“I’ll make tracks!” said he, starting toward the frozen channel that separated him from the island. But he had not gone ten paces before he discovered two enormous wolves approaching from that direction. “I’ll cut dirt back again!” he continued, whirling suddenly around, and rushing back to his stand, where he stood not a moment, but sprang up in a tree, and after attaining a large limb that put out from the trunk, some fifteen feet above the snow, paused, and pantingly surveyed his assailants. There were now no less than twenty wolves in sight, and several were at the root of the tree yelping at him! “I’ll be hanged if I half like this,” said he. “Snap me, if I don’t begin to believe that the asafoetida does charm them, after all. Confound Sneak! he’s always getting me into some hobble or other! Now, if it wasn’t for this tree, I’d be in a nice fix. Hang it! all the wolves in the world are broke loose to-day, surely—where the mischief could they all have come from? Just hear the men, how they are shooting! And they are killing the wild black dogs every crack—but still they won’t back out! I’ll blaze away at ’em again!” Saying this, he reloaded his musket as quickly as his peculiar position would allow, and, for the purpose of ridding himself as soon as possible of his disagreeable visitors, he poured in an additional charge of buckshot. “Now,” he continued, “what if the gun should fly out of my hands? I’d be in a pretty condition then! I wouldn’t mind the kick at all, if I was only on dry land—but if the gun should kick me over here, I’d tumble right down into their mouths! I wish I’d thought of that before I rammed down the wadding. I haven’t got my screw along, or I might draw out the load again. I’ll not shoot at all. I’ll just watch till somebody comes and scares them away. Ugh! you black rascal! what’re you staring up here for?” he continued, looking down at the largest wolf, which was standing upright against the tree, and tearing the bark away furiously with his long teeth. The number of Joe’s enemies continued to increase. There were now perhaps twenty under the tree. And still the firing on the island was kept up, though not so incessantly as at first, which inspired Joe with a hope that they would either kill all the wolves in their vicinity very soon or force them to join his flock under the tree, when the men would surely come to his relief. Sneak’s fire abated somewhat, likewise, and Joe’s reliance upon having their aid in a very short time caused his fears to subside in a great measure.
“If you’re so crazy after asafoetida,” said he, looking down at the fiercely staring animals again, “I’ll give you a taste, just to see what you’ll do.” He took a small portion of the gum which he had retained, and rubbed it over a piece of paper that he found in his pocket. He then dropped the paper in their midst. They sprang upon it simultaneously, and in an instant it vanished, Joe knew not whither. “Hang me, if I couldn’t pepper a half-dozen at a shot when they all rush up together so close, if I wasn’t afraid of being kicked down. I’ll be teetotally smashed if I don’t fix and try it, any how!” said he, pulling out a strong leather string from his pocket, one end of which he attached firmly to a small limb of the tree, and the other he tied as tightly round the wrist of his left arm. He then pulled out his bandanna, and likewise made his musket fast to a bough. “Now, my snapping beauties,” he continued, “I’m mistaken if I don’t give you a dose of blue pills that’ll do your business in short order.” Saying this, he tore off another piece of paper, and rubbing on the gum, dropped it down as near as possible to the spot where he wished the wolves to cluster together. No sooner did it fall than the whole gang sprang upon it, and he fired with precision in their midst. Joe did not look to see what execution was done. He was dangling in the air and whirling round and round at a rapid rate, like a malefactor suspended from the gallows, with the exception that his neck did not suffer, and he cried out most lustily for assistance. When the cloud of smoke that enveloped him cleared away a little, and he became better acquainted with his critical situation, his yells increased in rapidity and violence. His condition was truly perilous. The small bough to which he had attached himself had not sufficient strength to bear him up when his feet slipped from the larger one below, and it was now bent down a considerable distance, and that too in a divergent direction from his recent foothold, and unfortunately there was no limb of the tree of any strength within his reach. His legs hung within six feet of the surface of the snow. The discharge had killed four or five of the wolves, but, undismayed, the remainder assailed him the more furiously. The most active of them could easily spring as far up as his feet! Never was terror more strongly depicted in the human face than it was displayed in Joe’s when he saw the whole pack rushing towards him! They sprang up with fearful snarls and yells. Joe yelled likewise, and doubled his knees up to his chin. They missed his feet by several inches, and were borne out fifteen or twenty feet to one side by the impetus of the leap. It was by a mighty effort that he thus avoided them, and no sooner had they passed under him than his legs again dangled downward. In a moment they whirled round and were again rushing at their victim. Once more Joe screamed, and drew up his legs while they passed under him. “Help! help! for God’s sake!” cried he, when they whirled round again. His cry was heard. Several sharp reports resounded from the river bank, a few paces on the east. Three or four of the wolves howled and fell. The rest hesitated, their eyes glistening, and fixed on Joe’s suspended boots. “Come quick! for Heaven’s sake! I can’t pull up my legs any more!” cried Joe. This was true, for his strength was fast failing. The guns were again discharged with deadly effect, and all but one of the largest of the wolves precipitately ran off, and disappeared among the bushes.
They sprang up with fearful snarls and yells. Joe yelled likewise, and doubled his knees up to his chin.
“Jerk up your leg! that feller’s a going to take one of your feet along with him, if he kin!” cried Sneak. Joe saw the wolf charging upon him, but he was altogether unable to avoid it in the manner he had done before. It was now only a few feet distant, its mouth open, displaying a frightful set of teeth, and springing towards him. Finding it impossible to prevent a collision, Joe resolved to sell his foot as dearly as possible. As much as he was able, he bent up his knee-joints, and when his assailant came, he bestowed his heels upon his head with all his might. The wolf was stunned, and fell under the blow.
“Take that!” cried Sneak, running up and plunging his knife into the animal’s side. The wolf groaned and died.
“Ha! ha! ha! you were born to be hanged,” said Roughgrove, coming forward with Boone and Glenn, and laughing heartily.
“He has been hung,” said Boone.
“And almost quartered,” said Glenn.
“Oh, goodness! Jump up here, Sneak, and cut me loose,” said Joe, beseechingly.