Guns and Snowshoes; Or, the Winter Outing of the Young Hunters Part 31

"I think it is clearing a bit," said Shep, about three o'clock. "If we want to move now is our chance to do so."

It was voted by all hands to move, and they started without delay.

They could not locate the exact route toward their camp, but made it as nearly as possible. The snowdrifts were truly terrific, and even on snowshoes they made slow progress.

"Wait, I see a rabbit!" cried Shep, presently, and he pointed to a clump of bushes. Then he unslung his shotgun and pushed his way forward. A gray head appeared over the rim of snow and he blazed away.

The rabbit gave a leap and fell dead.

"A little more to eat anyway," said the young hunter, as he put the game in his bag.

"Wait, where there is one rabbit there are sometimes more," said Snap.

"Let us stir around a little and see."

They did as he suggested, and soon sent two rabbits skipping from under a low-hanging tree. The rabbits could not run very well in the deep snow and were secured with ease. But that was the last of the game in that vicinity.

"Now we won't starve right away," said Snap, and gave a sigh of satisfaction.

They were less than half way through the belt of timber when they came to a spot where a big tree had been blown over by the wind. As they walked around this Giant gave a cry, and, stepping between the branches, brought forth a couple of dead squirrels.

"Killed by the fall, I suppose," he said.

"It's lucky for us," answered Shep, "for it means just so much more food."

"Let us look for nuts,--the squirrels must have had some," came from Snap.

They made a search, and soon found a hollow half filled with nuts and took them all. Then they went on as before.

By the time they reached the end of the timber belt all were too exhausted to go further and they looked around for another shelter of some kind. They found several trees growing close together and in something of a row.

"That will shelter us from the wind," said Snap, "although it is not as good a place as the one we used last night."

They cut some tree branches, placed them from tree to tree and packed on some snow. Then they lit another fire and banked up the snow on the other side. By this time it was dark again and they were as hungry as bears. They broiled two of the rabbits and ate every morsel and then cracked a quant.i.ty of the nuts and picked out the meat.

"This is certainly a Christmas to remember," said Shep, as they sat in front of the fire that evening. "I should like to know what the folks are doing."

"Don't mention it," cried Giant. "It makes a fellow feel homesick."

They cut plenty of firewood, and in honor of the day built a blaze that was to be seen a long distance off. This made them a little more cheerful and they even cracked a few jokes. But with it all that Christmas was far from a bright one. They were still miles from their camp on Firefly Lake and all wondered if they would get back in safety.

CHAPTER XXIII

IN TROUBLE ONCE MORE

The next day it snowed again and the four boy hunters were almost in despair, for they had calculated to strike out for Firefly Lake as soon as it grew light.

"It would be foolish to try it just now," said Snap, looking at the sky. "just see how fast the snow is falling!"

The heavy snow kept up all day, but cleared away as evening came on.

Looking out about eight o'clock Shep gave a shout:

"Boys, the stars are s.h.i.+ning. It is as clear as crystal!"

All rushed forth to verify the glad tidings. It was indeed clear and the glittering stars made a scene of royal splendor.

"We'll start for camp early to-morrow," announced Snap. "Now let us get to bed and get a good night's rest. It is going to be no picnic walking on this snow."

They turned in, after fixing the fire, leaving Giant on guard for the first three hours. After Giant came Whopper, and then Snap took his turn.

Snap had scarcely commenced his vigil when he heard the bark of a fox at a great distance.

Presently the barking of the fox ceased and utter silence reigned for all of half an hour. Then came another sound which made the leader of the Gun Club listen with intentness.

"Wolves, as sure as fate!" he murmured. "I trust they are not coming here!"

Another period of silence, and the mournful howls came still closer.

There were many more of them and Snap came to the conclusion that a regular band of wolves were closing in on the little shelter beside the spruces.

"Guess I had better wake up Shep," he told himself. "He has got to take the next watch anyway."

He aroused his chum and told Shep of what he had heard. Then came more of the howls, still closer.

"They are certainly coming this way," said the doctor's son, picking up his gun. "And I'm afraid there must be quite a number of them."

After this came another period of silence. Both boys kept on the alert, Snap on one side of the camp and Shep on the other. They felt sure that the wolves were coming closer and they were not mistaken.

"I see one!" cried Snap, as a pair of gleaming eyes showed themselves over a rim of snow.

"I see three or four," responded Shep. "Call Giant and Whopper."

The words had scarcely left his lips when Snap took aim and fired at one of the wolves, wounding it in the shoulder. The report of the shotgun brought Giant and Whopper to their feet without delay.

"What's up?" came from both.

"Wolves!" answered the leader of the club, laconically. "Get your guns!"

The shot had caused the wolves to fall back a little, and taking advantage of this, Snap reloaded the empty barrel of his shotgun and stirred up the fire still more.

Bang! went Shep's shotgun, and a wolf was taken directly in his throat. He turned to run away and then fell dead. Without hesitation his fellows fell upon him and rent the carca.s.s asunder.

"What horrible cannibals!" muttered Whopper. "Say, how do you like that?" he went on, and fired a bullet from the rifle into the ma.s.s of wolves, hitting one in the leg and another in the side. The first wolf was merely wounded but the second was killed.

The death of another of their band made the other wolves retreat and they kept away for fully a quarter of an hour. But then their numbers were increased by the arrival of more equally hungry, and they came on in a wide semi-circle, as if to pounce upon the four boy hunters and eat them up.

"Shoot 'em--don't let 'em come any closer!" called out Whopper, and banged away with his shotgun, hitting a wolf in the breast. Then the others fired and another of the ugly beasts went down. Still another was wounded just sufficiently to make him ugly, and with bloodshot eyes he leaped straight into the camp and at Snap's very feet!