The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-04-26

| gone q snort distance from tne SnOre. WE
were DOW 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 thst we had made good fou1
miles of our journey. All about us was
naught but ice and sky, except to the
northward, where a 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
glittsring in the starlight quite dis.
tance 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 q voice that caused us thrill
of fear in spite of ourselves:
evolves r'
"Where? I hear nothing" said.
"I don't suppose you do, youngster;
but my ears have been trained to catch
the slightest sound. You'll hear them
in minute. Harkp
This time I, too, heard a sound that
wasn't to be mistaken. A low, lingering
howl came floating on the slight breeze |;
and then died away. The nextmoment
it was renewed by what seemed from a
hundred throats, coming from the dark
forest line to our left, while hundred
more, or as many echoes, took it up on
the other side.
"There are lots of the varmints out to-
night" said Old Ben; and could not
help thinking that there was spice of
uneasiness in his tone. ga wolf is a
cowardly critter, and don't dare to do
much unless there is a pack together,
and then they are very fends. hope
they will give us wide berth tonight !;
for, to tell the truth, boys, we should
stand rather a poor sight, with them
about US, and not tree to climb into"
"Do you think they will venture on
the ice ?" I asked.
"Can't tell, youngster. As I said
afere, it willall depend upon how many
there are of the varmints. At any rate,
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 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 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.
"Can't you keep up, boys?" he said,
pausing 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 fiends on our trail.
HarkI That cry came from the wolves
on the ice, and not more than mile
awayI 1t would have been best for us
to have taken the landlords 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. 1 only hope the cur
rent where the river flows into the lake
is not open, for if it is, I am afraid the
wolves will cut us off"
Ben's words had the effect to excite
us to greater speed, and for a time we
kept even with him; but, in spite of our
utmost e1ertions, the bowling of the
wolves sounded nearer, and we knew
that they were on our track and gaining
slowly upon us. Many hasty glance
we cast behind US, but in the dim twi-
light nothing was to be seen of our pur-
suers. A few minutes moro, and the
east lighted up, and ere long the moon
rose in unclouded splendor, throwing a
food of light over the lake. One glance
backward now, and our enemies were re-
vealed in close pursuit. A long line Of
dark, moving objects were behind us,
and, to our horror, stretching out on
either hand in the shape of a crescent,
as if the great army of ravenous wolves
meant to encircle us. Away in advance,
miles before us, rose the dim outlines OF
the forest that clothed the shore; and
there was our only hope of escape-a
forlorn hope, indeed.
Ours was now race for life, an almost
hopeless one, it seemed to us, in spite Of
the encouraging words of Old Ben
uttered, we knew, to give us new strength
and courage. Every muscle was strained
to the utmost, and we flew over the ice,
our ears filled with the howlings of the
hungry horde behind us. A cloud
hoated over the face of the moon, and
its shadows was thrown over us for few
moments, and the gaze we cast behind
showed only daak, moving outline o.
dusky figures on the ice, that every mo
ment lessened the distance between us
Yet we hoped for life, and looked for
ward with eager gaze toward the darE
outline of the forest still miles before us
The cloud foated past, and again a fooc
of moonlight enveloped us. With a CRY
of dismay Old Ben paused in his head