ope in a zigzag line, cautiously steering his
way among the tree trunks. The boys had taken their departure none too
soon; for they were scarcely five hundred yards down the declivity,
when they heard behind them loud exclamations and oaths. Evidently the
poachers had stopped to roll some logs (which were lying close by) over
the carcass, probably meaning to appropriate it; and this gave the boys
an advantage, of which they were in great need. After a few moments
they espied an open clearing which sloped steeply down toward the river.
Toward this Ralph had been directing his course; for although it was a
venturesome undertaking to slide down so steep and rugged a hill, he was
determined rather to break his neck than lower his pride, and become the
laughing-stock of the parish.

One more tack through alder copse and juniper jungle--hard indeed,
and terribly vexatious--and he saw with delight the great open slope,
covered with an unbroken surface of glittering snow. The sun (which at
midwinter is but a few hours above the horizon) had set; and the stars
were flashing forth with dazzling brilliancy. Ralph stopped, as he
reached the clearing, to give Biceps an opportunity to overtake him; for
Biceps, like all marine animals, moved with less dexterity on the dry
land.

"Ralph," he whispered breathlessly, as he pushed himself up to his
companion with a vigorous thrust of his skee-staff, "there are two awful
chaps close behind us. I distinctly heard them speak."

"Fiddlesticks," said Ralph; "now let us see what you are made of!
Don't take my track, or you may impale me like a roast pig on a spit.
Now, ready!--one, two, three!"

"Hold on there, or I shoot," yelled a hoarse voice from out of the
underbrush; but it was too late; for at the same instant the two boys
slid out over the steep slope, and, wrapped in a whirl of loose snow,
were scudding at a dizzying speed down the precipitous hill-side. Thump,
thump, thump, they went, where hidden wood-piles or fences obstructed
their path, and out they shot into space, but each time came down firmly
on their feet, and dashed ahead with undiminished ardor. Their calves
ached, the cold air whistled in their ears, and their eyelids became
stiff and their sight half obscured with the hoar-frost that fringed
their lashes. But onward they sped, keeping their balance with wonderful
skill, until they reached the gentler slope which formed the banks of
the great river. Then for the first