CHAPTER IV
THE WOLF PACK
When Felix found himself alone he set about doing a number of thingswhich he had in mind, meaning to tackle the wood problem when it gotlater in the afternoon.
Time passes quickly when any one is busily employed, and so the hourslipped by almost before he knew it. From some distance away theresuddenly came the report of a rifle. Felix listened eagerly, but nosecond shot sounded. This seemed to tell him that none was needed.
"I reckon Tom got what he wanted that time," he said to himself, as hewent on doing what had engaged his attention; "when he lets go,something generally drops. Makes my mouth water, just to think of havinga saddle of venison hanging up here for a starter. And then it'll be myturn next to make a try. Yes, Tom was right; and it sure does look likewe were going to have the time of our lives up here in this RockyMountain foothills country."
He remembered after a bit that there was only a scant amount of woodhandy, and that Tom had hinted about laying in a further supply.
"Guess I'll just get a bucket of water, and then take to the axe for aspell," he remarked to himself, for, like a good many other people,Felix was quite food of talking to himself when alone.
Among other things they had found an old but serviceable galvanizedbucket, which Old Sol had carefully greased, and put away for futureuse. It had taken Felix not a little time to get it in fairly decentshape again; but it would hold water, and that was a fortunate thing.Under such conditions campers have no right to be overly particularabout the looks of things; and a little rust never hurt any one yet,Felix stoutly declared.
So, taking the bucket, he set out for the spring, which happened to beabout two hundred feet away from the dugout.
No doubt Sol Ten Eyck was fully aware of the existence of that same finespring when he started to locate his trapping cabin here in thewilderness; in fact it had everything to do with his selecting thatparticular locality for putting up his dugout-shack.
He had told Tom that that spring must be connected with some of those inthe National Park; because, no matter how cold the winter was, it neverfroze up. What water came from it might get as hard as anything in thezero temperature; but as for the spring itself, it continued to cheerilybubble forth all through the wintry weather, defying Jack Frost to sealits mouth.
Felix was thinking of his chum as he made his way toward the spring.Doubtless he pictured Tom as busily engaged preparing the carcass of thedeer for transportation to the camp; and he could in imagination almostsee the pleasure his cousin was taking in his work.
"There never was a better chum than Tom," Felix was saying to himself,as he dipped his bucket carefully into the water; and then, noticingthat in approaching too closely he had caused the water to becomeslightly "roiled," he poured this away, and stooping there, waited a fewminutes until it should settle again.
A sound caught his hearing that caused him to quickly look up, and thenturn his head. What he saw gave the boy a thrill such as he had seldomexperienced before.
One, two, three savage looking animals were standing there, staring athim in a hungry way, just as though they considered themselves in goodluck to come upon a dinner so easily.
They had all the appearance of dogs, but although Felix could not own upto any considerable experience with wolves, he knew in a flash that thatwas what these visitors must be.
And they looked dangerous, too. A single wolf is a cowardly beast, andwill almost always slink away from a human being; but when in company,or running with a pack, he becomes an entirely different sort of animal.At such times, especially when sharp pressed by hunger, in the middle ofthe winter, he will break into the sheep-fold of a farmer, and even pulldown a running horse that has been exhausted by a long flight.
Felix had read many a wild story of wolf hunts in Russia; and knew withwhat fierceness the animals on the Siberian steppes often chasetravelers in native vehicles, frequently devouring men and horses.
So he did not underestimate the wolves that so suddenly appeared beforehim as he stooped over the spring, bucket in hand.
It flashed upon him that save for his hunting knife he was whollyunarmed just then; for his trusty Marlin had of course been left in thecabin; and what use would a five inch blade be against a trio of active,vigorous and reckless wolves, bent upon securing a dinner?
He stood up, and took a step toward the cabin. Ominous growls greetedthe act, as though they would warn Felix that they did not mean to allowhim to gain the shelter of his fort.
Felix had another thrill about that time. The first had meant onlyexcitement; but this went further, and whispered of alarm as well.
How they bared their white fangs, and raised the long hair on their bonyshoulders, to show that they were primed for fight.
The boy realized that unless he proved himself quick-witted the chancesof his ever getting to where he could snatch up his good rifle, and givethem what they deserved, would be pretty slim.
