The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-05-05

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touch az but one or two settlements on
our route and although we had our rifles
to depend upon for food, it was the sea-
son when game is scarce.
The first day of our tramp, along about
the middle of the afternoon, We reached
the little settlement on the shore of the
lake, where We stopped and rested our
selves until the sun went down, when, as
We were preparing to set out, the con-
versation 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 great blue
vault above us, when we turned our
backs upon the landlord and his cabin,
and struck out upon the ice that covered
the bosom of the lake, fecked here and
there with patches of snow. The surface
was so slippery that we found we could
make little Roadway with our snow-shoes
on; 30 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 he led the
way across the lake.
An hour went by, and Old Ben as
sured us that we had made good four
miles of our journey. All about us was
naught 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 lit
tie distance; but otherwise than this,
our foothold was as firm as the solid
earth. These places were easy enough
to be avoided, for we could see them
glittering in the starlight quite dis
lance away.
All at once the trapper who still kept
in advance, paused, and stood in the atti-
tude of listening. We followed his ex-
ample, and remained mute and motion
less. Then, though as yet not sound
had met our ears Old Ben brought
down his rifle upon the ice, and ex-
claimed, in voice that caused us a thrill
Of fear in spite of ourselves:
Wolves "
Where hear nothing" said.
81 don't suppose you do, youngster;
but my ears have been trained to catch
the slightest sound. You'll hear them
in minute. Hark p
This time !, too, heard sound that
wasn't to be mistaken. A low, lingering
howl came floating on the slight breeze
and then died away. The next moment
it was renewed by what seemed from a
hundred threats, coming from the dark
forest line to our left, while hundred
mora. or as many echoes, took it up on
the other side.
"There are lots of the varmints out to-
night" said Old Ben; and l could not
help thinking that there was a spice of
uneasiness in his tone. GA wolf is
cowardly critter, and don't dare to do
much unless there is pack together,
and then they are very iends. hope
they will give us wide berth tonight
for, to tell the truth, boys, we should
stand rather poor sight, with them
shout us, and not tree to climb into"
"Do you think they will venture on
the ice ?" / asked.
Cant tell, youngster. AS 1 said
afere, it will all depend upon how many
there are of the varmints. At any rate,
l think it best that we use our legs as
fast as possible"
Another howl, that, in-spite of all my
efforts to the contrary, seemed to freeze
my blood, sounded around us, and died
away, only to be caught up as it were
and repeated over and over again.
"Come on, boys" exclaimed the trap
per, as he struck out at quick pace
that was initiated as near as possible by
Frank and myself.
Half an hour passed, and, in spite of
our efforts, Frank and l could not keep
up the pace assumed by the trapper,
notwithstanding the bowling of the
wolves on every hand grew louder and
nearer each moment. Ever and anon
Old Ben would cast a look backward
and even in the dim starlight we could
see that the look of uneasiness we had
seen upon his face had increased rather
than diminished.
Cant you keep up, boys?" he said,
pausing a moment for us to regain his
side. "I'm sorry for that, for we have
got to do some quick walking, or else be
torn to pieces by the iends on our trail.
Hark! That cry came from the wolves
on the ice, and not more than mile
away! 1t would have been best for us
to have taken the Ian dlord's advice, and
stayed with him tonight. But if the
worst comes to the worst, we have got
our rifles, and we can give the varmints
good peppering. / only hope the cur
rent where the river flows inJo the lake
is not open, for if it is, 1 am afraid the
wolves will cut us Off"
Ben's words had the effect to excite
us to greater speed, and for time we
kept even with him; but, in spite of our
utmost exertions, the bowling of the
| wolves soulded nearer. and we knew