, Rex, old man.”
“Well it was mighty good and plucky of you just the same,” he
declared.
“And now you fellows better turn in and get some sleep. I’ll keep
watch of our friend here.”
The boys tried to object but Rex would not listen, declaring that he
had been sleeping from twelve to fourteen hours a day and did not
need any more for a week.
It was nearly midnight by this time and, in spite of the excitement,
both boys were asleep almost as soon as they tumbled into the bunk,
which, fortunately, was wide enough to hold them both.
As soon as he was sure that they were asleep Rex went over to Parry
and examined his bonds. The breed did not say a word and, after
assuring himself that he had not loosened them, he went back to his
chair by the fire.
When Bob woke the light was still burning as daylight had not yet
come. But a glance at his watch told him that it was nearly five
o’clock. Rex was getting breakfast and turned as Bob got out of the
bunk.
“All quiet along the Potomac?” the latter asked.
“Fine’s a fiddle,” Rex assured him “and breakfast will be ready just
as soon as the coffee boils.”
The rain had stopped but a glance outside told Bob that the weather
had not entirely cleared.
“It’s going to be a pretty hard tramp on that wet snow,” he thought
as he stepped back into the room.
He woke Jack and in a few minutes Rex announced that breakfast was
ready. As soon as they were finished they lifted Parry from his bunk
and placed him in a chair.
“Now, Parry, I’ll feed you,” Rex said.
“You untie hands, I be bon.” The breed declared with an imploring
look.
But Rex shook his head.
“No, my friend. I’ve seen what you can do with those hands and I’m
not going to take a chance.”
So he had to submit to being fed, an operation which took some
little time as he was a big feeder.
“Well I guess I’ll be on my way,” Bob said as soon as the first
gleam of the coming dawn showed in the east.
“Sure you can find the way?” Rex asked anxiously.
“Sure. I’ve got a map here and my compass. I’ll be all right and I
ought to be back here by three or four o’clock. You be careful with
that fellow and don’t let him get loose,” he cautioned as he
fastened the thongs of his snow-shoes.
“Well so long,” he said as he shook hands with them.
As he had feared the snow was very wet and sticky and the going was
hard from the start. But he was used to it and a merry whistle
floated back to the two on the porch as they watched him until the
mighty forest swallowed him.
“He’s a boy in a thousand,” Rex declared as they turned back into
the cabin, and Jack heartily agreed with him.
Before washing the dishes Rex again examined their prisoner’s bonds
and assured himself that all was well.
“We must not let him out of our sight for a minute,” he whispered to
Jack. “His strength is really marvelous and he might wiggle out of
those ropes and if he should, he’d make short work of us.”
“Will you go back with them when they come after Parry?” Jack asked
as he was drying the dishes.
“I thought I’d like to go with you,” Rex said. “You see that
business, which I was supposed to attend to, has been settled long
before this and there is really no hurry about my getting back now.”
“That’ll be the finest ever,” Jack declared, delighted at the
thought of having their friend with them on the homeward trip.
“We’ll show you how they drive logs down the river. Say did you ever
see a log rolling contest?”
“No. I never did, but I’ve read about them. It must be fun.”
“I’ll say it is.”
Meanwhile Bob was plowing his way through the wet snow toward
Ashland. Before he had gone far the sun broke through the clouds and
it began to grow warm and he was soon forced to remove his mackinaw.
How the snow did stick to his shoes. It seemed as though he was
lifting a heavy weight every time he raised a foot.
“I guess it’ll be night before I get there,” he thought and it was
only a little after ten o’clock when, from the top of a small hill,
he looked down upon the little town, nestling at its foot.
The town boasted a telegraph office and, making his way thither, he
sent a message to Rex’s father in Philadelphia, telling him that he
was all right. He also telegraphed to his own father telling him
that they had found Rex and would start for Moosehead Lake next day.
This done he explained matters to the operator and asked him to whom
he should apply.
“Jim Dugan is a deputy. He lives right across the street in that
white house. Guess you better see him,” the man advised.
Bob found Jim Dugan a genial man about fifty years old and anxious
to help him after he had heard the story.
“But I can’t hardly believe it of Parry Magloire,” he declared when
Bob told him what happened. “I know Parry well. He’s been guiding
round here for all of five years and I never heard of his cutting up
any tricks before. Guess he must have had a brain storm. Now I’ll
get hold of Joe Hinkson and after we get a bite ter eat we’ll start
back with you. We can drive up to within about a mile of the lake
all right.”
Bob was very glad to know that he would not have to tramp all the
way back.
Joe Hinkson was a young man but a few years older than Bob, but he
was, as Bob could see, a powerfully built man.
They found the road in fair shape for that time of year and it was
only a little past two o’clock when the deputy announced.
“We’ll ave ter hoof it from here.”
They donned snow-shoes and at once struck off through the thick
woods.
“Ter think that Parry’d do a thing like that,” Joe said as they
trudged along.
“It sure do beat the Dutch,” the deputy agreed.
Soon the cabin hove in sight and Bob gave a loud whoop which brought
Rex and Jack out on the porch.
“Well, you sure did make it snappy,” Jack said as he grasped his
brother’s hand. “I didn’t expect you for two hours.”
Bob introduced his companions and they all went into the cabin.
“Well, well, what you been up to, Parry?” the deputy greeted the
prisoner.
“Hello, Jeem. I think I mak’ one beeg fool out of myself, oui,” the
breed answered.
