Guns And Snowshoes

C >> Captain Ralph Bonehill >> Guns And Snowshoes

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

CHAPTER XXI

A TOUCH OF A BLIZZARD

"Those boys ought to be more careful," said Snap, as he watched Giant
and Whopper plunge along after the wounded duck.

"Well, you told them to beware of holes," answered Shep.

The two ducks that had been killed were picked up and put in the
game-bags, and then Snap and Shep started to follow their comrades,
but at a more moderate rate of speed.

"Hark! they are calling for help!" exclaimed the leader of the Gun
Club, a moment later.

"They are in a hole!" said the doctor's son. "Look, I can just see
their heads!"

"We must help them out! My! how the wind is blowing!"

The increase in wind was rapid and by the time Snap and Shep drew
close to where Whopper and Giant were still floundering, it carried
the loose snow around in a perfect whirlwind.

"Can't you crawl out?" asked Snap, coming as close as he dared.

"Every time we try we seem to sink deeper!" gasped Giant.

"Then keep still and I'll aid you," answered the leader of the Gun
Club. "Come, Shep."

"What we you going to do?"

"I'll show you. Be quick."

Walking to the nearest bushes, Snap cut them down with the hatchet he
had insisted upon carrying. Shep now understood, and both lugged the
bushes to the edge of the fast sinking snow. Then more bushes were
brought, and at last, almost exhausted, Giant and Whopper crawled
forth on their hands and knees, their snowshoes held in the air. Then
they got up on their feet and lost no time in gaining a point of
safety.

"I told you to be careful," said Snap, rather severely. "And Jack
Dalton warned you, too. It is a lucky thing you didn't sink into the
marsh up to your head."

"We were after the duck and didn't think," answered Whopper. "But you
can bet I'll be careful next time."

"So will I be careful," came from Giant. "Where's the duck?"

"Flew away--I saw it," answered Shep. "Gracious, how the wind is
rising!" he added, pulling his coat collar closer to his neck. "It's
going to be a hammer of a snowstorm."

"I think we had better get off the Marshes," said Snap, after a look
at the sky and the whirling snow. "This looks to me as if it was going
to turn into blizzard."

"Going to leave with only two ducks?" asked the doctor's son. "It
seems a pity--after tramping such a distance, too!"

"Maybe we'll strike some more going back," said Snap, cheerfully.

All of the young hunters were willing to leave the Marshes, for the
increasing wind made the situation decidedly unpleasant. When they
turned back they had both the wind and the pelting snow in their faces
and could scarcely see where they were going.

"Isn't this fierce!" gasped Shep, after they had walked less than
fifty yards. "I never felt the wind blow so strongly!"

"We get the full sweep of it out here," answered Shep. "It won't be so
bad when we reach the timber again."

The mind was fairly whistling around them now. They could not tell how
much snow was falling, for much of it was caught up from where it lay
and sent hurtling along, now in straight dashes and then in mad
circles that blinded and bewildered them. More than once they had to
turn around to catch their breath and clear their eyes.

"I wish we we-were to th-the timber!" gasped Giant. "I feel as if the
wind was going to pick me up and carry me away!"

"Let us keep close together," said Whopper. "There is no telling what
will happen with such a wind tearing down upon us."

They were all scared and with good reason, for to be caught in a
blizzard on that wide stretch of marshland was a serious matter.
Sticking as closely together as possible they hurried on, as fast as
the gale and the flying snow would permit. The air was growing darker
and heavier every moment.

"Are you sure you are heading for the timber?" questioned Whopper,
presently. "I must confess I am completely turned around."

"So am I," added Shep.

"I--I think the timber is in that direction, but I am not certain,"
answered the leader of the club, pointing with his hand.

All stared around them in bewilderment. They scarcely knew how to
turn.

"Well, one thing is sure, we can't stay here," said Shep. "Come on,"
and he started off in the direction his chum had pointed out.

"Mind you, I don't say I am right," called out Snap.

"We'll go that way anyhow--if we can make it," said Whopper.

It was slow traveling, and they had to rest frequently, for the wind
seemed to fairly take the breath out of their bodies. Once they came
up to a clump of bushes and were half tempted to make a prolonged stop
there. But Snap demurred very strongly.

"It won't do, fellows," he said. "The snow is piling up fast and the
bushes will be snowed under in another hour or two. We have got to
reach the timber somehow. It's our only chance of safety."

Again they struggled on, so out of breath and weak they could scarcely
draw one snowshoe after the other. Giant fell down and had to be
raised up.

