Part 18 (1/2)
”I just saw the eyes of some wild animal back there. See! There they are now!”
As Jack spoke he raised his gun and blazed away. This shot was followed by one from Spouter.
The reports were followed almost immediately by a snarl and a whining cry, and they heard some animal thras.h.i.+ng around wildly in the bushes behind the spring, sending the loose snow flying in all directions.
”We hit it, whatever it is,” announced Jack.
”What do you suppose it can be?” questioned Spouter quickly. ”It wasn't a deer, was it?”
”I don't think so, Spouter. It was too low down for that. Maybe it was a fox, although it didn't sound like it.”
”Perhaps there are brook mink around this spring.”
”Maybe.”
”Are you going back there to find out?” went on Spouter, for the sounds in the brushwood had now ceased.
”Sure, I'm going back there! You don't suppose I'm going to let any game get away from us!”
”Be careful, Jack. That animal may be playing possum, you know, and may spring out at you.”
”Don't worry; I'll be on my guard,” answered Jack.
He had slipped another charge into his gun, and Spouter quickly did likewise. Then, with their weapons ready for use and with the flashlight held so that it cast its rays ahead, they cautiously moved around to one side of the frozen spring and made their way in the direction of the bushes and rocks in the rear.
”h.e.l.lo there! what are you shooting at?” The cry came from where the pair had left the boxsled. It was Gif who was calling.
”We don't know yet,” answered Jack.
”We saw a pair of eyes, and we shot at them,” added Spouter.
”Gee! what do you know about that?” exclaimed Fred. ”Hunting before we even reach the Lodge!”
”Let's go ahead and see what they struck,” came from Randy.
”That's the talk!” added his twin.
Gif was willing, and in a moment more the four lads had scrambled down from the boxsled and were making their way along the road leading to the spring. By this time Jack and Spouter had advanced through the brushwood and over the rocks close to the spot where they had last seen the gleaming eyes. As they went on Jack imagined once or twice he saw something moving through the snow, but of this he was not certain.
”Here is where we hit it, whatever it was,” declared Spouter, when they reached the point directly behind the spring. ”See how the snow is dug up?”
”Yes, and here are some drops of blood,” said Jack, as he turned the flashlight on the snow. ”But whatever it was, it got away,” he added disappointedly.
”What have you got?” sang out Gif, for he and the others had come up on the opposite side of the spring.
”We haven't got anything,” answered Spouter dolefully. ”We hit something, but it got away from us.”
”It wasn't a moose, was it?” queried Randy with great interest.