time Ralph had an opportunity to
look behind him, and he saw two moving whirls of snow darting downward,
not far from his own track. His heart beat in his throat; for those
fellows had both endurance and skill, and he feared that he was no match
for them. But suddenly--he could have yelled with delight--the foremost
figure leaped into the air, turned a tremendous somersault, and, coming
down on his head, broke through the crust of the snow and vanished,
while his skees started on an independent journey down the hill-side.
He had struck an exposed fence-rail, which, abruptly checking his speed,
had sent him flying like a rocket.

The other poacher had barely time to change his course, so as to avoid
the snag; but he was unable to stop and render assistance to his fallen
comrade. The boys, just as they were shooting out upon the ice, saw by
his motions that he was hesitating whether or not he should give up the
chase. He used his staff as a brake for a few moments, so as to retard
his speed; but discovering, perhaps, by the brightening starlight,
that his adversaries were not full-grown men, he took courage, started
forward again, and tried to make up for the time he had lost. If he
could but reach the sheriff's house before the boys did, he could have
them arrested and collect the informer's fee, instead of being himself
arrested and fined as a poacher. It was a prize worth racing for! And,
moreover, there were two elks, worth twenty-five dollars apiece, buried
in the snow under logs. These also would belong to the victor! The
poacher dashed ahead, straining every nerve, and reached safely the foot
of the steep declivity. The boys were now but a few hundred yards ahead
of him.

"Hold on there," he yelled again, "or I shoot!"

He was not within range, but he thought he could frighten the youngsters
into abandoning the race. The sheriff's house was but a short distance
up the river. Its tall, black chimneys could he seen looming up against
the starlit sky. There was no slope now to accelerate their speed. They
had to peg away for dear life, pushing themselves forward with their
skee-staves, laboring like plough-horses, panting, snorting, perspiring.
Ralph turned his head once more. The poacher was gaining upon them;
there could be no doubt of it. He was within the range of Ralph's rifle;
and a sturdy fellow he was, who seemed good for a couple of miles yet.
Should Ralph send a bullet over his head to frighten him? No; th