"I--I am afraid I ca--can't go another step!" he blurted out. "I am as
we--weak as a--a cat!"

"We'll help you," said Snap, kindly. "Come, Shep, you take one arm and
I'll take the other. Whopper can go in front, to break the force of
the wind for us."

At the end of ten minutes more all were ready to drop. They were
numbed with the cold and their breath came in quick, short gasps. It
looked as if they must give up and perish.

"Oh, if only we were back at camp!" sighed Whopper.

"Don't give up!" urged Snap. He stopped and gazed over his left
shoulder. "Am I mistaken, or is that a tree yonder?"

"I'll soon see," answered Shep and turned in that direction. "Yes,
it's a tree and the timber is back of it!" he cried in delight.

This announcement put renewed courage in the young hunters, and once
again they struggled on against the fierce wind, which was now blowing
little short of a hurricane. The trees came into sight dimly through
the swirling whiteness, and a minute later they sank down under the
overhanging boughs of a big spruce.

"Safe at last!" murmured Shep.

"Oh, how glad I am of it!" added Giant. "I--I thought we'd be
lo--lost sure!"

"We must have a fire, first of all," said Snap. "My feet are half
frozen already!"

"I brought some carbide along, so we can easily start a blaze," added
Whopper. "But we've got to be careful in such a wind as this. Just
listen!"

They listened, and it made them shiver to hear the shrieking of the
wind as it went ploughing through the forest, often snapping off a
bough here or a tree top there. The spruce they were under bent and
swayed, but it was strong and healthy and it did not give way.

Leaving his companions for a few minutes, Snap did his best to look
around the vicinity. He could see but little, but made out three big
trees growing somewhat close together on the edge of the marshland. At
one side of the trees was an irregular rock five or six feet in
height.

"That will have to do," he told himself, and called for his companions
to join him. But they did not hear, owing to the raging of the storm,
and he had to go after them.

"We'll fix up some sort of shelter among the trees," he said. "And we
can build a fire against that rock. Let us get to work at once, before
it grows colder and the snow gets worse."

The brief respite had rested them, and while Whopper and Giant cut
some wood and built a fire, Snap and Shep broke down some spruce
branches and piled them up around the clump of trees. Then they kicked
up the snow into something of a wall leading from the side of the rock
to the nearest tree.

"There, now we can keep fairly warm if nothing else," said the leader
of the Gun Club.

It was still very dark and the fire did little to dispel the gloom,
the wind having a tendency to blow the smoke in several directions at
once. But the fire kept them fairly warm and for that they were
thankful.

"If this isn't a blizzard it is next door to it," remarked the
doctor's son, as he gazed at the display of the elements. "And the
worst of it is, there is no telling how long it is going to last."

"Will we be snowed in?" asked Whopper.

"It looks like it."

"And with nothing but a rabbit and two ducks!" cried Giant. "Boys, it
doesn't look as if Christmas was going to be such a cheerful day after
all."

"Never mind Christmas," put in Snap. "Let us be thankful if we are not
snowbound so completely that we starve to death!"

CHAPTER XXII

A REMARKABLE CHRISTMAS NIGHT

Night came on rapidly after that, and with the coming of utter
darkness the fury of the elements appeared to increase. The wind
shrieked and whistled through the timber and hummed in the tops of the
spruces overhead. Occasionally they would hear a crash, as some mighty
tree would be laid low, and they trembled for fear the storm would
damage their shelter.

They were tremendously hungry and ate rather more of the lunch brought
along than Snap thought right. One of the ducks was cleaned and
broiled with care and half of the meat divided into four equal shares.
For drinking water they melted some snow, a little at a time, in a
drinking cup.

After the meal there remained nothing to do but to mind the fire and
go to sleep. They took turns at watching the blaze, each boy remaining
on guard two hours.

All night long the storm raged and the snow came down as thickly as
ever. As a consequence, when it began to grow a little brighter they
found that they were completely snowed in. On all sides the spruces
were nearly broken down with their weights of whiteness, and on the
opposite side of the rock where the fire was built was a drift of snow
eight to ten feet high. This gave them a little more shelter but cut
off a good share of the outlook.

"Merry Christmas!" cried Snap, as he got up and stretched himself as
well as he could under the low boughs.

"Merry Christmas!" cried all of the others, and then Whopper added:
"But it isn't very Merry, is it?"

"I don't see that broiled fish, and stuffed turkey, and cake and
pudding and candy and--" began Giant.

