One more adventure, and that a serious one, was to befall the boys as a
final taste of life in the wilderness. One day towards the end of
Winter, when the sky cleared after several days of tremendous rain, the
three boys who had been cooped up in their quarters and had worn out
even the amusement of listening to the Edmonton radio concerts or
communicating with the Post of the Mounted, announced they were going
hunting.
The supply of fresh meat had fallen pretty low, and additions to their
larder would not be unwelcome. Accordingly, Mr. Hampton made no
objection to their departure, but insisted that Art or Long Jim
accompany them.
"I'd be no good," said Long Jim. "Sence I did that fool trick o' cuttin'
my hand with the axe a couple-three days ago, I cain't set finger to
trigger. You better go, Art."
"All right, boys," said Art. "I'd like to stretch a leg, too."
The four, accordingly, set out. In the forest surrounding the spot where
they had chosen to erect their huts, there was no longer any game, for
the animals had come to learn that these strange creatures brought
destruction and had decamped elsewhere. Finally, after they had
proceeded some distance without sighting anything, Art suggested they
strike for a higher level on the adjacent mountain side. The huts had
been erected near the foot of one of the ranges rimming the valley.
"Maybe we'll run into a mountain sheep or a goat," he said. "Anyhow, we
can see better from a higher lever, for this forest down here is so
thick you can hardly see a yard away. The moon's out an' up there the
trees is thinner."
With Art leading the way, the party began its upward climb. For some
time they toiled upward until presently they reached a level unaffected
by the more temperate air of the valley floor, and where, as a
consequence, snow covered the rocks. Across a bare shoulder of rock from
which the wind had swept all but a trace of snow they made their way and
then plunged into a thick woods beyond.
Frank, who was in the rear, laid down his rifle and bent over to adjust
the clumsy lacing of a thick shoe pack of the kind they had made for
themselves from the skins of slain animals. The others plodding along,
head down, did not notice he had stopped, and kept on going. He spent
more time at the task than he had anticipated, and when finally he
straightened up and picked up his rifle, they were not in sight.
Frank was not worried, however, for he felt sure he would be able to
trace them in the snow and would soon catch up with them. He set out at
a brisk pace. The snow grew deeper, however, where the wind had not had
a chance to whisk it away, and the going was hard. He had proceeded some
distance before he noticed that he had gotten off the trail left by his
companions. Angry with himself for his carelessness, but still not
worried, he halted to consider what was best for him to do.
"Shucks," he said aloud. "Guess I better go back over my steps till I
find where I left their trail."
And with this intention, he turned to go back. Even as he did so, he saw
a pack of long gray bodies racing through the trees in his direction. At
the same instant they gave tongue. It was a pack of wolves. They had
scented him and were now lifting the cry which announced their prey was
near.
Frank started to fling the rifle to his shoulder, but then he lowered
it. The flitting forms were still yards away. And although moonlight
sifted through the bare limbs of the trees, it did not sufficiently
illumine the scene to make the wolves good targets. He decided his best
plan would be to seek refuge in a tree first of all, and then he could
fire at the wolves at his leisure and with a sureness of aim that would
not now be his. These thoughts or reflections flashed through his mind
in an instant. The next moment he was putting his plan into execution,
and climbing into a tall fir.
He was not a moment too soon, either, for the baying came closer and
closer and even as he struggled frantically to climb higher the leader
of the wolf pack reached the foot of his refuge, and sprang high into
the air. Frank heard the snap of the great jaws, and looked down into a
yawning red cavern of a mouth.
The next moment his rifle slipped from his grasp, and fell on the snout
of the wolf who leaped aside in temporary panic. Then the rest of the
pack arrived on the scene, jumping and snarling, their heads in the air,
their wicked eyes agleam as they scented the prey they had treed but
which temporarily had escaped them.
Frank threw an arm around the main trunk of the tree to steady himself,
for he was sick with vexation at his own carelessness in not having
properly, secured his rifle. Meantime the wolves circled close about the
tree, looking up, and one big fellow even put his forefeet against the
trunk and reared high till his head rested on the lowermost branch. Then
he retired to join the others, and all squatted in an expectant ring
close about the foot of the tree.
When his vexation had passed, Frank set himself to a serious
consideration of his position. And at once he realized that he must try
before it was too late and they got out of earshot to attract the
attention of his comrades. Perhaps already they had gotten beyond reach.
At that he had a moment of panic. Then he grew calmer. If they had moved
away, he told himself, they would discover his absence presently and
retrace their steps in search of him.
He still had his revolver. At first he did not trust himself to handle
it, because of the trembling of his hands. Then he grew cooler. His hand
steadied. He thought he would shout to attract his companions' attention
first of all. And raising his voice, he sent call after call ringing
through the forest.
The wolves gave back yelp for scream, and soon the whole pack was
snarling and yowling and making a terrific, demoniac din.
The sound steadied him.
"Good," he thought, "the boys will know there are wolves, anyway."
Their own snarls reacted on the wolves, exciting them. And once more
they came up to the foot of the tree, rearing their forefeet against it
and leaping upward. It was Frank's chance, and he took it.
With one arm clasping the trunk of the tree, he leaned forward and took
careful aim at the biggest of the grey shapes below. At that moment, the
wolf opened his mouth in a jaw-clashing howl. It was his last. Frank's
bullet plunged down his throat, and the wolf rolled over in the snow.
His mates without a second's hesitation deserted their attempts to get
at Frank, and began snarling over the dead body. The sight sickened
Frank, and he closed his eyes a moment. Then the thought occurred that,
if he added several more corpses to the ghoulish feast, he might divert
the attention of the rest of the pack to such an extent that he would be
able to slip away unseen, perhaps by making his way through the trees
for a short distance before jumping to the ground.
There was no need now for care in aiming, as the wolves were in a thick
mass over the body of the fallen, so Frank fired several shots in rapid
succession into the mass. The effect was instantly apparent, for two
more wolves went down, and the tearing and crunching announced a renewal
of the awful feast.
Now, thought Frank, was his time to escape, if possible. He had heard no
answering replies, and believed his companions must have gotten out of
earshot. If so, he must depend on his own resources to make his escape.
He was about to start swinging to a nearby tree, the branches of which
interlocked with those of the tree in which he had found refuge, when
the thought occurred that, perhaps, he would be able to obtain his rifle
undiscovered by the wolves.
Cautiously he started to descend, his eyes alternately on the snarling
wolf pack several yards from the tree and on the limbs he must grip in
his descent. He had almost reached the lowermost limb when his grip
slipped and he fell.
Frank thought his end had come, but as he struck the ground his hands
closed on the coveted rifle, and he scrabbled to regain his feet,
flinging the rifle to his shoulder as he did so.
His fall had been seen. One of the wolves turned aside from the
outskirts of the pack, where he was not getting his share of the
gruesome feast, and sprang for him. The next moment, as a shot rang out
from behind Frank, the wolf dropped quivering at his feet.
"Steady, Frank," cried Art's voice. "Give 'em all you've got."
Without looking around, mastering his trembling by a supreme effort,
Frank brought the rifle to his shoulder and began firing into the pack,
even as the three rifles of his companions also opened fire.
At that close range every shot told and not a wolf escaped. Eleven
bodies, including the mutilated remains of the three which Frank had
slain with revolver shots, were stretched on the snow under the trees.
When it was all over, his companions gathered about Frank and
explanations followed. Then they made their way back to camp.