“I’ve finished the job for him! But he gave you fits, didn’t he? Your face is all bloody. I guess he made your head ache!”
“I guess he did, too,” replied Frank. “I tell you, he hit me an awful crack. I had as soon be struck with a sledge-hammer.”
Fortunately, there were no bones broken. After Frank’s wounded head had been bandaged with his handkerchief, the boys proceeded to remove the skin of the bear, which was the largest of his species they had ever seen. Selecting some of the choice parts of the meat, they then started toward the camp.
Their appearance relieved the anxiety the others had begun to feel at their prolonged absence. The story of their adventure afforded abundant material for conversation while they were eating their dinner, which Frank, who had experienced no serious inconvenience from the blow he had received, speedily served up; and many were the speculations in regard to the lecture they would be certain to receive from the trapper, for their “keerlessness.”
It was nearly four o’clock in the afternoon before the boys started for Uncle Joe’s cabin. As it promised to be a fine, moonlight night, they were in no hurry. Allowing the moose to trot along at an easy gait, they sat in the bottom of the sled, enveloped in furs, amusing themselves in shouting and singing, when Archie suddenly exclaimed:
“Look there, boys! Now, see me make that varmint jump.”
The boys looked in the direction indicated, and saw a large, gaunt wolf standing on the bank of the creek, regarding them attentively, and seeming to be not the least concerned about their approach. As Archie spoke, he raised his gun; but the wolf, as if guessing his intention, suddenly turned, and disappeared in the bushes.
“Boys,” said Frank, “that little circumstance has set me to thinking. Supposing that a pack of those fellows should get after us to-night, wouldn’t we be in a fix?”
“That’s so,” answered the others, in a breath, their cheeks blanching at the very thought.
“I never thought of that,” said Archie. “Hurry up, Harry. Lay on the goad, and let’s get home as soon as possible.”