The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-09-22

rude canoe, in the bottom OF WnicA lay
single paddle, broken midway OF the
handle. The pond, then. Was really |
found, and the Captain sleeping upon
its shores all unconscious of the fact
In retracing my steps, while
yet I stood upon the shore OF
the water at the precise point
where l. first, reached it, l was
sure that l saw something pass between
myself and the fire. 1t might have
been dog; could not see distinctly,
for the opening between the trees was
small. 1watched for a moment and
it repassed. Then it sat down and
fixed its glowing eyes seemingly upon
myself. 1t might be dog. thought.
vet no dog OF ours, for none was with
Us. Howl, howl, how'll Good heav-
ems! 1t was a. wolf, then. And then
there was an answering howl to the
left, to the right, beyond the ire, across
the pond ION every side, one after the
other, did voice snswer tovoice in that
chorus. i know that my imagination
doubled and quadrupled the number,
fol. I have reason to suppose that there
were not above half dozen in all.
But the sound was horrible to my cars
IS it woke the stiffness of that lovely
night ~
| And was alone on the shore Of the
pond. Whether to fire At the wolf, and
so wake the Captain, if nothing more
was accomplished, or whether to trust
the bowling itself to wake him. did
not know. Whether firing would ex-
ssperate, and so increase the danger,
did not know. l knew nothing OF
wolves, only the little had read in
books, and that little was just sufficient
to fill me with horror. So l stood par
alyzed. holding my gun and doing
nothing. .t Ia
The ring of . rife, the sudden dis
appearance of those balls of fire which
had been fixed upon me. and the pat
of bullet upon the water, told me
that the Captain was awake. He
called, and answered. r.
, At this time we were both actually
, in perfect safety, he protected by the
{ fire, and having the resource OF the
boat; but did not, in my ignorance,
think of the fire, and he did not know
of the boat. He rushed down, there
fore, to protect me, and was driven
back by the hungry pack, which had
t gathered between US. And still the
bowling went on.
Eight bravely" he shouted u
will save you at every hazard" 80. y
- I, however, could only hear his
, voice; could not understand his
: words. And the wolves came
$ nearer. gathering around myself.
8 could see their savage forms pass
and repass between me and the fire, and
= now and then one would sit down and
, fix his glowing eyes upon me, as in the
first instance. Nearer and nearer-how
r many l could not tell. And l could
see nothing of Captain Whitney, and
l he did not speak to me again. As .
last resort, when they pressed me toe
/, closely, showed the canoe into the
n water and padded safe distance from
shore. There was bowling back in
: the forest, and in five minutes not q
4 wolf in sight.
: Captain Whitney, believing that
t was in imminent danger, and deter
I mining, like the noble man that ht
d was, to rescue me or share my fate
had left the protection of the fire and
4 taken detour to his left; his purpose
i being to join me on the shore. And
y now l was safe and the wolves upor
: his track. l heard him halloo once
i and answered the call. l could de-
g termine that he was many rods from
n the fire and near the shore of the
pond. U,Lan +.
There was then a time of complete
i silence, how long time will not pre-
sumo to say seemingly half an hour
It really perhaps five minutes. ! hallooed
J many times but received no answer
Neither was there howl of wolf. TIT
l only voice which woke the echoes O
e that hill-bound water was my own
IS Were l to tell what suffered in thu
:. time, ! should tell so much less thar
h the truth that l forbesr to telfat all.
n heard q faint call, and looked t,
IS my right. The rock rose perpendicu
larry from the water at this point, II
q the height of twenty feet, and thel
:; formed a broad shelf. Back of tn
! shelf there was another rise perpendic
u ular of nine or ten feet, and then tn
J, ground sloped of into ridge covered
is with trees.
Upon this shelf. in the serene moon
) light, stood Captain Whitney, ant
: around him the dark, savage forms o
e the wolves. He had on neither hat
= = coat nor vest, and even his shirt wa
~ torn to tatters. Iqueried whether h
= would leap the precipice, and paddle'
- in that direction to help him, in cas-
= he should venture the feat. l saw hin
!, step upon the verge and look over
|, !" while he swung his gun blindly aroun'
=. him. to keep off the beasts.
,e ut is death if you leap" said ]
n There We're sharp splinters of rock a
It the bottom, standing out Of the water
,e Then he braced his back against tn
t. rock behind him, and fought the battle
re Such a battle; and for two hours Q
4. time! One, two, three, four, five
lie i was SO near that l could coun
as them. their long, hungry bodie
n, and savage eyes. And was the COW
ID ard to sit in safety, and coolly see tn
h. man devoured by wolvesp Heavens
that must confess it! There he stoo
N upon the rock for two hours of time
i and such time! And there sat safel
I upon the water! l am sure that n
III one can condemn more than I hav
l condemned myself, but l was para
n yzed. lit is, perhaps, well that was
of for more than likely my inexperienc
i'd would have proved my ruin. And We
this is miserable plea, and I feel j