Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-11-14

strike but one or two settlements on our
route and although we bad our rifles to
depend upon for food, it was the season
of the year when game is scarce. and the
trapper thought that it wonld be as we'll
to take something along in the way Of
rations
The frst day of our tramp, along about
the middle of the afternoon. we reached
the little settlement on the lake shore,
where we stopped and rested ourselves
until the sun went down, when, as we
were preparing to set out, the conversation
ensued that we have already chronicled.
The sun had gone down, and one by
one the stars were coming out and taking
their places in the graet blue vault above
us, when we turned our back upon the
landlord and his cabin, aud struck out
upon the ice that covered the bosom of the
lake, Aecked here and there witt patches of
snow, that meeting rough spot in the
field had not been swept away by the,
winds. The surface was SO slippery that
we found we could make little Roadway
with our snow shoes on, 80 we took them
off and strapped them upon our backs,
after we had gone short distance from
the shore We were now ready for work,
and for the next few miles Frank and
had as much as we could do to keep pace
with the long strides Of Old Ben. as be
led the way across the lake.
An hour went by. aud Old Ben assured
us that we had good four miles of our
journey. All about us was nought but ice
and sky. except to the northward. where
long, dark line marked the forest.
stretching along the shore of the lake.
, Once or twice we had seen an air.hole in
the ice. around which the water lay upon
the surface for little distance but other
wise than this, our foethold was as firm
t as the solid earth. These places were
7 easy enough to be avoided, for we could
+. see them differing in the starlight quite a
: distance away.
All at once the trapper who still kept
J in advance, paused, and stood in the at
n titude of listening. We followed his ex
b ample, and remained mute and motionless
Then, though as yet not sound had ne
n our ears, Old Ben brought down his rift
II upon the ice, and exclaimed, in a voic'
1t that caused US thrill of fear in spite o
d ourselves, wolves p
1t "Where ? | hear nothing" l said.
II don't suppose you do, youngster
e, but my ears have been trained to catcl
the slightest sound. You'll hear ther
is 10 minute. Hank"
At This time J, too. heard sound tina
st WASH t to be mistaken. A low, linger
ing howl came floating on the sigh
lie breeze. and then died away, The mex
* moment il was renewed by what SCENE
ID from hundred threats, coming from th
A dark forest line to our left, while hui
en- dred more, or as many echoes, took 1T
It's on the other side
Vd "There are lots of the varmints cut
night" said Old Ben and could NJ
nd help thinking that there was a spice
tn uncasiness in his tone. "a wolf is
nk cowardly critter, and don't dare to .
nix much unless there is pack together, an
ed then they are very devils. hope the
ed will give us wide berth to night, for
ng tell the truth, boys VIC should stand rat
ell err poor sight. with them about US, al
gn not tree to climb into"
it'll "Do you think they will venture on II
no, ice ?" ! asked. 0a
ct Cant tell, yougster, AS | said ate
to it will all depend upon how many the
oss are of the varmints. Atany rate. thi'
ich it best that we use our legs as fast as pt
lis sipe" ..a. t.e .FI
the Another howl, that in spite of all .
&c, efforts to the contrary, seemed to fret
see my blood, sounded around us. and tn
Of died away, only to be caught up as
ith we're and repeated over and ovei again.
ch, Come on, boys" exclaimed the ira
i'd per, as he struck out Ut tall pace--ti
bad was initiated as near as possible by Fra
nad aud myself sta
ing Half an hour passed, and in spite
ink our efforts. Frank and could not k
d up the pace assumed by the old trapp
lie, notwithstanding the bowling of the vol