n spite of their desperate
efforts to keep up, were being left further and further behind. At this
Alec rejoiced; but his heart fairly jumped, and fear for an instant
again seized him, as there suddenly burst upon his ears the blood-
curdling howlings of many wolves. It was begun by those in the rear.
It was answered by others that seemed ahead of him. It was re-echoed
back by others that appeared to be further off. Looking back, he
observed that the two that had been following him, when they had
finished their howlings, suddenly disappeared in the forest, evidently
bent upon some new plan of attack.

No wonder that the plucky lad felt that this was a crisis in his life,
and that if ever he had his wits about him they were needed now. As the
result of his early teachings, and the memory of his godly mother, there
sprang from his heart and lips a whispered prayer: "God of my mother,
remember her boy to-night;" and he felt that he was not forgotten.

Like as with fresh soldiers on the battle field, so now that the first
terror had come and gone, a strange spirit of exhilaration came to him,
and seemed to nerve him for the race. He had no weapon with him, not
even a stick in his hand. His wits, his skates, and his power of
endurance must be his reliance in this unique encounter. As well as he
could he endeavoured to recall the different windings in the river, and
the places where he was likely to be attacked later on, if he escaped
the spot where he felt sure the next effort would be made by his cunning
foes.

Rapidly as he was skating, his quick eye caught sight of two of his
foes. They were crouching together on a snow-covered rock that almost
overhung the edge of the stream where it was narrowest. To endeavour to
escape by such fierce brutes, now so aroused by having once missed him,
would have been madness. To have retreated would have been certain
death. Quick as a flash came the ruse to Alec. Dashing up, with a
shout that was a challenge, he made as though he were going to fly by,
but the instant before he reached the spot where his quick eye saw they
would spring upon him he whirled upon the heels of his skates. That
instant they sprang upon the spot where their instinct told them he
ought to have been. He was not there, however, but a few yards in the
rear; so they missed him, and with the momentum of their spring went
sprawling out on the smooth ice. Another turn on the skates, as quick
as the f