Wolfie seemed to agree with that idea, and so Olaf convinced himself once more that he was doing the right thing.
But after walking for a considerable distance, Olaf began to tire, his hunger grew, and his pace began to slow. Wolfie barked at him to encourage him forward. This triggered a response in the wolves as the pack leader began to howl and other wolves joined his song to announce they were not far behind.
Olaf heard the wolves and began to run, with Wolfie keeping pace beside him. He was breathless with fear as he could tell the wolves were coming closer with every chorus of howls.
The wolves became excited now too and raced ahead, spreading out across the snowy plain to circle around Olaf so they could begin to close in on him.
Olaf pulled the ice axe from his pack as he stopped briefly to take several deep breaths and look for someplace where he might be safe. He was terrified as he listened to the wolves calling to one another in the dim light. As he looked ahead, Olaf could see the land slope down to a lower elevation where it met with a wide river. He could hear the wolves howling and yelping from almost every direction now, and he was not sure which way to go for safety.
Pel and his men drove their sleds with fury toward the river, where they hoped to find Kris and the boy. They could hear the wolves now and knew this was a bad sign, for it meant the wolves were working to unnerve their prey as they stalked and hunted it.
In cry after cry, the wolves announced they were the masters of this land.
On the crest of a high plateau, Pel pulled his sled to a stop, and the other men did the same. Haakon and Baldur yelled that they could see movement below and pointed in that direction so Pel could move closer and observe the party of men they had come upon.
Eilif asked Pel if he thought it might be the men who hunted Kris and the boy.
Pel signaled for them to be quiet and watch.
And as the three men on sleds and one on horseback moved through the muted light in the distance, Pel was able to make out Kris’s red coat and Sebastian’s powerful form. He announced to the men that it was Kris, but that he did not know the others.
The wolves continued their echoing cries, and Pel ordered his men to hurry onward so they might join Kris and his companions.
As I listened to the cries of the wolves, I knew they would attack their prey soon. I was convinced beyond question that their prey was Olaf. I rode faster and pushed Canute and the other men to follow me with increased speed. We split at a small bridge that spanned the river on the chance that Olaf was on the other side.
Halfway across the bridge, I could see both sides of the river into the distance, but the wolves and the prey they hunted were not visible in the dim light.
Canute and his men hugged their side of the river. He felt that was where the wolves would go and where any creature trying to flee from them would likely run, for there was no other route of escape.
Jorgen and Vegar pulled the muskets from their packs and secured them within reach across their sleds. Canute signaled to me to go ahead.
As I made it to the other side of the river I could hear the sound of men calling. I turned to see Pel and his companions racing down the slope not far from Canute.
Olaf was exhausted from the energy spent running through the wet snow. He stumbled as he ran, falling to his face in the slushy mess. Wolfie jumped on him and licked his ears, but Olaf chased him off and cautioned him to stop playing now that they were in danger. Wolfie took the admonition well and looked about, listening to the wolf calls as Olaf regained his footing and got up. His clothing was wet, and he knew he must find shelter from the wolves. The ice already was beginning to form a heavy crust on his pants, and the stinging cold of its abrasive surface rubbed his legs raw and made it harder to walk.
Before he could fully consider the predicament he now found himself facing, he heard the growling of a wolf that snarled at him as it charged.
Olaf gripped his ice axe and swung it at the wolf as it lunged at him, clipping it squarely in the head and wounding it severely as the wolf knocked him to the ground. For a moment, Olaf lay stunned while Wolfie barked and growled at the whimpering wolf. Olaf got to his feet and ran calling for Wolfie to follow him.
The fear in his heart removed the sting of the cold and the pain he had felt when he fell. He threw his pack off and continued running toward the river with his ice axe held firmly in his hand.
There were many wolves now moving across the snow, in and out of shadows. The wolves had caught their scent and now searched aggressively stalking the boy.
Olaf continued running with Wolfie close behind. As he got close enough to hear the rushing river, he decided that he would plunge into it with Wolfie in hopes that it would carry them far enough away to escape the wolves. But a pair of wolves began to charge at him from the shadows, and he screamed in fear, knowing he could not evade them. He ran a few more steps and heard the crack of a musket shot that felled one of the attacking wolves. Olaf turned to see who had fired the rifle, but the second wolf continued its attack and charged directly at him. Olaf ran for the river.
I rode at high speed toward Olaf behind the wolves that chased him. Across the river, Canute and his men fired weapons at them.
But the wolves did not relent so easily.
Three more wolves made a sudden charge at Olaf as he approached the river and scrambled over rocks at the water’s edge. I called out to warn him, and Olaf turned to see who had shouted his name, but a wolf leapt at him and knocked him back into the river, where he fell and was swept off by the current.
I jumped from Sebastian’s back and ran to the water in an effort to save Olaf. Canute and the hunters fired shots at the remaining wolves, hoping to score a hit or discourage any more attacks.
The wolves scattered and ran in defeat as the shadows amid the rocks and forest reclaimed them.