"Hold on, Giant, don't make us any more hungry than we are!"
interrupted the doctor's son. "We're here and we've got to make the
best of it, so don't croak."

"Oh, I'm not croaking," answered the smaller member of the Gun Club.
"I shall be satisfied if we get back to camp alive with such a snow
all around us."

"Giant, why didn't you hang up your stocking last night?" asked
Whopper, jokingly, and this brought forth a general snicker, and then
all the lads felt a trifle less blue.

Breakfast was certainly a slim affair, each person getting a small
bite of duck, two crackers, a spoonful of cold beans Shep had brought
along, and a drink of melted snow. Several gazed wistfully at the
rabbit, but Snap shook his head at them.

"We've got to save that," he said. "You know that as well as I do."

"Don't you suppose there are some birds or squirrels or rabbits around
here?" asked Shep.

"We can look--if the storm will let us."

Breakfast over, one after another of the young hunters went beyond the
clump of spruces to look around. But the weather was so wild, and the
snow so deep, all were glad to come back.

There was little of the holiday air in the gathering. All of the boys
were sober, for they fully realized the peril of their situation.
Their food would not last long, and where were they to get more?

At noon they had little more than a rabbit lunch--something that made
Whopper sigh as he thought of the big Christmas dinner he had thought
to feast upon.

"I think it is clearing a bit," said Shep, about three o'clock. "If we
want to move now is our chance to do so."

It was voted by all hands to move, and they started without delay.
They could not locate the exact route toward their camp, but made it
as nearly as possible. The snowdrifts were truly terrific, and even on
snowshoes they made slow progress.

"Wait, I see a rabbit!" cried Shep, presently, and he pointed to a
clump of bushes. Then he unslung his shotgun and pushed his way
forward. A gray head appeared over the rim of snow and he blazed away.
The rabbit gave a leap and fell dead.

"A little more to eat anyway," said the young hunter, as he put the
game in his bag.

"Wait, where there is one rabbit there are sometimes more," said Snap.
"Let us stir around a little and see."

They did as he suggested, and soon sent two rabbits skipping from
under a low-hanging tree. The rabbits could not run very well in the
deep snow and were secured with ease. But that was the last of the
game in that vicinity.

"Now we won't starve right away," said Snap, and gave a sigh of
satisfaction.

They were less than half way through the belt of timber when they came
to a spot where a big tree had been blown over by the wind. As they
walked around this Giant gave a cry, and, stepping between the
branches, brought forth a couple of dead squirrels.

"Killed by the fall, I suppose," he said.

"It's lucky for us," answered Shep, "for it means just so much more
food."

"Let us look for nuts,--the squirrels must have had some," came from
Snap.

They made a search, and soon found a hollow half filled with nuts and
took them all. Then they went on as before.

By the time they reached the end of the timber belt all were too
exhausted to go further and they looked around for another shelter of
some kind. They found several trees growing close together and in
something of a row.

"That will shelter us from the wind," said Snap, "although it is not
as good a place as the one we used last night."

They cut some tree branches, placed them from tree to tree and packed
on some snow. Then they lit another fire and banked up the snow on the
other side. By this time it was dark again and they were as hungry as
bears. They broiled two of the rabbits and ate every morsel and then
cracked a quantity of the nuts and picked out the meat.

"This is certainly a Christmas to remember," said Shep, as they sat in
front of the fire that evening. "I should like to know what the folks
are doing."

"Don't mention it," cried Giant. "It makes a fellow feel homesick."

They cut plenty of firewood, and in honor of the day built a blaze
that was to be seen a long distance off. This made them a little more
cheerful and they even cracked a few jokes. But with it all that
Christmas was far from a bright one. They were still miles from their
camp on Firefly Lake and all wondered if they would get back in
safety.

CHAPTER XXIII

IN TROUBLE ONCE MORE

The next day it snowed again and the four boy hunters were almost in
despair, for they had calculated to strike out for Firefly Lake as
soon as it grew light.

"It would be foolish to try it just now," said Snap, looking at the
sky. "just see how fast the snow is falling!"

The heavy snow kept up all day, but cleared away as evening came on.
Looking out about eight o'clock Shep gave a shout:

"Boys, the stars are shining. It is as clear as crystal!"

All rushed forth to verify the glad tidings. It was indeed clear and
the glittering stars made a scene of royal splendor.

"We'll start for camp early to-morrow," announced Snap. "Now let us
get to bed and get a good night's rest. It is going to be no picnic
walking on this snow."

