L. P. Wyman

“ Bob was about to whisper to Tom, who was crouching directly in front of him, when the Irishman, without warning, let out a yell that so far as volume was concerned, at least rivaled the other’s cry. At the instant he sprang forward and before the boys could recover from their surprise he was swallowed up by the darkness. ”

“ Bob fired several shots in the direction of the snarls and yelps but, as far as they could tell, without effect. It was not long before the wolves were back beneath the tree and taking careful aim at a particularly large shaggy fellow, Bob fired. The wolf, with a yelp of pain, fell kicking in the snow and was almost instantly torn in pieces and devoured by his companions.
“A man may be down but never out, but when one of those fellows is down it don’t take him long to be out, does it?” Jack said as he watched the fragments of the wolf disappear down the hungry throats. ”

“ They came down in a heap of snow, Bob on the top. But despite his deformity, Nip was possessed of great strength, and Bob, while strong, was only a boy. To be sure he knew far more of the science of wrestling than did the man, but handicapped by the snow-shoes and the deep snow, there was little or no chance to bring his skill into play. It was a place where brute strength was at a premium. Over and over they tumbled, now one on top and then the other, each striving to get an advantageous hold.
At the same instant that Bob had jumped for Nip, Jack had leaped for the revolver. ”

“ Instantly six men, led by Jacques Lamont and Jean Lareau, stepped into sight, and each man carried in his hands a Winchester.
At the sound of the whistle the crowd paused and at the sight of the six determined looking men they came to a full halt. Big Ben’s face was a puzzle as he saw the turn things had taken.
“What—what—do you mean?” he stammered.
“We mean to prevent murder,” Bob answered sternly. “Our men, except these six, have only their axes with which to fight, and you know what that would mean in case your men got to them. ”

“ During the night the storm blew itself out and when soon after eight o’clock Bob opened his eyes, the sun was shining in at the window. Jack still slept on and he got out of bed carefully so as not to waken him. A good bed of coals still glowed in the fireplace, and soon he had a roaring fire sending a shower of sparks up the broad chimney. The crackling of the fire woke Jean, and when Bob returned to the living room after starting a fire in the cook stove, he was sitting up. ”

“ Jack was not lacking in bravery, but as he realized that he was in the power of two men who probably thought no more of murder than he would of shooting a squirrel, a chill of fear stole over him, and he breathed a silent prayer that he might escape. ”

“ Bob realized that there could be but one outcome to this kind of fighting unless he finished it in short order. To his joy he quickly discovered that the man knew nothing of scientific wrestling, and in a moment he had a half nelson about his neck and exerting all his strength he threw him completely over his head. The man gave vent to a heavy grunt as he struck the snow and undoubtedly he was at that moment the most surprised man in seven counties. Once more anger got the best of him and, springing to his feet, he came at Bob with much the same tactics with which he had started the fight. ”

“ The cry had wakened the other man, and by the time Pierre and Kernertok had clinched, he was out of his bunk and rushing for Jack. But the latter, as soon as he had seen what had happened, had stepped quickly back to the pile of wood and picked up a round stick about two inches in diameter and eighteen inches long. Seeing the man coming for him, he did not hesitate but hurled the stick with all his might. It caught the Frenchman full on the forehead and he went down in a heap as though he had been shot. ”

“ Jean Larue had not been at supper the night of the fight, but he was on hand for breakfast the next morning, apparently none the worse for his beating. He had, however, a decidedly downcast look, as though he realized, as no doubt he did, that the day of his authority over his mates was past.
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“If looks could kill, you’d be a dead man,” Jack whispered to Bob as they took their seats at the long table. “That Larue is certainly looking daggers at you.” ”

“ In the uncovered end of the trench, which was nearly four feet deep, Bob started a small fire, while Jack undid the pack enough to get out the cooking utensils and the provisions. It was now nearly dark and the bright light from the crackling fire cast fantastic shadows as the boys moved about their work. In a surprisingly short time a meal of bacon and eggs, flapjacks and coffee was ready. Enough, as Bob laughingly declared, “to satisfy a dozen ordinary men.” ”

