bably mama and papa and the whole family," replied Hippy.
"The smallest, friskiest ones, I think, are young ladies, by the way
they switched along behind the others and hung back kind of shy-like."

"Now, Hippy Wingate, don't tell us such a romance as that," warned
Grace, "when you were so winded you could hardly look in front of you,
much less behind you."

At that moment there was another crash against the door while two gray
paws and the tip of a pointed muzzle could be seen on one of the window
sills.

"It's almost three o'clock," said Tom Gray, looking at his watch. "I
think we'll have to do something, or we shall be penned here all night.
Now, what shall it be? Suppose we have a friendly council and consider."

"All right," said David; "the meeting is open for suggestions. What do
you advise, Anne?"

Anne smiled thoughtfully.

"I have no advice to offer," she said, "unless you shoot one of the
wolves and let the others eat him up. Perhaps that would take the edge
off their appetites."

"No, that would only serve as an appetizer," answered David. "After they
had eaten one member of the family they would be still hungrier for
another."

"And yet that isn't a half bad idea," said Tom, "and for two reasons.
Did you notice a path which began at the hut and which was evidently
Jean's trail? I saw it from the corner of my eye as I ran."

No, the others had not noticed anything of the sort. But who would stop
to think of trails with a pack of hungry wolves at his heels?

Tom's training in the woods had taught him to take in such details, and
consequently he had noticed it particularly. Moreover, the trail led
straight to the left, presumably toward the west.

"Now, this is what I propose to do," he continued, taking down the
snowshoes and looking over their straps and fastenings carefully.
"Reddy, who, I hear, is a good shot, must climb up at one of the windows
and shoot the first wolf he sees. Eating the dead wolf would probably
occupy the attention of his brothers for some ten minutes or so--perhaps
longer. While they are busy I shall make off on the snowshoes. With that
much of a start, and with plenty of tasty human beings close at hand, I
doubt if they even follow me. If they do, why I'll just shin up a tree.
But I believe I can beat them. I'm pretty good on snowshoes."

"Tom Gray, you shan't do it!" cried Grace. "It may mean sure death. How
do you know the wolves won't seize you the moment you open the