National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-09-17

tor me to reserve my fire. l confess
that | turned an uneasy glance at
Waller, as the beasts closed in upon
us, for the horses were getting rest
i've and uneasy, and every now and
then the sled would strike a stump
that would make it quiver all over.
| knew that in his hands were our
lives, and that an upset-and the |
chances were that the morning |
would show nothing but some OF
our larger bones ; the smaller ones,
with tha rnst of n"- .s'nrtal frames.
would be in the stomacns OF the
pack trailing after us.
AT last, and it seemed hours where
it was only minutes. Horne gave
the word to fire. The foremost were
within dozen feet of us, and three
went down. The shot was like firing
into a flock of birds; with.the clear
ing away of the smoke, half the
pack was gone, and the others hest
tating on their path. They did not
hesitate long, but in three minutes
had swellcd to treble their original
number. Their long barking howl
wa heard on every side, and above
it occasionally, | could hear the
voice of Waller speaking soothingly
to his horses, who were nearly mad
with terrer.
Now began the slaughter, and
every shot seemed to tell, but yet
the pack grew larger and larger,
their long roses almost touching the
sled at times, and their red eyes,
dull and steady, glared into our
very faces. At one time they seem
ed to spread like a crescent behind
us, at another they traled in "a long
line, and as quickly changed, until
they were on every side, sometimes
even up with the horses. AT this
moment, as they began to stretch
ahead of the sled, | heard Horne, as
though speaking to himself, say:
'By gracious. l never seed Sc
many of the critters before
| thought at that moment what
! would become of us if one of oul
horses were to fall, or any accident
happen that would stopourproeress
We would not have time to take to
$ a tree. and we were little more thar
G half way through the woods.
leaned over to Waller, and askc(
him -
90 you want any help"
a For Gods sake stop that pig
y squcaling! Throw it over, and stol
;, firingn
D We obcycd him, and saw plgg,
!. rent into dozen pieces, before We
h had gone dozen yards. This gave
D a minute or two start, while the,
4 were settling the distribution of TIN
z pork, relieving the horses from tn
it immediate fright and danger, an'
: letting Waller gather them mp
n little: but the crowd was on II
d again. They had tasted bloot
II Horne whispered, and were NOR
1t dangerous than before.
- Don't shoot, Cap'n,' he said, unit
4, the critters Git right up with I'll
ponies, or Try to Git into the sled
is did as he said, but we all la
O our hands full, including Brownson
Id boy, in keeping them from leapln
ne into the very sled, or closing up q
il the horses. Horne and dctalnlI
st ourselves for the latter job.
M At last we saw the opening abo'
ur half mile away, and think ii
z. wolves saw it also, and felt that v
in should escape. for they came up'
at us with increased numbers, sna
" ping at the wood Of the sled, N
to at the launches of the terrific
horses. We were fairly skinmii
it, over the snow, and within n hl
drol yards of the opening, wh'
one huge fellow Sprang right III
as the sled, knocking me backwal
and, believe, but for liolne's qni
al, grasp. should have been out, a
90 amor the pack. That clutch Al
in scramble, the blows of which ca'
II in for share, the shilllul use
viii BobS bowie, and the dying STR
giles Of the animal, as ! held II
for down, while Bob hacked away
his heart, shall never forget
en-, That struggle brought us out on
it'll opening, where a few only tollow'
to and paid for their temerity W
Ter, their lives.
md Our horses ran nearly n mile
vas fore we could calm them, ana
de, ring that time not word was =
or ken. Waller was the first to brc
!, in the silence, aud he said:
the 'Wcll. blast my pictnr,'Jlm llor
nd. if YOU git me out OF any NOR,
im. your invcntlonsP
so. Don't kal'latc To con,o myS
the much more said Horne, coolly,st
He'd ing a wad of tobacco into his ch,
'Cap'n, youll have hat pork to
side for, but guess twas cheap thrt
e so away
oup | thought SO toe, but wasn't 70
iorc to say that had been trightei
han although inwardly didn't cond'
nuz IIornc's proposition not to q
mar. 'much more We made
self sweep through the open coui
cant giving the wood u full margin,
boy, got home ns fast as the horses
tall, willing, which was ut an ''hcon''
only good pace, for even at the dls'a
aller of u couple of miles we could
and the howling Of the brntcs we
left behind ~.
nd The next morning we wcns
lie the ~ ,tc to see wl'at cNe.n''o' .,'I y
( ap. had done, and Horne anu @ Wv y !,