Part 7 (1/2)
THE WOLF PACK
In seasons when caribou were plentiful along the coast, wolves were also plentiful, for it is the habit of wolves in this land to follow the trail of the caribou herds and prey upon the stragglers And so it was that soht the silence of the hills was startled by the distant howl of wolves And always Skipper Ed's dogs and Abel's dogs would answer the wild, weird cries of their untamed kin of the hills with equally weird cries, theirin woful and diss were possessed of an uninterpreted longing to join their brothers of the wilderness in their care-free wanderings, and be forever free thee and whip and the toil and drudgery of the trail But so like e to cast theh it required but a resolution and a plunge into the hills
”So it is withwhen Bobby was stopping for the night with hi howl of dogs ”Many and th within hio out into the broad world of endeavor and do great things, simmers his life away in the little narroorld into which he has grown, expending his energies as a servant when he round and never looks out or up, and so he never kno big the world is or how e sos But it's the man that dares to break loose, and hit a new trail, and try his hand at new things, that wins The ets anywhere, and then he says that luck has been against him I speak of luck someti as luck What we call luck is the Alhty's ree've done the best we can”
”Did you ever try new things?” asked Bobby
”Yes, yes, lad! Long ago,” and a shadow fell upon Skipper Ed's face, to pass in a mohty intended me to do”
”What was it?” asked Bobby, ever curious
”To come here, and be Ji scalawags, I think,” and Skipper Ed smiled
”Didn't you ever ask the Lord to let you do sos?”
insisted Bobby
”Partner does big things all the time,” protested Jimmy ”He's a fine shot, and there isn't a better hunter on The Labrador”
”Yes,” said Skipper Ed, ”I've asked the Lord, and I think the big thing He's given me to do is to teach you chaps the best I can, and _ thing”
And then a wolf howled again, not far away this tis howled an answer, and down fros; and the three sat silent for a little, and listened
”The wolves are growing bold,” remarked Skipper Ed presently ”That last fellow that hoas just above here in the gulch”
”I'd like to see one running loose,” said Bobby, ”but they don't like to show themselves to me, and I never saw but one inhis _adikey_ went out of doors, soon to return followed by a breath of the keen, frosty air of the winter night
”It's brighthis hands briskly to warm them, for he had worn no mittens ”The wind is nor' nor'west, and if you chaps feel like an adventure we'll take a walk around and up the s'uth'ard side of the gulch, where he won't get a smell of us, and , and who knows but we et a shot at hireed the boys in unison, springing eagerly up from their chairs
”Well, hustle into your _adikeys_, then, and we'll try to get to leeward of the old fellow,” directed Skipper Ed
”I hope there'll be a chance for a shot!” Bobby exclai cartridge pouches over their shoulders
”So do I!” agreed Jimmy
”Just a bare chance,” said Skipper Ed, as they passed out into the porch shed and took their snowshoes fro”
”Do you think there's more than one?” asked Bobby in an excited undertone, as they swung away on snowshoes
”Yes, but we'd better not talk now They're keen, and shy old devils, and they ht hear us,” warned Skipper Ed
Cautiously but swiftly they stole out and into thethe southern banks of a frozen brook Now and again Skipper Ed halted, stooping to peer about and along the open space that marked the bed of the strean of caution, and crouched behind a clu the boys to follow his example
”They're just above us,” he whispered ”I saw the down this way, and they'll come out in that open just ahead of us Don't shoot till I tell you, but be ready for them, lads”