CHAPTER XIV.
STEP HEN HAS VISIONS OF A FUR COAT.
Thad was already hastily inserting a fresh shell in the left chamber ofhis little shotgun. He felt fully satisfied that he had done just whatStep Hen so vociferously proclaimed, knocked over one of the skulkingwolves; but there were more of the same breed around, and presently theywould get over the temporary fright caused by the flash of fire,together with the heavy crash, when possibly they might show themselvesbolder than ever.
And like a true Boy Scout, Thad Brewster believed in always beingprepared. He had really taken that for his motto long before he thoughtof joining a troop of the scouts; so that much of what he agreed to dowhen signing the muster roll, lay directly in a line with his own ideasof what a wide-awake boy should be.
"They backed off after that hot reception, Thad," Step Hen went on. "Oh!I hope I'll get a chance to pop over just one of the sneaky beasts. I'dlike to say I'd shot a real wolf. Think of me, Step Hen Bingham, who upto a year ago had never gone off camping or hunting, with a bear to mycredit, a buck actually knocked over, even if it was stole away from me;and now, as the crowning event of all, I want to get a savage wolf, areal Canada wolf."
"Oh!" said Thad, laughingly; "I don't know that they're different fromany other kind they have out on the plains; though perhaps they may be alittle larger, and ready to attack a man quicker. But perhaps you'dbetter take the next good chance then, Step Hen."
"May I, Thad? That's kind of you. Suppose you give me pointers, then,and tell me just when to blaze away. I want to make a dead sure thing ofit."
"Of the wolf, you mean, I guess," Thad went on, keeping a bright lookoutwhile he talked. "Well, watch that place where I got my fellow, and Ithink you'll soon see something moving."
"You must mean the rest will be wanting to make a supper off the critteryou killed; is that it, Thad? Are they such cannibals as all that?"asked Step Hen.
"Always said to be," the patrol leader returned, and then quickly added."Keep on the lookout, and if you see anything moving, tell me. Above alldon't waste ammunition by firing recklessly. We're not trying to scare'em off by noise; every shot ought to count for a wolf."
They lapsed into silence for some little time, during which both boysused their eyes to the best advantage. Several times Step Hen'seagerness caused him to imagine he had caught a glimpse of a movingobject; but upon calling the attention of his more experienced comradeto the spot, in every instance Thad had pronounced it a false alarm.
But in the end there came a time when Thad himself saw something move,and as he watched more closely he made positive that it was another wolfcreeping up in the direction of the spot where his first victim probablylay.
"Are you all ready, Step Hen?" he asked, quietly.
"Just try me, that's all," came the whispered reply, as the other scoutclutched his rifle nervously, and strained his eyes to see what hadcaught the attention of his chum.
"Then watch that spot where my game kicked the bucket; one of his matesis right now coming to drag the body away, to give it a wolf burial. Seehim, Step Hen?"
"Yes, yes, and be sure and tell me just when to let him have it, Thad,"replied the other, beginning to cover the indistinct moving figure withhis ready gun.
"Now, hold on for a bit," Thad cautioned. "I'm going to give the firehere a kick that will make it spring up. Then, when you can be sureyou're getting a bead on the slinker, give him Hail Columbia. Watch out,now, old fellow. It's going to be your only chance to bag a genuine wolffrom the Canada bush."
Just as Thad had said, the fire burned briskly after he had used the toeof his boot to give it new life; and sure enough, Step Hen could see theoutlines of a long, dim figure that seemed to be hugging the ground. Hecould even catch the odd gleam of the wicked yellow eyes that weredoubtless watching their every movement.
With the sharp report of his rifle there was another howl, this time ofpain.
"Did I get him, Thad?" cried the marksman, eagerly.
"You hit him, that's certain, because I saw him flop over," replied theother; "and that yelp meant sudden pain, as sure as it stood foranything. But he managed to get off, though possibly he will fall withintwenty feet."
"Oh! that's too bad, because his chums'll chew him all up, and I'llnever have my nice wolf-skin to get a coat made out of for winter,"exclaimed Step Hen; and then, as he was seized by a new thought, he wenton: "But Thad, suppose I took a torch and went out there, d'ye think I'dbe apt to find him lying on his back? I'd like the worst kind to gethold of him before the rest of the bunch muster up courage enough tocome back."
"Well, since you haven't even a load in your gun, that would be toorisky a game for you to play, Step Hen, and just for an old wolf-skin atthat. Perhaps we've given 'em such a bad scare now that the rest of thepack may skip out, and leave us in peace. Then in the morning you'd findyour chap, all right."
"Listen! there's something crashing through the bushes right back of us,Thad!" exclaimed Step Hen, a minute later, though his companion knew itbefore he spoke. "Sounds like an elephant might be coming down on us;but they don't have such animals up here in the Maine woods, do they?Just hear the racket he keeps making Thad; whatever do you suppose we'reup against now?"
