Now they could hear the pack yelping down through the forest! Already
it had reached the brush hedge by the shore! It had made its turn
northward, the yelps increasing in volume as it approached! Now the
leaders were in sight!

"Go on! Go on!" yelled Skipper Ed, himself lagging in order that he
might fall in the rear of the boys and take a position between them and
the wolves, and as he did so he turned quickly and fired a random shot
at the leader of the pack.

The cabin had just loomed into view dimly through the trees, and the
wolves, almost upon their expected prey, were sounding the wild, fierce
cry of triumph, when another pack, like phantoms in the forest shadows,
coming from the direction of the cabin, swept down past Skipper Ed and
the boys, suddenly breaking forth as they ran into a fierce howl of
defiance.[B]

[Footnote B: A few years ago Job Edmunds, a native acquaintance of the
author, was saved from a pack of wolves in just this manner by his
dogs.]

"Thank God!" exclaimed Skipper Ed. "The dogs! The dogs will help us!
Run, lads, and get to the door! I'll stop and help hold them with my
rifle till you get in!"

But Bobby and Jimmy would not have it so. They, too, turned, and in the
dim light of the shadowed forest the three fired into the face of the
pack until their rifles were empty. Whether or not any of the animals
fell they could not see, but the pack paused for a moment in surprise.
Then the dogs charged them, and as the three reached the cabin door