Part 42 (1/2)

”But we can't leave Jack and Gif out there!” cried Fred. ”Remember! they are unarmed.”

”Get the guns!” ordered Spouter. ”Hurry up! We'll give those wolves all they are looking for.”

He hobbled across the floor to his own weapon, resting against the wall in a corner, and looked to see if it was loaded. The others also made a wild dash to arm themselves.

In the meanwhile the howls of the wolves kept increasing. Two more of the beasts had come up close to the Lodge, so that the total number was now five.

”Oh, oh! do you think they'll break into the house and eat us up?”

wailed Stowell.

”If they break in they'll get one mighty warm reception,” answered Andy.

”Come on! let us open that door and go after them,” he continued boldly.

Now that they were armed the Rovers and Spouter felt much safer, and they lost no time in getting back to the door which they had just closed.

”Oh, dear! don't open the door,” pleaded Stowell. ”They'll jump right in on top of us!”

”Not after we give 'em a few doses of shot,” answered Spouter. ”Here, Henry, you stand behind the door along with Fred. You, Andy and Randy, fire as soon as you catch sight of the wolves. I'll reserve my shot for any beast that tries to enter.”

”Wait!” called out Randy suddenly. ”When you shoot at the wolves be sure to aim low. Otherwise the shots may carry through the storm and hit Gif or Jack.”

The door was opened cautiously by Fred, Stowell being too frightened to a.s.sist. Those ready to fire saw several of the wolves in a bunch less than fifteen feet away. The beasts had found some sc.r.a.ps of food which had been thrown out of the bungalow and were pawing for more in the snow.

”Bang! bang!” went the shotguns in the hands of the twins. The wolves gave loud yelps of pain, and one leaped high in the air. Another uttered a fierce snarl, and then, seeing the young hunters, made a dash directly for them.

It was a moment of great peril, for the wolf had been wounded just enough to make it tremendously ugly. Its eyes gleamed wickedly, and it showed every tooth in its wide-open mouth.

But Spouter was on guard. He waited until the wolf was less than five feet from the door, and then blazed away. The charge of shot was so heavy that the beast fell back, its neck completely shattered.

”Now give 'em a second barrel, boys!” cried Spouter, and a moment later three more reports rang out.

Then, unable to resist the temptation to get into the fight, Fred caught up his gun and also fired, managing to catch one of the fleeing beasts in the hind quarters.

”I guess that's the last of those wolves,” remarked Spouter. ”I don't believe they'll come around here again all winter.”

The wolf shot through the neck was dead, while at least two of the others were so badly wounded they could scarcely drag themselves away through the storm. The others disappeared as if by magic, racing along at the top of their speed.

”h.e.l.lo there!” came from out of the storm. ”How did you make out with those wolves?” It was Jack who was calling, and a moment later he appeared with Gif following.

”There is what is left of the pack!” cried Randy, pointing to the dead wolf. ”Spouter brought that one down, and we managed to wound at least two others.”

”And those that could do it left quicker than them came,” added his twin.

”Good for you, Spouter!” cried Jack. ”Evidently spraining your ankle didn't interfere with your marksmans.h.i.+p.”

”Huh! anybody could hit a target if he was right on top of it,” answered the other cadet; nevertheless Spouter was immensely pleased over his success in laying the big wolf low.

The carca.s.s of the dead beast was dragged into the entryway, and then Gif and Jack brought a few more sticks of wood from the shed.