CHAPTER III.
A DOUBLE PERIL.
After supper that evening a light snow began to fall, but it ceased atmidnight. The increased cold wakened Brick, and while he was searchingfor an extra blanket he heard a long, wailing cry outside.
The youth was scared almost stupid for a moment. Then he tremblingly lita lantern, and roused his companions.
The boys peeped through the crevices of the lean-to, but they could seenothing. Twice they heard the dismal sound. It was certainly comingnearer. They seized their guns, and huddled close together.
"What do you suppose it is?" whispered Brick.
"A catamount," replied Jerry, "or Indian Devil, as some call them."
"That's right," added Hamp. "It's going to attack us, too."
"Then be ready to shoot," warned Jerry. "I'll give the word when thetime comes."
The brute now seemed to have stopped, though the blood-curdling wailechoed several times on the frosty air.
"I saw a catamount in Central Park once," whispered Brick. "It was anawful-looking creature."
Just then the unseen prowler wailed again. The boys peered anxiously atthe snowy open space before the lean-to.
"No wonder the brute is bold," exclaimed Hamp. "There's nothing left ofthe fire but a couple of hot embers."
"We must build it up right away," declared Jerry. "Come on, you fellows.We'll stick together."
"But won't the catamount jump at us?" asked Brick.
"Not while we have the lantern," assured Jerry. "All wild animals areafraid of fire."
The boys ventured out of the lean-to. They timidly advanced to thefireplace, which was in the center of the glade.
"Where's the wood you brought at bedtime?" asked Jerry. "I don't seeit."
"I--I forgot all about it," admitted Hamp. "I was too sleepy to think.I'm awfully sorry."
"Being sorry won't help us now," said Jerry, grimly. "There's not even astick."
There was silence for a moment. The boys expected nothing less than tobe pounced upon by the hungry beast.
"I believe the catamount has sneaked off," declared Hamp. "Give me thelantern, and I'll get some wood. It's my fault that we have none."
"I'll go with you," replied Jerry. "There's a windfall under the rootsof that dead pine tree. It's only half-a-dozen yards from here. Comeon."
The two lads started, taking their guns and the lantern. They crossedthe glade, and vanished in the timber.
Brick was left standing by the fireplace. He was afraid to go after hiscompanions, nor did he like to be alone. He rested his gun on a stone,and stooped over the dying embers of the fire, trying vainly to fan theminto a blaze. As he rose to his feet he heard a crackling noise, and washorrified to see a great, dusky animal crouching on the edge of thetimber, directly opposite the spot where the boys had disappeared.
The beast's arrival was so unexpected that Brick lost his wits. With ayell he turned and dashed across the glade, and rolled into a copse ofbushes.
There he lay, shouting for help at the top of his voice, and expectingto be immediately torn to pieces.
Lusty cries quickly answered him, and trampling footsteps came near. Hesaw the gleam of the lantern go by, and then a rifle cracked sharply.The next thing he knew Jerry and Hamp were hauling him to his feet.
"Where's the catamount?" he panted. "Did you kill it?"
"Missed," replied Jerry. "I only had a snap shot. The creature boltedinto the forest when it saw the lantern. We didn't get here any toosoon."
"I thought I was a goner," declared Brick.
His face was pale, and he trembled like a leaf.
Hamp had a great load of wood on his back, and the fire was soon blazingmerrily.
The catamount made no sign for ten minutes, and then a wailing cry fromfar off told that he was retreating.
After waiting a little longer the boys went back to their warm blanketsand pine boughs.
They fell asleep very quickly, and it was broad daylight when they gotawake. The sun was behind murky gray clouds, and the air was bitterlycold. The snow crunched sharply under foot, and the lake was frozen fromshore to shore.
The presence of the catamount in the vicinity decided the boys to hunt anew camping-place.
After breakfasting on bacon and fried potatoes, they packed the sledsand started.
They traveled northward over the ice, following all the bays andindentations of the lake's crooked shore. At noon they stopped forlunch. The cold was something awful.
"It looks as though we were going to have a hard winter," said Jerrywhen they were on the march again. "It's a good thing that we broughtsnowshoes, and plenty of extra blankets along."
