"It's ten o'clock," he announced. "Shall we hit the hay?"
"Might's well I reckon. He won't be back tonight."
Bob lit the lantern and helped Jack get into his sleeping bag. Then he went out and fixed the fire so that it would last for several hours.
"It's going to be a blizzard all right," he muttered as he crept back into the tepee and into his sleeping bag.
He blew out the light and for several moments there was silence and each boy knew that the other was in communication with Him who is conscious of the sparrow's fall.
Although very tired it was long before Bob slept. Over and over again he asked himself what could have happened to Lucky, and as often came the thought that it must have been something very serious or he would have returned. He could tell by the sound of Jack's breathing that he was asleep and he was glad. That the storm was increasing in violence he knew and the knowledge that it might last for days added to his worry. Finally he was almost off when the faint, but unmistakable howl of a wolf, far off on the mountain side, brought him wide awake.
"One would think we had trouble enough without that," he thought.
But second thought convinced him that they really had little to fear from wolves. The fire would keep them away and even though they should brave that they had their guns and plenty of ammunition. So he put that thought from his mind and soon was asleep. How long he slept he did not know, but it must have been several hours for he could not see the reflection from the fire as he reached out and pulled aside a branch from one of the thick boughs. The wind was howling with almost demoniacal fury and, as he listened a moment, above the noise of the storm came the dismal howl of a wolf and he knew that the animal must be near.
"Was that a wolf?" Jack cried as he caught hold of Bob's arm.
"Guess so."