“But he isn’t alone,” cried Tommy, “I see three or four other brutes skulking there among the trees—Push on! push on!”
It was high time, indeed, to push on, for the big wolf was drawing nearer and nearer, and his followers seemed only to be waiting his signal to begin the attack. As the horse, knowing his own danger, galloped on faster, the wolves set up a hideous howl, fearful that their prey would escape them. Tommy seized the whip from Tony and began to lash away at them.
“If I had Rob’s gun I’d pay off those brutes,” cried Tony, “slash away Tommy! keep them off! it won’t be pleasant if they catch hold of us.”
On went the horse; he did not think of being tired now. It was hard work to guide him between the stumps and fallen trees. Tommy lashed and lashed away, and shouted at the top of his voice. An overturn would have caused their death, as the wolves would have set on them before they had time to get upon their feet. They were coming to a bad bit of the road where they would have to drive down some steep and rugged places to avoid fallen logs. The wolves seemed to think that this would be their time, for all the pack made a dash at the sleigh. Tommy lashed with his whip with all his might. One big beast was on the point of springing into the sleigh, and the boys, with reason, gave up all for lost. Still, like brave fellows, they strove to the last. “Hit him with the butt end,” cried Tony.
Tommy struck the brute with all his might between the eyes. The wolf fell back, but others were coming on. A moment afterwards two more sprang up at the sleigh. One of them Tommy treated as he had done the first, but the other was just seizing him by the leg, and a third was flying at Tony, who, having to guide the horse, could not defend himself, when a bullet whistled by and knocked over one of the animals. The others, frightened by the report, stopped short, and Tommy had time to hit the wolf just going to lay hold of Tony.
“Well done, youngster, well done,” cried a man who just then stepped out of the bush. “If I hadn’t
come just in the nick of time it would have been the worse for you, though.”
The boys saw that the man was their friend Danby Marks. Tony had hard work to stop the frightened horse, and could not have done it if the old man had not caught the reins and soothed the animal. A second shot from his rifle, by which another wolf was killed, sent the whole cowardly pack howling back into the forest. “You must let me go as your guard for the rest of the way,” said the old hunter, as he stepped into the sleigh and bade Tony drive on, “Don’t suppose, though, I came here by chance,” he added; “nothing ever does happen by chance, and I am here to-day because I met Rob, and as his mind misgave him, he begged that I would come and look after you.”
Tony and his friend thanked the old man heartily for the help he had given them. “Yes, indeed, Mr Marks: we should have been made into mince-meat by this time if it hadn’t been for you,” said Tony.