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Page 13
en cour'age ment, _hope given by another's words or actions_.
di rec'tion, _way; course_.
dusk'y, _very dark; almost black_.
sin'gu lar, _unusual; strange_.
* * * * *
AN ADVENTURE WITH DUSKY WOLVES.
PART I.
"During the summer and winter, we had several adventures in the
trapping and killing of wild animals. One of them was of such a
singular and dangerous kind, that you may feel interested in hearing
it.
"It occurred in the dead of winter, when there was snow upon the ground.
The lake was frozen over, and the ice was as smooth as glass. We spent
much of our time in skating about over its surface, as the exercise
gave us health and a good appetite.
"Even Cudjo, our colored servant, had taken a fancy for this amusement,
and was a very good skater. Frank was fonder of it than the rest of us,
and was, in fact, the best skater among us.
"One day, however, neither Cudjo nor I had gone out, but only Frank and
Harry. The rest of us were busy at some carpenter work within doors.
"We could hear the merry laugh of the boys, and the ring of their skates
as they glided over the smooth ice. All at once, a cry reached our
ears, which we knew meant the presence of some danger.
"'O Robert!' cried my wife, 'they have broken through the ice!'
"We all dropped what we held in our hands, and rushed to the door. I
seized a rope as I ran, while Cudjo took his long spear, thinking it
might be of use to us. This was the work of a moment, and the next we
were outside the house.
"What was our astonishment to see both the boys, away at the farthest
end of the lake, but skating toward us as fast as they could!
"At the same time, our eyes rested upon a terrible sight. Close behind
them upon the ice, and following at full gallop, was a pack of wolves!
"They were not the small prairie wolves, which either of the boys might
have chased with a stick, but of a species known as the 'Great Dusky
Wolf' of the Rocky Mountains.
"There were six of them in all. Each of them was twice the size of the
prairie wolf, and their long, dark bodies, gaunt with hunger, and
crested from head to tail with a high, bristling mane, gave them a most
fearful appearance.
"They ran with their ears set back and their jaws apart, so that we
could see their red tongues and white teeth.
"We did not stop a moment, but rushed toward the lake. I threw down the
rope, and seized hold of a large rail as I ran, while Cudjo hurried
forward armed with a spear. My wife, with presence of mind, turned back
into the house for my rifle.
"I saw that Harry was foremost, and that the fierce wolves were fast
closing upon Frank. This was strange, for we knew that Frank was by far
the better skater. We all called out to him, uttering loud shouts of
encouragement. Both were bearing themselves manfully, but Frank was
most in danger.
"The wolves were upon his heels! 'O they will kill him!' I cried,
expecting the next moment to see him thrown down upon the ice. What was
my joy at seeing him suddenly wheel and dart off in a new direction."
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