Wolfie danced in worry on the large boulders beside the river where Olaf had fallen. He barked and barked, trying to arouse Olaf, who floated without movement in the water. Then Wolfie sprang, leaping into the air and landing in the raging water beside Olaf, struggling to stay afloat. Somehow he wedged himself under one of Olaf’s arms, propping him up and lifting the boy’s face from the water.
I rushed onto the rocks and ran beside the river where Olaf floated and threw off my coat. I flopped onto my stomach near the edge of the water, reaching for the boy and the dog. Stretching and crawling as far as I could, I was finally able to grab Olaf by his collar and drag him up onto a large flat stone. Then I snagged the dog by the scruff of his neck to pull him to safety, too.
Wolfie shook himself off and sprinkled us with icy cold water once he was standing on the stones. I was soaked by the river’s frothy wash that sprayed up over us as I held Olaf to determine whether he was alive.
Carrying the boy to where I had deposited my coat, I wrapped the freezing child inside my red jacket, still hot from the warmth of my body. Sebastian loped up behind me and nudged me with his nose. The boy moaned, and his eyes opened lazily.
“Just rest now,” I said soothingly. “I have you.”
At Sebastian’s top speed, I could have the boy home in little more than an hour, which I determined was the best place for him. He and his dog had covered a lot of ground for their tiny legs. And his mother was sure to be sick with worry. Besides, he needed warm shelter, fresh clothing, and food.
I draped the boy over Sebastian’s back then stepped up to sit behind him to hold him in place.
Pel and the other men waved from the other side of the river. I waved back, letting them know all seemed well, then launched Sebastian into a run. Wolfie ran persistently alongside.
Chapter 10
Silent Night
Olaf slept through the ride home.
I watched him sleep under this great canopy of sky. He looked so much like my young brothers whose faded images I had carried with me in my heart and mind throughout my life.
We had been so blessed to come upon Olaf before the
wolves had taken him. As I had said to Canute, it was indeed a miracle—a miracle due in great part to the good hearts of Canute and his men, who came to our aid.
Despite my own weakness and the chills that had overtaken me, I was determined to return Olaf safely to his parents and his sister and his village this day. I could only suspect that they had lived in endless fear since his disappearance. And I knew Christmas had gone quite sour for Olaf’s family and those who worried about him.
I was still unsure of the precise reason for his journey, though I suspected he was warning me about the men tracking me. Regardless, I was sure his parents would be pleased to have him in their arms, safe once more. What I did not know was how they would treat me when they realized who I was.
Olaf’s breathing was ragged, and my own breathing was even more difficult. Exposure to the icy cold water and winter’s unflinching grip had brought us past the limit of our endurance. I too needed rest now. But my health was less important than getting Olaf safely back home.
Thatcher led Jacob and the other men over the long trail back to their village. Jacob remained agitated and uncomfortable that they had accomplished so little.
“I want to try one more pass, this time near the fjord,” Jacob said finally.
The other men were worn out from the search and wanted nothing more than to be warm at home with their own families, but it was Jacob’s son who was missing, and they realized the agony he must have felt.
“We’ll take one last pass,” Thatcher said after looking at the other men, who reluctantly nodded their heads. “If we don’t learn something more of value, or find Olaf, we will head home and re-provision.”
“Agreed,” Jacob said. He was pleased the men would not give up so easily.
And so they turned in the direction of the fjord, seeking the lost boy.
The cold air bit at my lungs, and I relied on Sebastian’s strength to carry me forward. Olaf was alert from time to time, and I told him to rest as quietly as he could and not to worry because we were returning to his home.
He didn’t question me or seek to know why we had rescued him, but the relief showed in his eyes each time I spoke to reassure him.
As we neared his village, Olaf finally said to me, and to the dimming light around us, “I was looking for the Santa. I wanted to warn him about my father and the men.”
“And what did you want to tell the Santa?” I asked.
“I wanted to tell him the men were angry he brought toys into our house.” And then he thought for a moment. “I wanted Santa to show them, so that they would understand.”
“Understand what?”
“That he is good.”
“You are a good boy,” I said to Olaf.
“Will you see him?” Olaf asked. “Will you see the Santa?”
“I believe I will. The world is full of miracles.”
“Will you tell him that my sister and I love him?” Olaf asked. “We don’t want to see him punished. He makes the greatest toys.”
And with a tear in my eye I said to the boy, “He loves you too, Olaf, and your sister Ona. As he loves all of the children he visits at Christmas time.”
“Do you know my sister Ona?” Olaf asked in a bewildered state.
“Yes. Yes I do, Olaf. I know your sister and your family. And they are a very good and loving family who will be happy to see you home.”
As we approached Olaf’s house, he was sleeping once more. Wolfie lagged beside us, tongue hanging from his mouth.
I had taken the path that bypassed the main village road, as I did not want to bring too much notice to our arrival. I was not sure what I would say to them, except to let them know Olaf was safe, and that he had a good heart. And no matter how he might have frightened them with his departure in search of me, they should forgive him and comfort him.
