he stronger and better and richer in experience
than we were an hour ago."

"It was a corking good adventure, anyhow!" broke in Bobby. "That sort of
thing just makes me tingle all over! Somehow when I get out of a mess
like that I feel a lot bigger and stronger and more grown up. It was
great fun--now that it's over."

"You're a natural-born adventurer," laughed Skipper Ed. "You should have
lived in the old days, when men had to fight for their life, or went out
to find and conquer new lands."

"Well, I'm glad it's over," Jimmy shuddered--"the run from the
wolves--and that they've gone. I didn't have time to feel much scared
out there, but I'm scared now of what might have happened. I don't like
to get into such fixes."

"Well, it's over, and all is well, and we're none the worse for it. Now
drink your hot tea, lads," counseled Skipper Ed. "We've work to do
before we sleep."

They ate their hardtack biscuit, and sipped the hot tea silently for a
little, listening the while to the snug and cheerful crackle of wood and
roar of flames in the big box stove.

"Now," said Skipper Ed finally, "we'll haul the wolves into the porch,
and make them safe, for the dogs are like to tear at them, and injure
the pelts."

The following morning the carcasses of five additional wolves were
discovered at the place where they had first fired upon the pack. Two of
the dogs, mangled and torn by wolf fangs, were dead, and three others
were so badly injured that for a long time they were unfitted for
driving. But the others had discreetly decided that it was better "to
run away and live to fight another day," and were none the worse for
their scrimmage.

Bobby, of course, ran over to Abel's cabin to tell the great news of the
battle, and Abel and Mrs. Abel must needs return with him to assist in
removing the pelts from the animals, and to spend the day with Skipper
Ed and his partner. And a merry day it was for all of them, for wolf
pelts could be traded at the mission store for necessaries. And none of
them gave heed or thought to the danger the pelts had cost, save to give
thanks to God for His deliverance; for dangers in that land are an
incident of the game of life, and there the game of life is truly a
man's game.

CHAPTER IX

THE FISHING PLACES

Like every other healthy lad of his years Bobby loved fun and adventure,
though he had early learned to carry upon his broad shoulders a full
portion of the responsibilitie