Thad laughed.
"That's a two-legged elephant, then, Step Hen," he remarked. "Fact is,we're going to have company, for that's a man pushing through the brush,and making all the noise he can, so as to scare the wolves away, and atthe same time keep us from firing on him." Then raising his voice, Thadcalled out: "Hello, there!"
"Thet you, Thad?" came an answering call.
"Hurrah! it's Old Eli!" exclaimed Step Hen, readily recognizing thevoice of the guide. "This way, Eli; we're having a healthy old timeknocking over some of your Canada wolves. Each got one so far, but Ireckon the rest of the pack must a lit out when they heard you coming. Isee you now, Eli; and mighty glad you dropped in on us. Where did youspring from anyway; don't tell me we're as near the camp as that."
Eli came up, with a wide grin on his face.
"Oh! camp about mile and a half down lake," he remarked, as he gravelyshook hands with each hunter in turn. "We saw light of fire over point,and think it might be you boys; so I paddled canoe across here. It ain'tjest five minits walk 'cross this strip ter the lake. So ye got sum o'the critters, did ye?"
"Thad, can't we look up that one I shot now; I'd just hate to lose him,you know?" begged Step Hen.
"Why, I suppose it would be safe for all of us to go out," returned thepatrol leader. "Here, pick up something that will burn, and come along."
They found Thad's victim without any trouble, but the second one was notwithin range of the light from their torches. But poor anxious Step Henbegged so piteously to be allowed to extend the search "just a littlefurther," that Thad did not have the heart to say no. And a minutelater, after they had gone forward twice as far as Thad had at firstintended, Step Hen gave a gurgling cry.
"Looky there, Thad, what's that thing lying over yonder? Seems to memighty like a dead one. Yes, sir, that's what it is, as sure as I'm StepHen Bingham. Oh! how terrible he looks, even when stretched out there,and gone up the flue. _My_ wolf, too. What a fine coat he's got,and as gray as they make 'em. Say, won't I just cut a swell when I wearthat out in a sleigh with Sue Baker; and every time she rubs the sleeveshe'll say: 'And just to think that _you_ shot this savage old wolfall by yourself, Step Hen; oh! what a brave fellow you are!'"
It was a second dead wolf, sure enough. The little repeating rifle had,as usual, given a good account of itself, and the stricken beast hadonly been able to drag himself a little distance away, before giving up.
Both animals were dragged over to the fires, and then Eli set to worktaking off the skins with a rapidity that told of long experience alongthe trapping line.
"No use aluggin' these critters over ter the canoe, and then ter camp,"Eli had announced. "Ther two skins'll make a purty good coat, I guessnaow. An' so ye gut a pack o' prime venison to tote home as
well, hevye? Thet's good. My mouth's jes' made up fur a steak; an' the boys'llfeel tickled ter death when they sees yer."
Step Hen was a little nervous at leaving the fire zone, especially sinceEli and Thad insisted on putting out every spark before departing,according to the law of the State; but then he managed to carry onetorch, and with that to serve them, they took up their line of march.
It was not so very far to the edge of the lake. Thad laughed, and saidthe joke was on him; because, when they halted he really believed theywere a couple of miles away from water. If he had known the shore was sonear by he would have managed to coax the tired Step Hen to trudge onjust a little further, so as to camp with the water covering one side,and bringing that much security; not to speak of the chances forsignaling to the home camp by means of the code which he and Allan, asBoy Scouts, understood.
But it was all right now, and Step Hen felt quite merry over the chanceof being taken comfortably to the camp by means of the canoe.
Eli did the paddling, and the two weary lads just snuggled down in theboat, feeling that they had had a great day of it, all told. Thepresence of the venison, as well as the wolf-skins, would be positiveproof as to the reliability of their astonishing story; should there beany skeptic around. And then Thad had the wonderful mushroomed bulletthat had killed that six-pronged buck; so that as they narrated thefirst adventure that had come their way, they could produce evidence toback up the story.
Their coming was greeted by more or less enthusiasm, although the boyshad evidently been coached by Allan not to be too vociferous, as theywere in a country where timid game abounded, and it was poor policy tofrighten away the quarry they had come so far to secure.
Step Hen forgot all his weariness as he found himself being shaken bythe hand again and again, while he and Thad told the tale of their day'souting. It was nice to play the hero part once in a while, and more thanever did Step Hen feel that life had become more worth living than ever,since he joined the Cranford troop of Boy Scouts. But for that he wouldnever have discovered what splendid things there were to be met with inthe great forests; and the spirit of the hunter and the fisherman, whichhad lain dormant in his nature, might never have been awakened.
And while the hour was rather late, all of the boys insisted on tastinga small piece of the deer meat brought in by the two successful Nimrods.
Boy Scouts in the Maine Woods; Or, The New Test for the Silver Fox Patrol Page 14