The boys continued the animated discussion, quite heedless of time. The dead wolf was examined with wonder, and they removed the scalp, in order to claim the State bounty. With some difficulty they dragged the buck partly onto one of the hand sleds.
"I want the antlers," said Brick. "I wouldn"t go back to New York without them."
"We"ll see to that," replied Jerry. "Now, then, if you fellows are ready."
A moment later the march toward the headland was recommenced. The heavily-laden sleds grated over the ice and snow.
Some small animal followed the boys for quite a distance, keeping well out of sight behind the timber. It had a shrill, rasping voice that was very aggravating. Jerry declared it to be a lynx or wolverine, and Hamp agreed with him. A little later something more serious occurred. Three hungry wolves stole out of the forest and down to the ice. They evidently scented the carca.s.s of the deer. They followed the little party persistently, and kept up a mournful howling. Now and then they circled near with swift leaps, only to bound back toward the sh.o.r.e again.
"We must put a stop to this," said Jerry. "Wait a minute."
He discarded his rifle for a shotgun, and, when the trio of scavengers next approached as close as they dared, he gave them both barrels.
It was long-range shooting, but two of the brutes were slightly crippled. All three fled, yelping, to the forest, and disappeared.
Darkness was now creeping rapidly on. Colder and colder came the bitter evening breeze. At times the great stretch of ice-bound lake cracked like a pistol-shot. The boys were anxious to reach their destination before twilight, and they altered their swinging stride to a jog-trot.
At last they gained the jutting headland, and circled around its point.
Here, on the sh.o.r.e of the lake, they found choice camping facilities.
They picked on a shallow ravine that was comparatively open and ran back into the forest for thirty or forty yards. On three sides it was sheltered by pine and spruce trees, and had an open frontage on the lake.
"This is just the thing to build our cabin against," said Hamp, indicating a weather-worn block of granite that was almost square in shape. "We"re in a great neighborhood for hunting and fishing, too."
"The locality is all right," replied Jerry, "but I don"t think it"s wise to build right in the trough of this ravine. A heavy storm would snow us up, and a thaw would wash us out into the lake."
"No danger of a thaw," declared Hamp, as he blew on his numbed fingers, "and I don"t believe we"re going to have any big snowstorms, either. You know your father said there were indications of an open winter.
Besides, it will take too long to clear a place for building on higher ground. Look how stout the timber is all around us."
"I"m not anything of a woodsman," joined in Brick, "but this hollow looks like a mighty snug place to me."
Jerry allowed himself to be persuaded.
"All right," he said. "We"ll take the chances. Pitch in, fellows."
The sleds were unpacked, and the s.p.a.ce in front of the rock was quickly cleared of snow, undergrowth, and loose stones.
Armed with sharp axes, the boys felled and trimmed a number of young trees, and, under Jerry"s supervision, the lean-to rapidly a.s.sumed shape. Nails were freely used to strengthen it. Soft pine boughs were laid a foot deep on the floor, and an extra covering of the same material was put on the roof.
It was dark long before the task was finished, but the boys worked on by lantern light. The exercise made them feel quite warm. It was a proud and happy moment when their labor was done.
The cabin proved snug, and comfortable beyond their expectations. It had a small doorway, that could be closed by b.u.t.toning a strip of canvas over it, and the roof sloped at just the right angle.
"We couldn"t have more solid comfort if we were at home," declared Jerry. "Not a drop of water can get at us."
"And we"ve got protection from the wind on three sides," added Hamp.
"I feel like going to bed right now."
"Not before supper?" exclaimed Brick, in a tone of such earnest alarm that his companions laughed merrily.
But there was much to do before the meal could be prepared, and no time was wasted. First the traps were carried into the cabin, and arranged in place. Then all three of the boys set to work on the deer, and partially skinned it. They cut off a number of tender steaks, and hung the carca.s.s to the lower limbs of a stout pine tree.
Brick and Jerry gathered a big store of fuel, and built a roaring fire, while Hamp chopped a hole through the ice on the margin of the lake, and brought a pail of water. Half an hour later, when the hungry and tired lads sat around the blazing logs appeasing their appet.i.tes with crisp venison, and fried potatoes, and crackers, and steaming coffee, they felt that their happiness was complete. It was past ten o"clock when they crawled into the shanty, and buried themselves between soft boughs and warm blankets. Outside, the logs smoldered and crackled, and the far-away beasts of the forest wailed to the rising moon.
CHAPTER V.
THE FACE IN THE TREES.
The night pa.s.sed without alarm. In the morning the cold was more intense than ever, and the sky was still overcast with sullen-looking clouds.
During the forenoon the boys put a few extra touches to the cabin, and gathered enough fuel to last for several days. After dinner Brick and Hamp chopped holes through the ice, and caught a number of fat pickerel. Jerry took his gun, and trudged into the woods. He returned with a brace of spruce partridges.
Toward evening the wind shifted to the east, and it grew even colder.
The boys put an extra layer of boughs on the cabin floor, and got all their blankets out. The only comfortable part was around the fire.
Just before supper a bird flew out of the forest and over the camp. It alighted in some bushes near the verge of the jutting headland. Jerry s.n.a.t.c.hed his gun, and hurried after it across the ice.
When he reached the spot he saw something that drove the bird entirely from his mind. Nearly a mile down the lake two black specks were visible. They were moving slowly toward the western sh.o.r.e.
Jerry summoned his companions by a cautious shout.
"Bring your field-gla.s.ses, Brick," he added.
When the boys arrived, Jerry pointed out the far-away objects. Brick had the gla.s.ses--a long-range pair purchased at Bangor. Each took a turn at them.
"Hullo, those things are only men," said Brick, in a tone of relief. "I was afraid they were wild animals."
"They are odd-looking chaps for this neighborhood," replied Jerry. "They ain"t dressed like trappers or hunters. They have guns, though, and there"s a hand-sled trailing behind them."
"I wish we could make out their faces," said Hamp. "They"ve come across the lake, just as we did."
"Perhaps they are following us," suggested Brick, uneasily.
"Hardly," replied Jerry. "Where are they now, Hamp?"
"Just climbing the bank. Now they"ve disappeared in the woods."
And Hamp lowered the gla.s.ses, and restored them to Brick.
After some futile discussion of the mystery, the boys went back to camp.
It was natural that they should feel a little curious and alarmed.
Ruffianly characters are often encountered in the Maine wilderness.
When supper was over the boys cheered up. They washed the dishes, and then built a roaring fire of great logs directly in front of the cabin.
With blankets wrapped about their shoulders they sat beside the flames.