They turned in, after fixing the fire, leaving Giant on guard for the
first three hours. After Giant came Whopper, and then Snap took his
turn.

Snap had scarcely commenced his vigil when he heard the bark of a fox
at a great distance.

Presently the barking of the fox ceased and utter silence reigned for
all of half an hour. Then came another sound which made the leader of
the Gun Club listen with intentness.

"Wolves, as sure as fate!" he murmured. "I trust they are not coming
here!"

Another period of silence, and the mournful howls came still closer.
There were many more of them and Snap came to the conclusion that a
regular band of wolves were closing in on the little shelter beside
the spruces.

"Guess I had better wake up Shep," he told himself. "He has got to
take the next watch anyway."

He aroused his chum and told Shep of what he had heard. Then came more
of the howls, still closer.

"They are certainly coming this way," said the doctor's son, picking
up his gun. "And I'm afraid there must be quite a number of them."

After this came another period of silence. Both boys kept on the
alert, Snap on one side of the camp and Shep on the other. They felt
sure that the wolves were coming closer and they were not mistaken.

"I see one!" cried Snap, as a pair of gleaming eyes showed themselves
over a rim of snow.

"I see three or four," responded Shep. "Call Giant and Whopper."

The words had scarcely left his lips when Snap took aim and fired at
one of the wolves, wounding it in the shoulder. The report of the
shotgun brought Giant and Whopper to their feet without delay.

"What's up?" came from both.

"Wolves!" answered the leader of the club, laconically. "Get your
guns!"

The shot had caused the wolves to fall back a little, and taking
advantage of this, Snap reloaded the empty barrel of his shotgun and
stirred up the fire still more.

Bang! went Shep's shotgun, and a wolf was taken directly in his
throat. He turned to run away and then fell dead. Without hesitation
his fellows fell upon him and rent the carcass asunder.

"What horrible cannibals!" muttered Whopper. "Say, how do you like
that?" he went on, and fired a bullet from the rifle into the mass of
wolves, hitting one in the leg and another in the side. The first wolf
was merely wounded but the second was killed.

The death of another of their band made the other wolves retreat and
they kept away for fully a quarter of an hour. But then their numbers
were increased by the arrival of more equally hungry, and they came on
in a wide semi-circle, as if to pounce upon the four boy hunters and
eat them up.

"Shoot 'em--don't let 'em come any closer!" called out Whopper, and
banged away with his shotgun, hitting a wolf in the breast. Then the
others fired and another of the ugly beasts went down. Still another
was wounded just sufficiently to make him ugly, and with bloodshot
eyes he leaped straight into the camp and at Snap's very feet!

It was a moment of extreme peril, and for the instant Snap's heart
seemed to stop beating. Then little Giant turned swiftly and pulled
the trigger of his shotgun and sent the load into the wolf's ear.
There was one short yelp, a leap of agony, and the wolf landed in the
fire, dead, scattering the burning embers in all directions.

"Good for you, Giant!" cried Snap, when he could speak. He caught the
dead wolf and threw the body among the trees.

"Fix that fire up!" yelled Whopper. "It's our best protection!"

He ran for some sticks, and they built the fire into a roaring blaze
that illuminated the forest for a considerable distance. Then Shep and
Whopper fired more shots, wounding two more wolves, and the pack
slowly retreated, growling and howling savagely.

"What an attack!" said Whopper, wiping the cold perspiration from his
forehead. "I don't want to experience another."

Further sleep was out of the question, and for the remainder of the
night the boys kept a good fire going and watched all around the
temporary camp for their enemies. But the wolves did not show
themselves again.

"And now for Firefly Lake and Birch Tree Inn!" cried Shep, when they
were preparing breakfast. "My! the Inn will seem like home, after such
experiences as we have had!"

It was clear and mild, with hardly any wind blowing. As the sun came
up it made the great drifts of snow glitter and sparkle in a manner
which was dazzling.

"Oh, look!" screamed Giant, just as they were getting ready to set
out. "There's a shot for somebody!" and he caught up his gun.

Over the spruce trees a flock of wild ducks were soaring, evidently
searching for food. They came quite close, and all of the young
hunters blazed away, in rapid succession. Six of the ducks came down,
one so straight that it hit Whopper directly on the head, almost
knocking him over.

"There's luck for you!" cried Snap, gleefully, "We've got a few ducks
anyway."

They placed the game in their bags, and a few minutes later bade
farewell to the shelter of the spruces. It was so clear they could see
the distant hills and mountains with ease and Snap regulated the
course accordingly.

