“‘It’s the wolves from the interior,’ rejoined Frank. ‘I’d rather have the griffins and goblins. Don’t you remember ’78? I’m afraid we’re in a box.’
“‘Let us get down to windward of the point, and lie low among the rocks,’ I suggested. ‘As likely as not the brutes won’t detect us, and will keep along up the shore.’
“Instantly we dropped into concealment, keeping, through the apertures of the crest, a fearful eye upon the mountain slopes. We were fools, to be sure; for we might have known those keen eyes had spotted us from the first, silhouetted as we had been against the moonlit sea.
“Presently Frank suggested the boat, but my sufficient answer was to point to the raging surf. So we lay still, and prayed to be ignored. In a few minutes our suspense was painfully relieved by the appearance of a pack of gray forms, which swept out into the moonlight beyond the river, and came heading straight for our refuge.
“‘Two dozen of ’em!’ gasped Frank.
“‘And they’ve certainly spotted us,’ I whispered.
“‘There’s not a tree nor a hole we can get into!’ muttered Frank.
“‘We can get on top of this rock, and fight for it,’ I groaned in desperation.
“‘I have it!’ exclaimed Frank. ‘The boat! We’ll get under it, and hold it down!’
“Leaping to our feet we broke wildly for the boat. The wolves greeted us with an exultant howl as they dashed through the shallow river.