The Outdoor Chums in the Big Woods; Or, Rival Hunters of Lumber Run

by Quincy Allen

  CHAPTER XXII

  THE GRAY-COATED PIRATE FROM CANADA

  "Well," observed Bluff contentedly, "believe me, a fire is a bullything to hug up to on a night like this. I always did have a sneakingfancy for a crackling blaze, and now I'm more in love with this one ofours than I could tell you."

  "Hark to that, would you!" exclaimed Jerry, suddenly sitting upstraight and turning his head to one side, as though straining hishearing to catch a repetition of the sound.

  "Now, what do you think you heard?" asked Bluff, more or lessinterested, but still showing no signs of alarm.

  "That's what I'd like to know. Seemed like a howl of some kind."

  "I thought that wolf business would get on your nerves before long,"chuckled the other boy.

  "But you said yourself that on a stormy night like this beasts of preyare apt to be unusually fierce," protested Jerry.

  "That's right," he was told; "but even then it doesn't mean everywhoop of the wind through the trees is a wolf giving tongue. Ofcourse, I don't say you didn't hear one, but chances are ten to oneagainst it."

  "Well, it hasn't come again, so far, and I hope it won't, that's all,"said the still unconvinced Jerry.

  Every once in a while he would go to the opening in front and lookout. Of course, the fire needed more or less attention, as Bluff wellknew; nevertheless, he felt pretty certain that Jerry was influencedby his fears of an invasion rather than any desire to throw on theadditional fuel.

  The time dragged along. So far as they could tell, there did notappear to be any let-up to the fury of the storm. There were many openchinks in their barricade, as might be expected, since it was composedof branches and such stuff as lay around at the time they made theirroof and the sides to the cover.

  Driven by the fierce wind, the fine powdery snow managed to penetratemore or less, so that they could feel it against their faces.Unpleasant as this might appear, it was not to be complained of whenthey realized the discomfort and danger that would have been their lotif compelled to remain out in the open.

  After a long time they found their eyes getting heavy. While it wasnext to impossible to get any sound sleep, they might take what Bluffcalled "cat-naps," rousing themselves every little while so as tochange their cramped position and perhaps cast more wood on the fire.

  Jerry remembered that it was immediately after he had taken thelongest doze of any that he heard something that thrilled him.

  He raised his head to listen, and then kicked his companion in thecalf of the leg. Bluff only grunted, possibly believing, if he thoughtanything at all, it might be only an accident.

  "Bluff--oh, Bluff!"

  Now he caught the sound of Jerry's voice close to his ear, and it wasaccompanied by yet another prod with his toe, this time of a morevigorous nature than before.

  "Hey! What ails you, Jerry? If you can't sleep, what's the need ofpunching me that way?" grumbled Bluff.

  "But I tell you there _is_ something trying to get in here!!"argued the other.

  At that, Bluff condescended to slightly raise his head. He was moreawake by now, for he realized that Jerry was in earnest.

  "I don't see anything but that our fire is going down some. Now I'mroused up, I guess I'd better put on more stuff," he remarkedsleepily, as he started to sit up.

  "Watch back there and you'll see, I tell you!" And Jerry pointedtoward the side of their weak barricade, where it joined the upturnedroots and frozen soil.

  Having his attention pivoted upon the one particular spot, Bluff wasnot long in making a surprising discovery.

  "By Jinks, it does seem to be moving!" he admitted. "Wonder now ifthat could be only the wind?"

  "But, don't you see, the wind has died out. And, say, that noisesounds for all the world like a dog trying to dig his way through. Itell you, Bluff, they're coming in after us--the wolves, I mean!"

  This time Bluff did not laugh. Instead, he put out a hand andcommenced to fumble around him. Jerry knew he was searching for hisrifle, and he hastened to take a firmer grip on his own weapon, whichhe was holding at the time.

  The scratching noise continued, with but slight intermissions. Theycould also see even in that uncertain light that the animal was bydegrees demolishing the flimsy shelter at the place where he hadattacked it.

  Then something that glowed like two coals of yellow fire appeared.Jerry caught his breath, and stared as though fascinated. He knew thatthose strange objects were the flaming eyes of the bold wolf thatthought to steal this march upon them.

  The animal had been afraid to enter the shelter on the side where thefire smoldered. Urged on by hunger, he had thought to tear a hole inthe wall and attack those within.

  Had either of the boys been better versed in the nature and habits ofwolves, they must have known that only when half famished would theseskulkers of the Canadian forests make bold enough to attack humanbeings.

  Neither of the boys bothered about anything just then save the factthat they were threatened by a savage enemy and had better takeimmediate measures looking to self-protection.

  Jerry felt rather than saw his companion start to raise his gun.

  "Oh, Bluff, please don't!" he cried hurriedly.

  "Why, what's the matter?" replied the other. "The sooner we let Mr.Wolf know we're at home and ready to give him and his kind a warmreception, the better for us. Let go my arm, can't you? I want to senda bullet between those two eyes."

  "But, Bluff, it isn't fair!" protested the other boy, while the wolf,if it was one, had fallen to scratching again, apparently notintimidated by the muttering of voices within.

  "Hey, tell me what you mean, can't you?" Bluff demanded indignantly,wondering at the same time whether his chum could have gone out of hismind because of the sudden awakening and the threatening peril.

  "It's my wolf, Bluff; didn't I discover him first?" Jerry continued,still holding tenaciously on to the arm of the other, as though to addforce to his argument.

  At that Bluff laughed softly.