At such a time as this the brain works as if on fire. It seemed to Felixas though a score of things flashed through his mind at the sameinstant. He wondered if he could frighten the animals by dashing atthem, waving his arms, and letting out a few wild whoops, for sometimeswolves are sent into a panic by the sound of the human voice.
But if the expedient failed, why, it would bring him all the sooner togrips with the three hairy scamps that seemed to invite a trail ofstrength, and resourcefulness.
How about the bucket--could he knock upon the bottom with his knuckles atthe same time, and add to the din, so as to produce a temporary fear intheir hearts?
The cabin was only two hundred feet away, and Felix just knew he couldfairly fly over this distance, given half a chance; but if theyrecovered soon enough to leap after him, was he not likely to have themon his back before he could get inside and slam the door shut?
But something _must_ be done!
He could see them edging a little closer all the while, as though unableto hold themselves wholly in check. And they were spreading out more inthe shape of a fan, too, as if they knew the best way to trap him.
Whatever was to be done, he must lose no more time about it, or theattack would follow, and then it would be too late to devise any schemelooking to creating a diversion.
It seemed as though just at that instant Felix remembered something thatpromised to open up a possible avenue of escape.
When he was sitting there, resting for a few minutes, he had picked upthe newspaper that had been wrapped around some of their smoked meat.Despite its greasy condition Felix had become interested in an articleon some subject of surgery that happened to catch his eye. This he hadpartly read through; and then, wishing to complete a certain task withwhich he was engaged, he had doubled the paper up, and unconcernedlythrust it into a rear pocket; little dreaming how in doing this he mighthave been actually saving his own life. So do trifles sometimes turn outto be of the greatest moment.
This paper, with its greasy surface, would make a fierce flame, if onlyfor a brief time; and he always carried a bountiful supply of matchesalong with him; for Tom had advised this, as a precaution, in case heever became lost, when each one would be worth a priceless sum.
No sooner had the idea flashed into the mind of Felix than he put hishand around, in hopes of feeling the doubled paper. His heart was in histhroat when at first he failed to touch anything, then he rememberedthat it was in the other hip pocket he had thrust the paper.
So he drew it out, rustling in a manner that elicited a fresh chorus ofsnarls and growls from the three guards, who stood between him and theshack where safety for him lay.
Crunching the paper up, Felix next sought for a match. He had a littlesafe in one pocket of his trousers; but so clear was his mind at thiscritical stage of the game that he instantly remembered placing severalmatches loosely in the side pocket of his coat, where he could get atthem more easily when starting a fire for supper.
So ugly did the wolves act about this time that he was almost afraid
they were determined not to wait any longer, but proceed to openhostilities. And so he continued to talk, and call out at them thewhile, in hopes of averting the crisis until he had started thingsmoving himself.
Straight ahead of him lay the dugout. Once he began running he must makerecord time, and keep in a direct line for the door. How fortunate thathe had left this wide open when starting after that bucket of water! Allhe would have to do would be to fly through that friendly aperture,snatch hold of the door, and fling it back of him. Then his next movewould be to make one leap for the corner where the Marlin stood; once hefelt its convincing metal in his hands, and after that he would not carea snap of his fingers for all the timber wolves that existed within aradius of ten miles.
All these preliminaries Felix seemed to settle, just like a greatgeneral would his plan of campaign; only he had to do it out of hand.The impatient and hungry wolves would not wait his pleasure; they wantedthings to be moving along.
Felix had let the empty bucket drop to the ground when his brilliantscheme came flashing into his mind, so that both his hands were free toconduct the work he had arranged.
First of all was the striking of the match, and this he would have toaccomplish along one leg of his trousers, as Tom always did. The act wasgreeted by more nasty and irritating snarls, as the three wolves movedstill closer, hardly able to hold back longer.
When the flame of the match was communicated to the greasy newspaper, ofcourse it flashed up splendidly.
This was his chance, and delay now would be apt to injure his prospectsof being able to reach the shelter of the cabin.
So Felix began to wave his flaming torch, made up of the twistednewspaper, and at the same time sprang straight at the three wolves. Heknew that such a move would add to their temporary panicky state offeeling and give him a chance to cover some ground.
And as he started to jump at them, he also called out at the top of hisvoice, and waved both arms, as though he might be an animated humanwindmill in action, bearing down upon them.