"I hope we don't see anything more of that catamount," replied Brick. "Isuppose there are plenty of them in the woods, though."
"A good many," assented Hamp. "But they don't often trouble hunters.This fellow was extra savage. He must have been hungry."
"They've been known to follow men for days and weeks in bitterweather," said Jerry.
The conversation shifted to another topic, and the boys trudged on forhalf an hour. Then Brick suddenly gave a sharp cry, and pointed to aspot on the shore, some fifty yards distant.
"I saw the catamount over there," he declared. "It was a big,yellowish-gray animal, and it slipped past that rock into the bushes."
"Sure?" asked Hamp, anxiously.
"Dead sure."
The boys looked and listened. They were about moving on, when a long,thick-set animal stole out of the forest, and crouched by the edge ofthe ice. It wailed in a mournful tone, and crept a little nearer. It wasas large a catamount as the two Maine lads had ever seen.
"There's a chance," exclaimed Jerry. "Come on. We'll try to get withineasy shooting distance of the brute. Three of us can't well miss."
The boys abandoned the sled, and advanced toward shore, with loadedrifles. But before they had taken a dozen steps the catamount turnedtail, and vanished in the timber.
"No use," muttered Hamp. "That's a crafty fellow, and he's not going togive us any advantage. He'll stick to us like a leech, though, and sometime, when we are off our guard----"
A significant pause ended the sentence.
"What are we going to do about it?" asked Brick. "This knocks all thefun in the head. We won't dare go to sleep at nights."
"We've got to get rid of the brute," replied Jerry, "and I think I knowhow to do it. What do you say to cutting straight across the lake, andmaking our camp on the other side? I don't believe the catamount willfollow us over miles of open snow and ice."
This suggestion was warmly approved. They headed due west toward thefaintly visible forest on the further shore of the lake, a distance often or twelve miles.
To keep off the intense cold they ran along on a dog trot. The sledstrailed easily behind them over the patches of crisp snow and glassyice.
Two hours later the western shore of Moosehead Lake loomed clearlybefore the young voyagers. They were not half a mile away. They couldlook right into the dense forest that stretched far away to Canada.
"Got the time, Brick?" asked Jerry.
"Yes; it's just half-past three."
"Well, suppose we push up the lake for another hour. By that time we'lllikely strike the sort of a camping-place we want."
The others agreed, and Jerry led them to within twenty yards of theshore. Then they turned northward, and went on at a rapid trot.
About half a mile ahead a spit of rocky and timbered land jutted outfrom the shore.
"We ought to find a good place behind that," said Hamp.
"No doubt we shall," Jerry added.
"I hope so," declared Brick. "I'm as hungry as a bear. I haven't hadsuch an appetite since the day----"
Brick never finished. He was interrupted by a crashing noise a shortdistance back in the forest. The sound came rapidly nearer and louder.The boys stopped, and looked at one another in alarm.
"It mus
t be a deer," exclaimed Jerry, "and some animal is chasing it.The wind is blowing this way. We may get a shot."
Crash! out from the forest burst a magnificent buck, withwidely-branching antlers. He bounded down the sloping bank, and over theice. He was panting and exhausted.
Close behind leaped a gaunt, ravenous wolf, flecked with foam andperspiration. Both animals swept out on the lake, making straight at thefrightened and amazed boys.
Brick had a sudden attack of buckfever. He stood stupidly still. Theothers hurriedly grabbed their rifles from the sled. Jerry ran a fewsteps in front of his companions.
Then, for the first time, the buck saw the lads. He snorted with terror,and tried vainly to check himself on the slippery ice.
Jerry knelt and took aim. He was too excited to be cautious. He pulledtrigger at a range of fifteen feet.
The ball failed to reach a mortal part. It hit the buck in the leftflank, inflicting a painful wound. The huge animal's terror instantlychanged to wrath. With lowered antlers, he dashed full tilt at Jerry.
The lad started to run, but his rifle caught between his legs. Hesprawled headlong on the ice. He was right in front of the enragedbuck. In a few seconds the cruel hoofs and sharp horns would mangle hisbody.
At the same instant the wolf, maddened by hunger and passion, veeredwith a shrill yelp. He leaped savagely upon Hamp's breast, and bore himto the ice.