Cowmen and Rustlers: A Story of the Wyoming Cattle Ranges

ght hand with the intention of using his revolver on

ed it; the most of this ex

to flee, or had they come to a halt, probably he would have started after them. As it was he swung half-way round, so

Fred Whitney, seizing the arm of his sister

t if we turn away from him too soon he will be able to

," remarked Sterry, "b

er, with their eyes on the big crea

Fred, in a low

he turn she was forced to follow him. The moment was well chosen, and th

s supper to drop into his arms, he saw it leaving him. Wit

ear could travel; and, had it been otherwise, no cause for fear would have existed, for, with the power to turn

their direction with no inconsiderable speed, but, with more intelligence than his kind generally display, he

had counted upon an adventure worth the telling, and

ment that will bring him back; but we have a good many miles before u

eading the way back toward the middle of the cours

ome lake lagoon instead of a small river. At the widest portion, and from the furthest point on the right, twinkled a second ligh

was so strong that he saw the figures p

ld Man's Creek," said Fred; "w

for fear of distressing mother, I would insist that w

ds, beyond another expansion of the stream, in front of a couple of natural openings, and finally, while it lacked considerable of ten o'clock, they rounded to in fr

time in the past a horde of wolves made their headquarters there, and, when the winters were unusually severe, held the surrou

, though, after skating fifteen miles

unclouded, but the moon had passed beyond the zenith. A wall of shadow was thrown out from one of the banks

ed at his watch it was

longer than an

midnight," remarked Fred, "and we

heartedness, was more thoughtful than her brother, "that I wou

to do it," said Monteith, "for we h

the wintry wilderness came a dismal, re

h, less accustomed to the Mai

Fred; "I have heard it many times

ed the young Bostonian, who, as yet never dreamed of con

f the Indian may pro

distance that one f

the whistle from the

s of music, though

y finished when the

comes," observed Fred, "but I think i

s far from the river

, but I may

d, more than that, that particular wolf isn't a great

fully a half-dozen additional howls rang through the forest arches. They came

n a low voice, in which his comp

meant a good deal. The wolf is one of the fiercest of American wild animals when suffering from hunger, though

w to reach there, was cause for fear. It was almost certain that in some way the keen-scented creatures had le

ld come, they could take to the trees and wait for help. They might make a sturdy fight, and

misgiving. True, she was as swift and skilful a skater

of all, now that the d

moment of leaving home had gone. They were thoughtful, the

brought my pis

"a good Smith & Wesson, and each

that; have you an

t o

ay be the mean

asked Jennie; "I never knew

th us, sister; my alar

s safe as either of you; nei

as good as ours; but those creatures have a fearful

f we hasten, we may pass the dang

r by just enough space to give play to the limbs, they sped down the icy river with the

fter the manner of a master of the skater's art. These, sweeping forward, were many rods in length, the polished steel frequently giving out a metallic ring as it struck the flinty ice. Now and then, too, a resoun

. The three had begun to hope that the ominous sounds would be heard no more, an

d throw them off and give the fugitives an advantage that would last for a long time. But they dreaded the appearance of a whole pack of the brutes in front, thus shutting off their line of flight homewar

t hunter's cabin, although it was several

ted so many signals, the wolves

ward they peered along the gleaming surface

ennie had already proven that neither of her companions could outspeed her. They wer

lowing the curve of the river, her head, like each of t

are

both. They asked for no explanation, for none was needed, and an in

g, was not all that Fred

rotting along the ice near the lef

a turn that way," said Monteith

g of this course, nor could they detect it

them off for a few minutes, during which the three, and especially Jennie, could reach a point

ly will run from a child if it presents a bold front; but

When the half-dozen wolves saw him speeding toward them they stopped their tr

tered. He had removed the mitten from his right hand, whi

ng a collision with the creatures, and the moment he wa

ark, leaped several feet in the air, then limped into the

uccess of his scheme would have been perfect had the ot

ard the middle of the river, their course such as to place them eit

d not fail to see their danger), and fired two more barrels of his pistol. Neither shot took effect

own danger, Monte

don't you chang

icken youth to suppose they did not understand the s

r lost sight of them for a second. Every action was wat

exactly the opposite direction from the course of the wolves-and in a second they were fifty feet nearer that shore than the brutes. Then followed another quick turn, and they were gliding with arrowy speed straight down strea

t she do so, for fifty yards beyond, and directly in their path, the ice seemed suddenly to have become alive with the frightful creat