Some of the snowdrifts were truly immense, one, they reckoned,
measuring twenty feet in height. They had to proceed with care, for
they did not want to break through and sink out of sight. Once Whopper
fell over and it was all the others could do to set him straight on
his snowshoes again.

They had thought to take almost a direct course to Firefly Lake, but
after covering a mile found this impossible.

"We'll have to take something of a round-about way," said their
leader. "It will be longer, but it can't be helped"

"That will bring us between Firefly Lake and Lake Cameron, won't it?"
asked Giant.

"Yes."

They hurried on for another mile. It was certainly hard work and made
them warm in spite of the lowness of the thermometer. Then they came
to a big drift of snow and found it no mean task to get over the same.

"Hark I what was that?" said Shep.

"A gunshot," answered Whopper. "There goes another."

After that they heard several more shots, coming from some point
ahead.

"Some other hunters must be out," said Snap. "Wonder who they can be?"

CHAPTER XXIV

A DISAGREEABLE MEETING

They had reached a point directly between Firefly Lake and Lake
Cameron when they came to a little patch of woods surrounding a pond
less than a hundred feet across. As they entered the woods they heard
a slight noise and saw a small deer running swiftly across the snow on
the pond. At once Whopper let drive and so did Snap, and the deer went
down, kicked for a moment, and then lay still.

The game had been struck in the rump and in the neck, but there was
another wound in one ear and still a fourth near the tail.

"Must have been hit before she came this way," said Giant.

As the young hunters surrounded the game they did not notice the
approach of three men on snow-shoes, all carrying guns and gamebags.
The three men were Andrew Felps and two of his particular friends,
Giles Faswig and Vance Lemon.

"Hi! what are you doing here?" demanded Andrew Felps, striding up
angrily. "Didn't I warn you off of my land last summer? You have no
right to hunt here."

"They have the deer!" put in Giles Faswig. Hang the luck anyhow."

"Never mind, the deer belongs to us--it was shot on my land," muttered
Andrew Felps.

"Certainly it is your deer if it was shot on your land," put in Vance
Lemon.

The four boy hunters listened to the talk in considerable dismay.
Evidently the three men intended to appropriate the game.

"Is this your land?" asked Whopper.

"We didn't see any fence," put in Snap.

"The fences are there anyway--I had them put up last fall, after the
fire. You have no right to even cross my land, much less do any
shooting."

"Felps, ain't you going to claim the deer?" asked Giles Faswig.

"Certainly I am. But I want these young rascals to understand that
they can't come on my land," answered the lumber dealer.

"Mr. Felps, we are not young rascals," said Shep, with flashing eyes.
"We shot the deer in good faith and if you take it from us I shall
consider it stealing."

"Listen to that!" ejaculated Vance Lemon. And after we wounded the
deer first, too!"

"I won't talk to you," cried Andrew Felps, savagely. "Leave that deer
alone, and get off of my land as quick as you can--and stay off!"

His manner was so savage and threatening that the young hunters felt
compelled to retreat. Yet they were very angry.

"Mr. Felps, I think you'll be sorry for this some day," said Snap.
"When I get back to Fairview I shall tell everybody just how meanly
you have acted."

"Hi! don't you threaten me!" roared the irate lumber dealer. "I know
my business. You clear out--and be quick about it."

"I suppose you and your friends want our deer because you're not able
to shoot one yourselves," called out Whopper, and with this parting
shot the young hunters withdrew. All of the men shook their fists at
the boys.

"Now, wouldn't that jar you!" exclaimed Shep, as they turned toward
Firefly Lake. "Did you ever hear of such meanness?"

"He's as bad as he was last summer, when he drove us away from Lake
Cameron," said Snap, bitterly.

For some time after that the young hunters were silent, each busy with
his own thoughts. Driven away from the vicinity of Lake Cameron, they
had to make another wide detour, and it was one o'clock before they
came in sight of Firefly Lake, nestling so cozily among the hills.

"It will take at least an hour and a half to get down to the lake and
up to camp," said Snap. "Shall we go on or stop for dinner?"

"I am as hungry as two bears," said Whopper. "Let us rest up a bit and
get something to eat."

The others were willing, and soon a fire was blazing and over this
they broiled one of the wild ducks. The meal and the rest occupied an
hour and a half, but they all felt it was time well spent.

Their hearts beat rapidly as they walked down the hill to the edge of
the lake. They had to pass a bend and then came in sight of the camp.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10