il they were
following, for they were approaching the creek through the timber on the
western side of the stream. But the sound of the chase drew rapidly
nearer, and desperately as Enoch hurried he could not distance the pack.
The western bank was high and sloping just here and with anxious eyes
the boy looked up the white incline, where the trees stood rather far
apart, to catch the first glimpse possible of the wolves and their prey.
Suddenly there came into view several dark objects moving swiftly over
the snow. One was ahead, flitting from tree to tree, its identity almost
indistinguishable at first. Then, with almost a shriek of horror, Enoch
recognized the wolves' quarry as a human being!

The pursued was on snow-shoes and coming to a steeper part of the creek
bank, at once slid down to the ice. After him, their red tongues hanging
to their breasts, and baying at every leap, came a round dozen of the
ravenous creatures. Enoch saw that the unfortunate man was armed with a
gun, but that evidently the weapon had been injured in some way, for he
did not make use of it to beat off the wolves. He limped as he ran, too,
and the young trapper saw plainly that the pack would overtake and pull
him down in a very few moments.

Once upon the ice the beasts spread out and almost surrounded him. While
he limped on most awkwardly, the strong, sharp claws of the wolves
helped them over the surface and soon the leader--a gaunt, gray monster
with cropped ears and scarred back--leaped to seize the prey. Enoch,
without a thought of his own danger, had hurried on, re-priming his
rifle as he ran; but he was scarcely within fair gun-shot when the wolf
leaped. The beast caught the fugitive by the shoulder, and its weight
dragged the man down. He tripped upon his snow-shoes and in an instant
was falling face-downward on the ice with the pack of hungry beasts
fighting above him!

Enoch fired his rifle into the midst of the pack as he ran, but although
one of the wolves rolled over, kicking convulsively upon the ice, the
others scarcely noticed the attack. So eager were they to get at the
quarry which they had followed far, that the shot did not frighten them.
But the boy was among them in a moment, his gun clubbed, and a fierce
desire in his heart to slay the horrid beasts.

He really thought the fallen man was killed, and his attack was inspired
wholly by a desire for revenge. He laid about him with the gun-stock in
a most furious fas