As Sebastian walked to a stop, Wolfie stood up, his forelegs on the side of Sebastian, and licked Olaf’s nose and his cheek. Olaf twitched awake and started to giggle as Wolfie’s tongue tickled him and brushed across his face.
They were quite a pair of adventurers, these two.
I swept the bundled boy up into my arms and carried him to the cabin. Wolfie jumped in the snow, running to the house barking.
When I reached the cabin door, I knocked with the back of one hand while I continued to hold Olaf.
The sky was darkening now, and I could see the reflections of candlelight bouncing off the windowsill as someone moved through the cabin in answer to my knock, and I heard the sound of feet rushing to the door.
Olaf’s mother, Johanna, threw open the door and looked at me with her jaw agape and her eyes puffy from tears.
Olaf was awake now, and despite the fact he was snugly wrapped in my coat he began to shiver.
Olaf’s mother reached out for him, crying as she held Olaf in her arms. “Thank God and this good man you are safe,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “Oh, Olaf, we were so worried we had lost you.”
And then she looked at me and invited me inside the cabin to sit near the fire and warm myself.
“Thank you! Thank you so!” she said to me. “Please come inside. Please.”
“Thank you for the offer of your kind hospitality,” I said. “But I need to leave. There are others waiting for my return, just as you have waited for Olaf to come home.”
“Please stay. If only for a few moments. You look terrible.”
I looked at her, sincere in her concern for me as she embraced Olaf, and nodded.
“Let me fetch you a blanket and get him out of these clothes,” she said. “The men will be back, and my husband will want to thank you.”
Olaf’s mother carried him off to a nearby room to get him warm clothes, and I decided it might be better and easier for all if I departed.
I walked quietly to the door and reached for the handle, but just as I did, Ona scampered into the room and began to hug my legs.
“I’m sorry, Santa! I’ll never stay up late again. I promise.”
“Slow down little one, all is well.” I patted her on the head while she continued to squeeze my legs.
“No. It’s my fault Papa’s mad at you. He told me to go to sleep, and I didn’t listen. I’m sorry. I’ll never do it again. I’ll go to bed early next year. I promise.”
“None of this is your fault, Ona. Your father loves you and wanted to protect you and Olaf, that is all.”
“Will you come and eat your cookies?” Ona asked so sweetly.
“You are a very kind girl, Ona, but now that everyone is safe I must go.”
“Are we strangers now?”
“No little one, we will never be strangers. I remember the day you were born and when you lost your first tooth.”
“This one?” Ona asked, pulling her mouth open to show me where the tooth had come out.
“Yes, that one,” I laughed.
“Why are you laughing at me?”
“Oh. I’m not laughing at you, Ona.”
“Then why are you laughing?”
“Why does anyone laugh? I don’t know. Happiness. Hope.”
“Hope?” she asked, confused, squinching up her nose.
I thought for a moment and then tried to answer her innocent question. “There will be times in your life when you may disappoint yourself, Ona, or when you feel all is lost.”
She looked at me with her eyes still questioning.
“I laugh because it brings me joy to see the goodness in the world, the goodness in you, even as life reminds me how stupid I can be.”
“You shouldn’t say stupid. Mommy says that is a bad word.”
Again I could not help but chuckle at the simple truth of a child. “She is right, of course. I am sorry.”
“It hurts my brother’s feelings,” Ona explained.
This caused me to laugh even harder as it revealed a deeper truth to her experience. If we could only teach children not to be cruel to each other, we might learn as adults how to create true peace on earth.
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“Always be sensitive to the feelings of others. And never forget how to laugh, even during the hardest times of life. Even when you are old, like me.”
“My brother is mean to me and calls me a child.”
“It is good to be a child, Ona. You should be happy to be a child in a loving home such as this. To a child, all things are possible.”
Ona hugged my leg again, and Wolfie began to run around the room barking.
“Were you ever a child?” Ona asked me sweetly.
“Oh, yes, my little one. And in many ways, I still am.”
I lifted her into the air and kissed her on the forehead.
“Now really, I must go.” Then I set her down near Wolfie and he began to lick her feet and wag his tail wildly.
I turned to reach for the door handle, but Johanna rushed into the room and gripped me by the arm. As she handed me my red coat, she leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek.
“Thank you, Santa,” she said warmly. “In bringing my son back to us safely, you have given our family the greatest Christmas gift we could ask for.”
“I know the pain of losing a child. And the pain of losing a brother,” I said to her and Ona. “And I have learned that even in the midst of that terrible pain, miracles can occur. Never stop believing.”
And then I wished them a Merry Christmas and went out into the night.
Sebastian carried me homeward in his ever-faithful way, though I was a heavy load upon his back, coughing and struggling to breathe in the cold winter air.
Our journey seemed so much more long and difficult as my illness advanced. Sebastian realized I was not fully in command of my senses as I grew delirious and weak. I could feel him trying to get his haunches under my weight, trying to keep me balanced on his back. Try as I might, I could not keep my head from lolling in exhaustion. Each time it dropped and I jerked awake, I felt sicker and more nauseated.
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