And then a wolf howled again, not far away this time, and out in front of the cabin Skipper Ed’s dogs howled an answer, and down from Abel’s cabin came the long, weird cry of woe from Abel’s dogs; and the three sat silent for a little, and listened.

“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 distant howl of the dogs, and then near at hand the night was startled by the defiant howl of many wolves, long, loud and terrible in unexpected suddenness, and so close that the boys involuntarily rose from their crouch.