Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-12-14
BARTON, VERMONT, FRIDAY, DECEMBER
With dismay Old Ben paused in

| us. WIN QlSmdy Via Deu paused III
his headlong course, and by an effort
we did the same, close beside him.
"What is it?' asked.
"Look yonder.
| followed the motion of his hand
and my heart sank within me, and
no longer wondered at the exclama.
tion that fell from his lips. Before us
perhaps an eigth of a mile away lay
long stretch of open water.
"The current from the river said
Old Ben. "The landlord was right,
and fear it is no use to try further.
We cannot 60 round for they would
be upon US before we got half the dis
tance. But come on, boys; if worst
comes to worst, the cold water of the
lake is better than being torn to pie
oos alive" --------s--. e.
Old Ben sprang forward and we
followed closely. The delay we had
made had lessened the distance be-
tween US and our enemies one half
Another such pause and we should
be battling for our lives.
A few moments and we stood Just
on the edge of the open water. The
wolves were close upon us and their
howlings filed our ears. 1t seemed
as though the din came from thou
sand throats and was joined into one
fiendish howl.
ave can swim for it, boys, but l
fear we shall stand little chance when
the water touches our limbs; but the
cramp is not to be feared so much as
death by these fierce devils"
"Can we do nothing with our rifles ?'
asked Frank. "Mine is good for a
half-dozen before | succumb to them
or the waters of the lake."
"And what is that to the yelling
pack behind us ?" said the trapper.
"But quick-follow me | have plan
that may save US yet"
A sharp point of ice made out into
the current for perhaps twenty feet.
Upon this we sprang, and then old
Ben exclaimed:
keep me covered with your rifles
boys and | will save you yet. Shoot
wolf or two, and that will delay
them little"
We did as he told US. A simulta-
neous discharge, and two of our pur-
suerS fell.
In a moment their comrades were
upon them, and they were torn into a
hundred pieces while yet alive. Old
Ben was laboring like an OK. Thick
and fast he was tracing the blows
along where the ice was joined to the
main field, and soon a lucky blow
parted it. Again we discharged our
rifles, and then pushed with all our
1-io'-e - tho solid loo SLOWLY
our ice raft moved out into the stream
and to our great JOY we saw a dark
line of water between US and our en-.
emies. We gave a shout of triumph
that caused the bowling mass, scarce
a dozen feet away, to recede for q
moment.
'Don't crow, youngsters. You aint
out of the woods yet" said old Ben
and his words were true, for hardly
had the shout died away before half
dozen hungry wolves sprung high ii
the air, and three of them alighteC
among US, while others, less fortunate
were houndering in the water,
"Shoot those on the bank, boys; II
care for these" shouted old Ben, a.
with his ak uplifted, he dealt his blows
right and left; and in less time thar
it has taken to chronicle it, our raj
was free from enemies, and floatin.
gallantly out into the open water, tina
instead of our destruction, had prov
ed our salvation.
"You may shout now. boys, for W,
, are safe," exclaimed old Ben, settiny
, the example himself; and we sent u
such shout as that lake never hear,
| before, and caused the wolves to agai
rush back in diSmay. Those that ha,
, fallen into the water regained the ic
) only to be torn to pieces by thei
companions, and by way of partin
/ salute, Frank and sent volley afte
t volley among them.
) By the means of our snow shoe;
: we padded our raft out to the centr
of the open space, and there rename
o through the night, which, fortunatel
a for US, was not very cold, listening t
E the disappointed howlings of our ell
> emies, and in the early morning ligl
? had the satisfaction of seeing thel
/ stink away until they were lost in th
dark outlines of the forest; and the
o we bade adieu to our ice raft, thankfl
f for our escape, which seemed to us a
. most like miracle.