Cowmen and Rustlers | Page 6

voice of the night," commented the young
Bostonian, who, as yet never dreamed of connecting it with any peril to
themselves. And then he sang:
Yes, the war whoop of the Indian may produce a pleasant thrill When
mellowed by the distance that one feels increasing still; And the
shrilling of the whistle from the engine's brazen snout May have minor
tones of music, though I never found it out.
The verse was hardly finished when the howl was repeated.
"It is hard to tell from what point it comes," observed Fred, "but I think
it is on the right shore as we go back."
"Do you imagine it is far from the river?" inquired Monteith.
"I think not, but I may be mistaken."
"I am quite sure Fred is right," said his sister; "and, more than that, that
particular wolf isn't a great way off. I wonder whether he has scented
our trail?"
Before any comment could be made upon this remark, a second, third,

fourth, and fully a half-dozen additional howls rang through the forest
arches. They came from the left shore, and apparently were about as far
off as the cry first heard.
"They are answers," said Fred, in a low voice, in which his companions
detected a slight tremor.
It was at this moment that the first fear thrilled all three. The cries
might mean nothing, but more likely they meant a good deal. The wolf
is one of the fiercest of American wild animals when suffering from
hunger, though a coward at other times, and a horde of them are
capable of attacking the most formidable denizens of the woods.
The fact that they were between the skaters and home, and at no great
distance from the course they must follow to reach there, was cause for
fear. It was almost certain that in some way the keen-scented creatures
had learned there was game afoot that night for them, and they were
signalling to each other to gather for the feast.
Fred and Monteith were not specially frightened on their own account,
for, if the worst should come, they could take to the trees and wait for
help. They might make a sturdy fight, and perhaps, with anything like a
show, could get away from them without taking to such a refuge.
But it was the presence of Jennie that caused the most misgiving. True,
she was as swift and skilful a skater as either, but that of itself was not
likely to save her.
But she was the coolest of all, now that the danger assumed a reality.
The lightness and gayety that had marked the three from the moment of
leaving home had gone. They were thoughtful, the very opposite in
their mood to that of a few minutes before.
"I wish I had brought my pistol," said Fred.
"I have mine," observed Monteith; "a good Smith & Wesson, and each
of the five chambers is loaded."

"Thank fortune for that; have you any extra cartridges?"
"Not one."
"Your pistol may be the means of saving us."
"Why do you speak that way?" asked Jennie; "I never knew you were
scared so easily."
"I am sorry you are with us, sister; my alarm is on your account."
"I do not see why I am not as safe as either of you; neither can skate
faster than I."
"If we are to escape by that means, your chances are as good as ours;
but those creatures have a fearful advantage over us, because we must
run the gauntlet."
"We are not so certain of that; if we hasten, we may pass the
danger-point before they discover us."
For the first time since leaving home the three did their best. Separated
from each other by just enough space to give play to the limbs, they
sped down the icy river with the fleetness of the hurricane, their
movements almost the perfect counterpart of each other.
First on the right foot, they shot well toward the shore on that side, then
bending gracefully to the left, the weight was thrown on that limb, the
impetus being imparted to the body without any apparent effort, after
the manner of a master of the skater's art. These, sweeping forward,
were many rods in length, the polished steel frequently giving out a
metallic ring as it struck the flinty ice. Now and then, too, a resounding
creak sped past, and might have alarmed them had they not understood
its nature. It indicated no weakness of the frozen surface, but was
caused by the settling of the crystal floor as the water flowed beneath.
For a few minutes these were the only noises that broke the impressive
stillness. The three had begun to hope that the ominous sounds would

be heard no more,