  "Oh, that's what's ailing you, is it?" he ventured to say. "Like asnot you feel as if you ought to be the one to knock him over, eh?Well, get your gun!"

  "I have, already. Tell me when it's time for me to let go!" And,having received the commission to act, Jerry no longer kept an eagergrip on the sleeve of his comrade's coat.

  "I might give a whoop, which is apt to make the beast look in on usagain," was Bluff's reply. "Keep your gun leveled, so as to let driveas soon as you glimpse his eyes. Right between them, remember."

  "I will, and thank you for giving me first chance. But hark to what'sgoing on out there now. Whew! Sounds as if there might be more'n onewolf waiting to jump in here on us."

  "It's snarling and scrapping, as sure as you're born," admitted thesecond boy, as he managed to hold his gun in readiness. "Tell you whatI'll do, Jerry."

  "Yes, go on then," said the other eagerly.

  "Just as soon as you blaze away, I'll be ready to jump outside, gun inhand."

  "What for?"

  "So as to try to get another crack at some of the other critters.They'll turn tail, and run a little way off after the crash of the guninside here and seeing their mate keel over. But it may be lightenough for me to see to bowl over one on my own account."

  "I understand now. Do whatever you think best. And just as soon asI've pulled the trigger I think I'll climb out after you."

  "Not a bad idea," admitted the other; "but now get ready, for I'mgoing to let out a yell to see what happens."

  Bluff had managed to scramble into a position that gave him a betteropportunity to gain his feet in a hurry. He knew there would beconsiderable need of haste in making his exit, if he hoped to glimpseany of the vanishing wolves after they had been alarmed by the gunshotwithin the pit.

  "Go on!" urged the nervous Jerry, with raised gun, and his eyes fixedon the particular spot where the intruder was again busily at work.

  The shout Bluff gave was indeed enough to attract attention. Theycould hear a movement ou
tside the shelter, as though the invaders hadstarted to retreat, only to come back again, as determined as ever.

  Jerry was waiting. All he wanted was just a glimpse of the twin ballsof fire not six feet away, when he stood ready to do the duty he hadbegged Bluff to give into his hands.

  It speedily came to him. First he saw a movement about the small gapthat had already been made in the wall of branches. Then a nose wasrudely thrust into the aperture, as the daring wolf feasted his eyeson the figures of the two lads.

  Bang! went Jerry's rifle, fired point-blank. Instantly the other boywas in motion, and scrambling to get up out of the hole on the side ofthe opening and the dwindling fire.

  As he passed this bed of red embers, he gave a kick that sent somesmall bits of fuel into the mass. The object of this, of course, wasto try and coax a slight uplift in the way of a blaze that might be ofassistance to him in sighting the fleeing wolves.

  Jerry, almost stunned by the violence of the report in such confinedquarters, did his best to follow at the heels of his chum. His heartwas beating three times as fast as ordinary. Perhaps he anticipatedfinding his bold comrade battling for his life with a horde of hungrygray-coated animals and in need of such help as he might render.

  Jerry heard a gun sound even as he was climbing up the little inclinethat marked the border of their depressed camp. Bluff gave a series ofshouts at the same time; somehow these did not impress Jerry as criesfor aid, but rather given in derision, and to add to the speed of thewolves' retreat.

  Yes, there was Bluff standing staring into the white bank of fallingsnow, while holding his gun in readiness to repeat his shot, ifnecessary.

  "Did you get one?" cried Jerry eagerly.

  "I hardly think so," the other replied dejectedly. "You see, they werea little too fast for me. When I got on my feet out here I could justsee something darker than the snow on the point of disappearing. Ipulled on it as quick as I could; but the chances are I didn't morethan wound him, even if I managed that."

  "But they're gone away, Bluff!"

  "Seems like it," returned Bluff.

  "I only hope they've had enough of it, and will fight shy of our campthe rest of the night," ventured Jerry.

  "Guess you got your fellow, all right," observed the other boy.

  That caused Jerry to turn toward the snow-covered shelter. The firewas now burning briskly for the time being, and it was possible to seewithout much difficulty.

  "Oh, do you think I did?" exclaimed the marksman. "Let's find out.And, say, if I turned him over, I'd like first rate to save his hidefor a mat. A wolfskin makes the finest kind of a footmat, you know;and it'd be great to know every time you stood on it that you had wonit fair and square."

  They were by this time standing over the fallen animal. It laystretched out on the snow, and was apparently dead.

  "Looks like a pretty big wolf to me," ventured Jerry, feeling thethrill of satisfaction that comes to every hunter when he has by goodluck or superior marksmanship managed to bring down his quarry.

  "He is a buster, sure enough," said Bluff; "in fact, I never saw abigger one, either in captivity or running wild. I'd hate to tacklesuch a beast hand to hand. See his white teeth, will you! Don't theylook ferocious, though? Here, give me your gun, if so be you mean tolug him into the shelter with us."

  "I only want to do that to save the skin, you see," explained Jerry,as he started to comply.

  "Well, I reckon you're wise," Bluff remarked, "because if his matesare as hungry as he seemed to be, chances are they'll sneak back andcarry the body away, so's to make a meal off it."

  While it was not as pleasant as it might be, having that four-footedwood pirate inside with them, Bluff made no remonstrance. He saw thatit pleased Jerry to anticipate getting the skin of the wolf to keep asa memento of the strange adventure; and Bluff could be one of the mostaccommodating fellows ever known when he felt so disposed.

  So once more the boys made themselves fairly comfortable, after thefire had been renewed, and between listening and dozing the long hourspassed away.