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Looks for all the world like a big husky sled-dog, Bill said. I wouldnt be sprised to see it wag its tail.[25]
Hello, you husky! he called. Come here, you whatever-your-name-is.
Aint a bit scairt of you, Henry laughed.
Bill waved his hand at it threateningly and shouted loudly; but the animal betrayed no fear. The only change in it that they could notice was an accession of alertness. It still regarded them with the merciless wistfulness of hunger. They were meat, and it was hungry; and it would like to go in and eat them if it dared.
Look here, Henry, Bill said, unconsciously lowering his voice to a whisper because of what he imitated. Weve got three cartridges. But its a dead shot. Couldnt miss it. Its got away with three of our dogs, an we oughter put a stop to it. What dye say?
Henry nodded his consent. Bill cautiously slipped the gun from under the sled-lashing. The gun was on the way to his shoulder, but it never got there. For in that instant the she-wolf leaped sidewise from the trail into the clump of spruce trees and disappeared.
The two men looked at each other. Henry whistled long and comprehendingly.
I might have knowed it, Bill chided himself aloud as he replaced the gun. Of course a wolf that knows enough to come in with the dogs at feedin time, d know all about shooting-irons. I tell you right now, Henry, that critters the cause of all our trouble[26]. Wed have six dogs at the present time, stead of three, if it wasnt for her. An I tell you right now, Henry, Im goin to get her. Shes too smart to be shot in the open. But Im goin to lay for her. Ill bushwhack her as sure as my name is Bill.
You neednt stray off too far in doin it, his partner admonished. If that pack ever starts to jump you, them three cartridgesd be wuth no moren three whoops in hell. Them animals is damn hungry, an once they start in, theyll sure get you, Bill.
They camped early that night. Three dogs could not drag the sled so fast nor for so long hours as could six, and they were showing unmistakable signs of playing out. And the men went early to bed, Bill first seeing to it that the dogs were tied out of gnawing-reach of one another.
But the wolves were growing bolder, and the men were aroused more than once from their sleep. So near did the wolves approach, that the dogs became frantic with terror, and it was necessary to replenish the fire from time to time in order to keep the adventurous marauders at safer distance.
Ive hearn sailors talk of sharks followin a ship, Bill remarked, as he crawled back into the blankets after one such replenishing of the fire. Well, them wolves is land sharks. They know their business bettern we do, an they aint a-holdin our trail this way for their health. Theyre goin to get us. Theyre sure goin to get us, Henry.
Theyve half got you aready[27], a-talkin like that, Henry retorted sharply. A mans half licked when he says he is. An youre half eaten from the way youre goin on about it.
Theyve got away with better men than you an me, Bill answered.
Oh, shet up your croakin. You make me all-fired tired.
Henry rolled over angrily on his side, but was surprised that Bill made no similar display of temper. This was not Bills way[28], for he was easily angered by sharp words. Henry thought long over it before he went to sleep, and as his eyelids fluttered down and he dozed off, the thought in his mind was: Theres no mistakin it, Bills almighty blue[29]. Ill have to cheer him up to-morrow.
Chapter III
The Hunger Cry
The day began auspiciously. They had lost no dogs during the night, and they swung out upon the trail and into the silence, the darkness, and the cold with spirits that were fairly light. Bill seemed to have forgotten his forebodings of the previous night, and even waxed facetious with the dogs when, at midday, they overturned the sled on a bad piece of trail.
It was an awkward mix-up. The sled was upside down and jammed between a tree-trunk and a huge rock, and they were forced to unharness the dogs in order to straighten out the tangle. The two men were bent over the sled and trying to right it, when Henry observed One Ear sidling away.
Here, you, One Ear! he cried, straightening up and turning around on the dog.
But One Ear broke into a run across the snow, his traces trailing behind him[30]. And there, out in the snow of their back track, was the she-wolf waiting for him. As he neared her, he became suddenly cautious. He slowed down to an alert and mincing walk and then stopped. He regarded her carefully and dubiously, yet desirefully. She seemed to smile at him, showing her teeth in an ingratiating rather than a menacing way. She moved toward him a few steps, playfully, and then halted. One Ear drew near to her, still alert and cautious, his tail and ears in the air, his head held high.
He tried to sniff noses with her, but she retreated playfully and coyly. Every advance on his part was accompanied by a corresponding retreat on her part. Step by step she was luring him away from the security of his human companionship. Once, as though a warning had in vague ways flitted through his intelligence, he turned his head and looked back at the overturned sled, at his team-mates, and at the two men who were calling to him.
But whatever idea was forming in his mind, was dissipated by the she-wolf, who advanced upon him, sniffed noses with him for a fleeting instant, and then resumed her coy retreat before his renewed advances.
In the meantime, Bill had bethought himself of the rifle. But it was jammed beneath the overturned sled, and by the time Henry had helped him to right the load, One Ear and the she-wolf were too close together and the distance too great to risk a shot.
Too late One Ear learned his mistake. Before they saw the cause, the two men saw him turn and start to run back toward them. Then, approaching at right angles to the trail and cutting off his retreat they saw a dozen wolves, lean and grey, bounding across the snow. On the instant, the she-wolfs coyness and playfulness disappeared. With a snarl she sprang upon One Ear. He thrust her off with his shoulder, and, his retreat cut off and still intent on regaining the sled, he altered his course in an attempt to circle around to it. More wolves were appearing every moment and joining in the chase. The she-wolf was one leap behind One Ear and holding her own.
Where are you goin? Henry suddenly demanded, laying his hand on his partners arm.
Bill shook it off. I wont stand it[31], he said. They aint a-goin to get any more of our dogs if I can help it.
Gun in hand, he plunged into the underbrush that lined the side of the trail. His intention was apparent enough. Taking the sled as the centre of the circle that One Ear was making, Bill planned to tap that circle at a point in advance of the pursuit. With his rifle, in the broad daylight, it might be possible for him to awe the wolves and save the dog.
Say, Bill! Henry called after him. Be careful! Dont take no chances![32]
Henry sat down on the sled and watched. There was nothing else for him to do. Bill had already gone from sight; but now and again, appearing and disappearing amongst the underbrush and the scattered clumps of spruce, could be seen One Ear. Henry judged his case to be hopeless. The dog was thoroughly alive to its danger, but it was running on the outer circle while the wolf-pack was running on the inner and shorter circle. It was vain to think of One Ear so outdistancing his pursuers as to be able to cut across their circle in advance of them and to regain the sled.