“ Fortunately the lowest branches of the big pine, at the foot of the trench, were near the ground and Jack, crawling out on the snow, had no trouble in reaching them.
“Get a hustle,” he called, reaching for the rifle which Bob was holding up to him.
At this moment the wolves, seeing their prey about to escape, plunged forward with mighty leaps through the snow, and were almost upon Bob as he reached for the limb. The leader, an enormous brute, lank with hunger, sprang from the snow and his dripping jaws closed on the boy’s leg. ”

“ Slowly they crept around the small building, pausing every few feet to listen with ear pressed close to the walls. But no sound was to be heard, and silently they made their way to the bunk house, where they repeated the performance with a like result. Only the snores and grunts of the sleeping men came faintly to their ears. The mess house and the horse shed were treated in like manner and with the same result.
“If they’ve got him here anywhere they’re keeping mighty quiet about it,” Bob whispered, as they stood once more beside the office. ”

“ COALS OF FIRE.
“There’s someone out there sure’s you’re alive,” Bob shouted as he closed the door. “Come on, we’ve got to make it snappy,” he said, as he began to pull on his moccasins.
“Who in the world can it be?” Jack asked, as he donned his mackinaw and pulled his cap well down over his ears.
In another moment they were fastening their snow-shoes on their feet on the porch.
“I believe it’s worse than when we came in if such a thing is possible,” Jack declared, shouting at the top of his voice, in order to make himself heard, as they started toward the lake. ”

“ Their way led up the lake for about seven miles, then in through the thick forest for a trifle over a mile. The snow was fairly well packed and their snow-shoes sank but slightly making easy going.
“My, but it’s great to be alive,” Jack declared, breathing in deep breaths of the spruce laden air.
“Particularly up here in the Maine woods,” Bob agreed.
“You said a mouthful,” Jack laughed, as he stopped to tighten the thong of one of his shoes. “I don’t believe there’s another place in the world that’s so fine. Just taste that air.” ”

“ Jack declared suddenly, throwing his book on the table.
“All right. Spring it,” Bob said.
“Well, why not do this? In the morning the men can go to work right where they left off. You and I’ll go down about a mile toward Ben’s camp and watch. If we see them coming we can give a signal and long before they can get here the men can all be at work on the other side of the clearing.”
“Sure and it’s a foin head ye got,” and the foreman cast an admiring glance at the boy.
“I believe he’s struck it,” Bob agreed, giving his brother a hearty slap on the back. “And if you agree, Tom, we’ll try it.” ”

“ Bob returned, a worried look on his face. “But he means trouble and he’s not the one to give up when he once starts out to do a thing. You know that as well as I do. Oh, he’s a slick one all right, but believe me he didn’t pull any wool over my eyes.”
“Nor mine either,” Jack declared hastily. “It won’t be his fault if Father gets away with that contract. But what do you think he’ll try next?”
“Pretty hard to say. But come on, every tree down helps just so much, and I feel like working off some of my surplus anger with an ax,” and Bob led the way to the chopping. ”

“ The boys spent the day with the men getting acquainted, and by night they were calling a good part of them by their first names and they were Bob and Jack to them all. It had not been an idle day for them by any means, as they had worked nearly as hard as any of the men, although they had not exerted themselves for fear of lamed muscles.
“We’ve just got to lay that ghost if he shows up again,” Bob declared, as they were trudging back in the rapidly falling dusk. “He’s apt to stampede the whole works if the men once get a look at him. ”

“ After the fight he regarded Bob almost with reverence and would have become his willing slave had he permitted it. Although his body was deformed, the boys soon learned that his mind was, as Jack put it, “as bright as a new dollar.”
As the two boys entered the mess house a half hour later, they were greeted with a ringing cheer, and many hearty slaps on the back proved to Bob that his victory was most popular with the crew. The boys had asked Tom not to tell anyone that their father owned the camp, as they wished to associate with the men on as nearly an equal footing as possible. ”