“Yes, I guess you have,” Dugan replied severely.
Then turning to Bob he said, “You can untie him now. I’ll be
responsible for him.”
Bob did as he asked and Parry stretched himself with a sigh of
relief.
“I’m mighty sorry that a thing of this sort should have happened,”
the deputy said, turning to Rex. “I’m afraid that it’ll give you a
mighty bad impression of us up here in Maine. But I never knowed a
thing of this sort ter happen afore. Parry, I’m sure ashamed of
you.”
Parry hung his head but said nothing.
“Well, we’ll be getting back,” the deputy announced. “Get your duds
on, Parry. I suppose you boys will wait till morning afore you
start?” he asked turning to Bob.
“Why, I hardly know, but probably we will as it’s pretty late to
start now,” Bob replied. “We are certainly very grateful to you for
coming to our aid.”
“Oh, that’s nothin’. All in the day’s work,” the deputy declared.
Then turning to Rex he asked:
“What charge do you want ter make ’gainst this feller, Mr. Dale?”
“Why, er I don’t think I want to make any,” Rex said after a
moment’s thought. “Really I have no hard feelings against him and I
believe that he’s been punished enough. How about it Parry?”
“I ver’ sorry. I, I don’t know what mak’ me do heem,” the breed said
as he stood with downcast eyes.
“Then suppose we let it go at that,” Rex suggested.
“Just as you say,” the deputy agreed. “But I’ll be blest if many
would do it. Parry, you don’t deserve it.”
“The man actually had tears in his eyes,” Bob declared, after they
had gone.
“I honestly think that he’s a good fellow at heart,” Rex declared.
It did not take them long to decide against starting back that
afternoon.
“We’ll hit the hay early tonight and get off by daylight,” Bob said
as he opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. “The
wind has shifted into the northwest,” he announced, a moment later
as he came back. “It’s growing colder and that just suits us. If it
will only freeze tonight we can make twenty or twenty-five miles
before it gets soft.”
“Who owns this cabin?” Jack asked turning to Rex.
“It belongs to a friend of Dad’s in Philadelphia. His name is Brown
and he comes up here every summer for a couple of months.”
The cabin was well stocked with supplies and Rex said that they were
at liberty to take what they wished with them. Before going to bed
that night they got everything ready so that there might be no delay
in getting off in the morning.
As Bob had hoped it froze hard during the night and when they
started just as the eastern sky was beginning to lighten, they found
a good hard crust. They were all in high spirits as they slung their
packs onto their backs and fastened the snow-shoes on top of them.
“Here’s where we make a record,” Jack shouted as he took the lead.
“Now, son, don’t you go to hitting it up too fast. Remember Rex
isn’t in training for a long hike,” Bob cautioned.
“Don’t you hold back on my account,” Rex said. “I’m a pretty good
walker and if I get winded, I’ll let you know.”
Jack knew that Rex was game, but he also realized the truth of Bob’s
statement, so he set a slower pace than he would have taken had they
been by themselves. Still they made good time, considering the big
hill which they had to climb. Rex was puffing, as Jack declared,
like a young porpoise, by the time they reached the top and he
laughingly acknowledged the indictment.
“Guess I’m too fat,” he laughed as he leaned against a tree.
They rested for a while before starting down the hill, and after
that Rex seemed to get his second wind and it was only a little past
ten o’clock when they reached the bank of the stream where Bob had
taken his plunge two days before. The ice had, in the meantime, gone
out of the stream and the lake as well.
“How, in the world, are we ever going to get across?” Jack asked as
he gazed at the swollen stream, the waters of which were rushing
madly by.
“That seems to be the main question, just at present,” Bob agreed as
he threw his pack to the ground and slowly scratched his head. “If
it was summer we could wade across, but believe me that water is
mighty wet and cold. I know, because I tried it,” and he told Rex of
his experience on the up trip.
“Do you know how far it would be to go around it?” Rex asked.
“No, but judging from its size here, it would be a good many miles,”
Bob replied.
“Well, there’s only one way so far as I can see,” Jack declared.
“Well, spring it,” Bob said.
“You see, up the stream a bit there are some pines growing pretty
close to the edge,” he began pointing with his finger. “Now, if we
can find one that will do, what’s the matter with cutting it down so
that it’ll fall across the drink and then we’ll have a bridge?”
“I guess it’s the only way, so let’s get busy.”
“Just a minute till I get the ax out of my pack.”
It did not take them long to find a tree which Bob declared would
do, and they at once set to work. It was hard and slow cutting as
the ax was a small one not adapted to felling so large a piece of
timber. But, by taking turns, they accomplished it in a little more
than a half hour. The tree fell true and, as the banks were high on
both sides of the stream they had a bridge well above the rushing
water.
It did not take them long to make the crossing and soon they were
all safe on the other side.
“All that work just to use it for a minute,” Jack declared in a
disgusted tone as he leaped to the bank, the last one over.
“That’s often the way in this world, son,” Rex said soberly. “We’ll
be fortunate if things always turn out as well.”
By this time the snow had softened so that the crust would no longer
bear their weight and they were forced to take to their snow-shoes.
Each day lowered the snow perceptibly, but it was still too deep to
wade through. However, it did not get actually wet and so did not
greatly impede their progress and they continued to make fair time.
They camped that night not far from where Bob had shot the moose,
and were again on their way at daybreak.