CHAPTER XXV
SURROUNDED BY WOLVES
From Jack Dalton the boys had heard of a beautiful silver deer, said to be roaming the woods on the hills back of Firefly Lake, and Whopper and Giant talked a great deal of going after the game and seeing if they could not lay the deer low.
"I know we can do it if only we can spot the animal," said Giant.
"And think what a feather it will be in our cap."
"I am going after that deer, even if the others won't go," added Whopper, and so it was finally decided that Whopper and the small youth should go in quest of the silver deer, while Snap and Shep remained at the camp, to try their hands at erecting a trap for beavers and also some traps for birds. It may be added that deep in the woods they had erected a bear-fall and baited the same, but so far no bear had shown himself in that vicinity, although the wolves had stolen the bait on two occasions.
In order to be prepared for big game, Whopper and Giant took along one shotgun and the rifle, and also a hunting-knife. One game-bag was filled with provisions, for they did not know how long the outing would last.
The boys started off in the best of spirits, taking to a trail the old hunter had pointed out to them. There had been a flurry of snow during the night, but this was soon melted by the sun which, at breakfast time, had come out as brightly as ever.
"What a beautiful spot this is!" said Giant, gazing back to the lake before plunging into the woods. "It is strange that so few folks come up here to camp."
"Well, it's lucky for us," answered Whopper. "We shouldn't care for many—-especially of the Andrew Felps kind."
"Oh, don't mention him, Whopper. It makes me angry to think of him, and I don't want my day's fun spoiled."
Soon the vicinity of the lake was left behind, and then the boys began to climb the first rise of ground. Fortunately, the trail was good and they made rapid progress. Arriving at the top of the hill, they gazed around eagerly.
"Nothing in sight so far," said Whopper, after a long pause.
"Well, the day is young yet," was the hopeful answer.
Again they went on, and this time scared up several rabbits and also several animals they could not name, so quickly did they disappear again. The boys did not fire, however, being determined to do nothing to scare the deer away, should the game be within hearing.
When, about noon, they came to a clear spring of water, they were glad enough to sit down and rest and partake of their noonday lunch, washing it down with copious draughts of water.
"Folks can say what they please," remarked Whopper, smacking his lips. "When one is good and dry, nothing is so satisfying as a drink of plain, clear water."
"You're right there, Whopper. How some men can prefer liquor is beyond my comprehension."
"They don't know what is good for them, that's why, Giant."
The boys looked around the spring with care and made out several tracks which they thought might belong to a deer. These led along the trail they were following, and once more the boy hunters moved on, refreshed by the rest and the lunch, and cheered by the hope that they might soon get a glimpse of the game they were after.
Less than a quarter of a mile further on they found that the trail came to an abrupt end in something of a glade at the foot of another hill. There had been a landslide during the summer and this had obliterated the path.
"Here's a go!" cried Whopper, gazing around in perplexity. "I suppose old Jack Dalton didn't know about this landslide."
"We must be careful—-if we go on, Whopper. That land may give way. We don't want to get underground again."
"Not much! Once was enough."
They walked along the hill, and at last came to something that looked a little like a trail. Then they went forward once more, covering a good mile. The vicinity was full of rocks, and they had to pick their way with care, for fear of tumbling down into a crevice, or twisting an ankle.
"This is growing worse, Whopper," said Giant, coming to a halt for breath. "I had no idea it was so rough, had you?"
"No. One thing is certain—-we are not on the trail."
"Just what I was thinking."
"We are getting deeper and deeper into this mess. We'll have to turn back."
"And without that deer! That's too bad!"
"We may see the deer elsewhere."
They walked on a hundred feet further, reaching an opening surrounded by rocks on every side. Here was a tall tree, with branches hanging low to the ground.
"I'm going up into the tree and look around," said Whopper.
He hung his rifle on one of the limbs and began the ascent. Giant did likewise, and soon the pair were close to the top of the tree.
By parting the topmost branches they got a fairly good look of the country for a long distance on every side. They could see the waters of Lake Cameron shimmering in one direction, and the waters of Firefly Lake shimmering in another, and they also caught several glimpses of Rocky River, and some other bodies of water still further away.
"Nothing of the deer," sighed Whopper, after a long look around.
"Let us make sure," came from Giant, and swept every point of the compass with his sharp eyes.
"I see something far to the north of here," he announced. "But what it is I can't make out."
Whopper looked in the direction, but could see nothing clearly.
"Something is moving among the bushes," he said, slowly. "It may possibly be a deer, but I doubt it."
It was rather pleasant in the tree, and they rested near the top for some time. Then, of a sudden, Whopper started up.
"What's that, Giant?"
"What's what?"
"That noise below."
"I don't hear anything."
"I do, and I am going down to see what is doing."
Whopper began to descend and the smaller youth followed him.
"Well, I never!"
"Wolves!"
"Yes, and look at the number!"
The words were true. Under the tree a number of wolves had congregated. There were at least twenty-five or thirty of them, and they were all of good size.
As soon as they saw the boys they retreated a few feet and then began to snarl savagely.
"Say, Whopper, I don't like this," observed Giant, with a grave shake of his head.
"I don't like it myself."
"They don't look extra friendly."
"Friendly? I guess not. They are mighty savage."
"I wonder where they came from?"
"I am sure I don't know. Perhaps from over the mountains. Don't you remember Jed Sanborn telling us of the packs of wolves over near Pine Mountain?"
"Yes."
The two boy hunters had not ventured to the lowest limb of the tree. Now, as Whopper started to step down, one of the wolves, large and savage, leaped up at him with a vicious snarl.
"Not to-day!" cried Whopper, and drew himself up again. "I don't want you to sample my leg!"
"If we only had our guns!" sighed Giant.
"I wanted to get them, Giant. But I don't know if it will do any good—-there are so many of them. One or two less won't count."
The wolves now seemed to grow impatient and snapped and snarled loudly as they crowded around the tree and tried to leap up towards the boys. They were evidently a hungry lot.
"I've got an idea!" said Giant, presently. "I am going to cut a notched stick and reach down for the guns with that."
"Just the thing!" answered his chum. The stick was soon cut, and then both boys went "Fishing" with it. Both the gun and the rifle were hanging up by straps, and it was an easy matter to catch the notch under the straps and hoist the weapons up to where the youths stood.
"Hurrah! So far so good!" cried Giant. "Now then, we'll give the wolves something that will surprise them."
"Yes; but don't forget one thing, Giant. The shots will surely scare the game away from around here, and that will mean good-by to the silver deer—-at least for the present."
"Well, we have got to do something."
"I agree on that."
"I'll take that savage-looking fellow right below us."
"And I'll fire at the one over yonder. Are you ready?"
There was a pause.
"Yes."
"Then fire!"
And the shotgun and the rifle spoke up almost as one piece.