LESSON 67 AN ADVENTURE WITH WOLVES
AN ADVENTURE WITH WOLVES
II
1. The cooper's hope began to revive [1] . But his courage almost failed, when he discovered in the distance a second pack of wolves larger than the first, and drawing near with great speed.
2. He forgot, for an instant, the whip, the lash of which caught under the runner [2] of the sleigh and snapped. The horse, too, was almost ready to drop with his long and hard race; and Toll, seeing that only one chance was left, rose with his boy in his arms, upset the vat on the ice, and concealed [3] himself and the child underneath it.
The howling of the wolves was now constant. Within the vat it was as dark as night.
3. "Now, keep steady," said Toll, feeling a sudden shock, as if a wolf had leaped against their small house in an attempt to upset it. He felt himself and the boy gliding a foot or two over the smooth ice, but there was no further result from the attack.
Oh, father! the little boy presently cried in terror, "I feel something on my back!"
4. The father quickly struck a light; for he fortunately [4] had a supply of matches in his pocket. He now saw a wolf's paw wedged [5] in between the ice and the rim of the vat. In an instant he seized the hatchet and struck swiftly, burying the keen edge in the ice. Then he handed to Thor the paw he had cut off, and said: "Put that into your wallet [6] , and the sheriff [7] will pay you a reward for it; for a wolf without paws cannot do much harm."
5. About an hour was spent under the vat, during which six paws were cut off in the same manner as the first. Then came a lull in the attack, but a sudden increase in the howling, whining, and barking without. Toll concluded that the wolves, maddened by the smell of blood, were attacking their wounded comrades.
6. As their howls seemed to come from a short distance, he carefully lifted one side of the vat and peered out; but at the same instant a snarling bark rang in his ear, and two paws were thrust into the opening. Then came a howl of pain; and another paw was put into Thor's wallet.
7. But hark! What is that? It sounds like the singing of a hymn. The strain comes nearer and nearer, floating peacefully through the pure, still air. Toll put his ear to the ice, and heard distinctly the tread of horses and of many human feet. He listened for a minute, but could not perceive [8] that the sound was coming any nearer.
8. He understood instantly that their only hope of safety lay in joining the singers before they were too far away. With quick resolve [9] he lifted the boy with one arm, and seized the hatchet with his free hand. Then, with a violent thrust, he flung the vat from over him, and ran in the direction of the sound.
9. The wolves, as he had supposed, were devouring [10] their wounded comrades; but the moment they saw him, a pack of about a dozen started in pursuit.
10. He soon saw in the bright moonlight six or eight men running towards him. Just then he felt a pain in the fleshy part of his right arm, and saw the blood flowing. He had received an ugly wound. His friends, however, were rapidly drawing nearer, and the wolves, at the sight of the men, retired to a safe distance.
11. As soon as Toll had had his wound dressed, he and his boy were placed upon a sleigh. He now learned that his rescuers were on their way to a funeral which was to take place the next day, but, owing to the long distance, they had been obliged to start during the night. Hence their solemn mood, and their singing of the funeral hymn.
12. After an hour's ride, the cooper's cottage was reached. Eleven wolf-paws were found in Thor's wallet, and for these, on going to the office of the sheriff, he received the State reward.
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[1] revive: Renew; make strong again.
[2] runner: The piece of iron or wood which slides over the ice.
[3] concealed: Hid.
[4] fortunately: Luckily.
[5] wedged: Fixed tightly.
[6] wallet: Purse; small bag.
[7] sheriff: The chief officer of the law in a district.
[8] perceive: Make out, notice.
[9] resolve: Decision, purpose.
[10] devouring: Eating.
