Bert Wilson in the Rockies

Wolf

re whiling away the time in reminiscences of some of their past adventures. Mr. Melton, who made one of the little gr

g, and a short silence ensued, w

ation, when we might be listening to some really interesting story from M

houted Tom and Dick, a

ulgent smile, "but the fact is I've told you about all the exciting things that eve

hard you can think of something worth telli

this entreaty, but gazed ruminative

now it's the rarest thing in the world that you ever see a wolf-that is, a real wolf," as Tom started to interrupt. "What I'm thinking of is a real timber wolf, not one of the slinking coyotes y

row a running steer. Man is the only thing in the world they're afraid of, and they're not afraid o

the middle of winter, and an exceptionally cold and severe winter at that. Fresh meat was naturally very scarce, and the wolves were becoming bolder and more fearless ev

de and started off for Belford. The snow was quite deep and, needless to say, there had not been enough travel along the trail to pack it down. The horses made heavy going

es, and after loading them into the sleigh said good

e. And likely enough we would have, with time to spare, if it hadn't started to snow; lightly at first, but getting thicker all the time. The horses had starte

ten miles from the camp. It couldn't have been later than four o'clock, but the short wint

home to me in a very sudden manner. Away in the distance I heard the long drawn wolf-howl, than which I firmly believe there is no more blood-curdling sound in existence. The horses pricked

he horses, 'we're not so far from home now,

ss. The snow had stopped by this time, but was pretty deep, and the sleigh was heavy.

e great expanse of open country over which we were traveling I could see num

r repeater and made sure that it was loaded. Then I stationed myse

ses plunged forward, all thought of fatigue gone in their overwhelming terror. The wolves were not easily to be outdistanced, though, and were soon after us again. They gained on us as though we were standing still, and were soon close to the back of the sleigh. I pumped bullets into them as fast as I could work my repeater, but by this time they were so numerous tha

then, with every resource gone, it looked as though my chances wou

t held them to the sleigh. Then, with my rifle in one hand, I swung onto the back of the larger

ore the wolves quit their wrangling over the supplies I had thrown out to them,

checking them a little, but not much. The horse was galloping at a good clip now, though

and blazed away at short range. Every shot took effect, but the wolves were nothing daunted. As I told you before, when the timber wolf gets his blood up he is

long-pointed heads that were so close to me. Once or twice one would catch

ice how near we were to camp. But suddenly my heart gave a great leap

e me, and as the wolves came on we cleared a space about us with the clubbed rifles. We realized we couldn't keep that up long, though, so we retreated to the cabin. We backed in, but were unable to shut the door before one big gray brute squeezed inside. He was nothing dismayed at being separated f

awing a long breath, "but what did the rest of th

til we had killed over a dozen, and the rest, finding

ll the horse

them both outside the shack none the worse for their adventure. And a mighty lucky thing for

d got the sled the next day

o go back to the settlement for more grub, of course. But I was so happy a

on's story a "curly wolf," and then, as