"Here," and Brick tapped the cartridge belt that was strapped about his
waist. "Help yourself, Hamp. Do you think we can pull through?"

There was no chance for reply. Jerry sounded a note of warning as the
wolves came leaping at the cabin again.

A gaunt head suddenly shot through the aperture, and a pair of frothy
jaws closed with a snap on the sleeve of Hamp's jacket. Brick instantly
reversed his rifle, and hit the brute a stunnning blow. The head
vanished, and Hamp nervously examined his arm.

"Not a scratch," he muttered. "You hit him just in time, Brick. Now I'll
pay the brute for his daring."

He poked his shotgun out, and fired both barrels. Jerry joined in with a
rattling fusillade.

"That hit something," he shouted. "Half a dozen of the varmints were
scratching at the sled. I thought it would give way."

"We'll beat them off yet," gasped Brick. "Aren't they savage, though?
They don't mind the fire a bit. Hullo! there's a paw sticking through.
Take that."

"That" was a well-delivered charge of buckshot between the timbers of
the cabin. A yelp of agony followed the report.

"Good!" applauded Jerry. "You'll do."

"Keep it up, fellows," yelled Hamp. "Plenty of powder and shot will
tell. There, the brutes are falling back a little."

Hamp was right. The scratching at the cabin now ceased. But the hungry
pack were loth to abandon their prey. Still they scurried here and
there. From the opening the boys could see the sinewy bodies and the
gleaming eyes. Above the din of yelps and howls a shriller sound
occasionally rose.

It was probably the screech of the worsted catamount.

"Keep all the guns loaded," cautioned Jerry. "I don't believe we'll
have to do much more shooting, though. We've taught the wolves a bitter
lesson. They know they can't make a meal of us."

But he had barely spoken when a scratching noise was heard overhead. The
entire cabin seemed to totter and sway.

"The pack are on the roof," cried Brick. "They must have climbed over
the rocks. Everything will be down on us in a minute."

"At least three or four of the brutes are there," declared Hamp. "Just
hear them digging. Let's all fire together."

But before a single weapon could be raised the flimsy roof parted in the
center with a dull, ripping noise. Through the gap tumbled a heap of
snow from the trees above, and then followed a snapping, snarling wolf,
landing squarely upon the terrified boys.