nd a shout he was off. So completely taken by
surprise were they that those nearest to him made no attempt to stop
him. The two or three in the rear savagely tried to block his way and
sprang at him, but signally failed to reach him, as Alec skillfully
skated round them and sped onward toward the lake. Furious indeed were
those that had passed him and felt themselves robbed of their victim.
Outwitted were they all, but not yet discouraged. Wolves can run with
great swiftness on the smoothest ice, and although, as we have seen,
they cannot turn quickly, and can be dodged by a clever skater, yet for
a straight go-ahead pace they are not to be despised by the swiftest
runner. Then their powers of endurance are very great, and so it was
evident to Alec that they were resolved, by grim endurance, to run him
down.

Firmly convinced that there were none ahead of him, and that it was now
to be a long race, he wisely resolved not to so force himself that he
could not, if need be, keep up a good rate of speed all the way to the
abode of Mr Ross. It did not take him long to again reach the river
mouth, and as he flew past the spot where, a few minutes before, his
enemies had waited for him he could not but see the sagacity with which
they had selected the place. He was grateful for his deliverance thus
far, but he knew that there was no time for investigation, for the yelps
and howlings distinctly heard told him that his foes were hot on his
trail and not far behind.

Out on the lake he dashed, and still on they came. Alec is hot and
excited now. The strain on him is beginning to tell, and he feels it.
He knows that he could put on a desperate spurt and get far ahead, but
would they not, with that long, steady louping of theirs, gradually
creep up again, and, finding him almost exhausted, make a desperate
spurt, and thus run him down? But he is resolved to succeed, and so he
nerves himself and carefully speeds along, while perhaps not five
hundred yards behind are those merciless pursuers that will not be
shaken off. In this way about ten miles are passed since the mouth of
the river was left. Still on and on they come. The moon is now sinking
low, and the shadows are weird and ghostly. Auroras, phantom-like, flit
in the northern sky, while some of them seem like frightened spirits
flying before avenging enemies. The sight is depressing to Alec, and so
he turns his eyes from beholding them while still on he speeds.