The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-09-24

can keep them scared OF till we can
get up to the ice, we can easily escape
on our skates" They both turned,
stood and faced the coming pack, but
as soon as the ugly. animals saw them
they stopped coming directly forward
and spread out to the right and to
the left, then moved onward with the
intention OF surrounding them. See
ing their move the boys ran as fast as
they could up the slope, but they had
no sooner started than the most I'M
earthly cries rose everywhere in the
air from the pursuing herd, and every
dog started in pursuit at a long, lop-
ing gallop. They soon got ahead OF
the fugitives, and there the two stood
in the snow, surrounded by creeping,
half crouching beasts, who seemed
afraid to rush upon them directly,
but tried to approach them by stealth
with their lolling tongues and hungry
eyes, whenever their backs were
turned.
"They are now within range, Fred,
said Arthur, "you take these two big
fellows there" pointing in front, II
will take two on this side. Both at
once presented, taking sure aim; then
there was a simultaneous report, then
two other shots, one a little after the
other, and four of the mongrels lay
sprawled upon the snow. One Of them
only was dead, for the three others
rose, and with piercing howls and
yelps went backward to the rear OF
the pack. The boys Immediately
threw out the old cartridges and put
fresh ones in their double-barreled
guns, then dashed onward, for the
circle of dogs had widened as the
beasts took fright at the report OF the
guns. They succeeded during the
panic in making a Roadway of q
couple Of hundred yards and broke
through the circle; then they wondered
why their pursuers all crowded to-
gether about the body of their dead
comrade, but they soon saw that the
furnishing creatures had begun to de-
your it. Only eight or ten OF them,
however, could feast at the same time
and after much yelping, biting and
jumping, those who were not engaged
in eating again started off in pursuit.
They are growing holder and bolder,
not galloping away so far ahead as
they did at first, but coming directly
for the two young hunters, and they ap-
preached them somewhat in the man
ner of fawning tame dog who is afraid
to approach his master, walking in
crouching manner with fore legs thrust
far out and muzzle down. They never
looked steadily at their victims, but
thrust their heads from side to side as
if trying to reach them unawares. The
cartridges in the boys guns were load
ed with seal shot and would carry effec-
lively sixty yards, so as soon as the
more daring ones came within range
four more shots rang out over the
snow. This time two OF the animals lay
dead and one OF the the others went
hobbling and bowling away, Fred, hav-
ing missed with one Ofhis barrels The
whole hungry tribe at once formed in
two divisions around their dead COM
rades and as before began feasting.
Then the boys discovered with con-
sternation that they had no more
shells loaded with seal shot, so they
were obliged to put in those having
small duck shot, which would be al
most useless fired into the tough hides
OF these animals. While loading they
ran with the speed of deer and they
had now reached the top Of the slope;
here the snow was soft and deep, so
they lost a couple of minutes in bind
ing their snow-shoes to their feet.
When they were ready to start about
two-thirds OF the pack had again
surrounded them and began to
close upon them from every point.
They were in terror OF letting the
dogs get too near to them and yet
did not want to fire with their small
shot at too far range, so they waited
until five or six Of their assailants
had reached within twenty or thirty
PAGES, then crack, crack, crack, crack,
went the guns again. A couple of
the dogs fell, but got to their feet
again almost instantly, and limped
off from the attack, but the noise of
the guns created temporary confus-
ion, and enabled the boys while
loading afresh to get out of the dead
ly circle and on a couple of hundred
yards more toward the ice. The
whole herd once again joined in full
chase, and just as Arthur and Fred
SOo w Cllo ouSc VI Glle luke anu were
about putting on their skates the
snarling crowd were within fifteen
PAGES. They fired full into the faces
OF the leaders, emptying four barrels;
then hastily finished fastening their
skates; but this time the enraged
mongrels did not hesitate long after
the shots, but bounded forward,
and reached the edge of the blue ice
just as the boys were ready to strike
off. Arthur was first on the ice, but
as Fred was sliding down the bank a
huge dog bounded forward and fasten-
ed it's teeth in his shoulder. There
was not minute to loose, for all the
rest had reached the brink, crying and
bowling, so Arthur raised his gun and
struck the assailant with the stock a
great swinging blow upon the head
which sent him stunned and
sprawling upon the ice. Away then
the two went as if their feet had wings,
their trusty steel~skates fairly singing
over the smooth, hard, blue ice.
After they got we'll started and had
swung fully q hundred yards away
from shore they turned and saw some
OF the disappointed pack tumbling and
scrambling along the ice at a safe
distance behind them THE rem aindor