“It wasn’t much,” Brick modestly protested. “You would have done the same for me.”
The boys continued the animated discussion, quite heedless of time. The dead wolf was examined with wonder, and they removed the scalp, in order to claim the State bounty. With some difficulty they dragged the buck partly onto one of the hand sleds.
“I want the antlers,” said Brick. “I wouldn’t go back to New York without them.”
“We’ll see to that,” replied Jerry. “Now, then, if you fellows are ready.”
A moment later the march toward the headland was recommenced. The heavily-laden sleds grated over the ice and snow.
Some small animal followed the boys for quite a distance, keeping well out of sight behind the timber. It had a shrill, rasping voice that was very aggravating. Jerry declared it to be a lynx or wolverine, and Hamp agreed with him. A little later something more serious occurred. Three hungry wolves stole out of the forest and down to the ice. They evidently scented the carcass of the deer. They followed the little party persistently, and kept up a mournful howling. Now and then they circled near with swift leaps, only to bound back toward the shore again.
“We must put a stop to this,” said Jerry. “Wait a minute.”
He discarded his rifle for a shotgun, and, when the trio of scavengers next approached as close as they dared, he gave them both barrels.
It was long-range shooting, but two of the brutes were slightly crippled. All three fled, yelping, to the forest, and disappeared.
Darkness was now creeping rapidly on. Colder and colder came the bitter evening breeze. At times the great stretch of ice-bound lake cracked like a pistol-shot. The boys were anxious to reach their destination before twilight, and they altered their swinging stride to a jog-trot.