tened.

"The wolves are growing bold," remarked Skipper Ed presently. "That last
fellow that howled was just above here in the gulch."

"I'd like to see one running loose," said Bobby, "but they don't like to
show themselves to me, and I never saw but one in my life."

Skipper Ed arose, and donning his _adikey_ went out of doors, soon to
return followed by a breath of the keen, frosty air of the winter night.

"It's bright moonlight," said he, rubbing his hands briskly to warm
them, for he had worn no mittens. "The wind is nor' nor'west, and if you
chaps feel like an adventure we'll take a walk around and up the
s'uth'ard side of the gulch, where he won't get a smell of us, and maybe
we'll have a look at that old rounder that's howling, and who knows but
we might get a shot at him and his mates. What do you say?"

"Fine!" agreed the boys in unison, springing eagerly up from their
chairs.

"Well, hustle into your _adikeys_, then, and we'll try to get to leeward
of the old fellow," directed Skipper Ed.

"I hope there'll be a chance for a shot!" Bobby exclaimed excitedly, as
they shouldered their rifles and slung cartridge pouches over their
shoulders.

"So do I!" agreed Jimmy.

"Just a bare chance," said Skipper Ed, as they passed out into the porch
shed and took their snowshoes from the pegs. "It depends upon which way
they're traveling."

"Do you think there's more than one?" asked Bobby in an excited
undertone, as they swung away on snowshoes.

"Yes, but we'd better not talk now. They're keen, and shy old devils,
and they might hear us," warned Skipper Ed.

Cautiously but swiftly they stole out and into the moonlit forest and up
into the gulch and along the southern banks of a frozen brook. Now and
again Skipper Ed halted, stooping to peer about and along the open space
that marked the bed of the stream. Presently he held up his hand as a
sign of caution, and crouched behind a clump of brush, motioning the
boys to follow his example.

"They're just above us," he whispered. "I saw them moving among the
trees, above the bend. They're coming down this way, and they'll come
out in that open just ahead of us. Don't shoot till I tell you, but be
ready for them, lads."

"How many are there?" Bobby whispered excitedly.

"I can't tell yet. But I saw them move, and there's more than one,"
answered Skipper Ed.

A moment later the blood-curdling howl of a wolf broke the forest
stillness. It was answered by the