irst, and Alec was by them ere they could recover themselves.
Thoroughly baffled and furious, they were speedily in pursuit, and it
required all of Alec's effort to much increase the distance between them
and himself.

Several times they cut across short necks of the little river, and once
so near did they get that the snappings of their terrible teeth were
distinctly heard. One long stretch more, then a double twist, like the
letter S in the river, and he would reach the lake.

Alec was heated now; his clothes were wet with perspiration, in spite of
the bitter cold. That some wolves were ahead of him he was certain.
Home was far away. The other skaters had long since returned from their
outings. Around the great blazing fireplace Mr Ross had more than once
said:

"I am sorry that Alec has remained out so late."

Unknown to the rest of the family, some hunters had reported to him that
already tracks of wolves had been seen in the hunting grounds not many
miles away. These brutes are always very vicious in the beginning of
winter. Their summer supplies of food are cut off, and the deer have
not yet begun to run and thus leave their tracks in the woods. When
another hour had passed on Mr Ross could stand it no longer, and
earnestly exclaimed:

"Who saw Alec last?"

The young clerk who had been last seen with him, and who had not as yet
returned to his trading post, said:--

"I left him near the other side of the lake."

Mr Ross was indignant, but there was now no time for anything but
action. Short and stern were his orders. Alec must be sought after at
once. Hastily rousing up three trusty Indian servants, he and they were
soon out on the lake. All were on skates and armed with guns. A few
dogs were allowed to accompany them, among them being Alec's train. Mr
Ross wisely judged that if they once struck his tracks, such was the
love they had for him, they would soon find him, even if he had become
bewildered and lost his bearings. So, while Alec was still in danger,
help was coming.

Fortunately for him, the river was wider now, and his eyes were so alert
that he could detect his foes, even when quite a distance from them. He
was thus able to see through the disguise of a couple of them that lay
crouching out on the ice, trying to look like the little piles of snow
that the eddying winds had gathered. Still, although he saw them, and
by another clever ruse flew by them, yet so close were they to