Here the snow had been packed down by the wind and the huskies were able to trot across its surface without breaking through. They went forward at such a brisk pace that Dick, running behind, was forced to admit, breathlessly, to Toma:
“I can’t keep this up all night. Can’t you slow down once in a while, and give me a chance to catch my breath?”
“We all ride now,” the guide answered, motioning Dick to a place on the sled in front of Sandy, who, because of his weakened condition, had been riding most of the time since they had left the cabin.
A moment later, sitting at his friend’s feet, Dick was conscious of a new experience. He had never ridden behind a team of huskies before.
“This is wonderful,” he remarked as the dogs sprang forward at Toma’s sharp word of command. “How easy they pull us, Sandy. If we keep on at this rate, it won’t take us long to reach mounted police headquarters.”
Toma, who was standing behind, with one hand on the gee-pole, laughed good-naturedly over Dick’s enthusiasm.
“They go fast tonight,” he admitted, “but mebbe tomorrow we come to soft snow in woods. No go fast then.”
Somewhere, close at hand, there broke forth a weird, unearthly noise, a sound that echoed across the stillness, causing both Dick and Sandy to sit up very straight, hearts thumping excitedly.
“What was that?” they demanded in chorus.
“Wolves,” came the ready response. “We see plenty of wolves from now on. Rabbits very few this year and wolves always hungry.”
“Well, I don’t want ’em to feed on me,” shivered Sandy. “What would we do if they should happen along and suddenly decide to make a meal on us?”
“Shoot,” answered Dick, one hand stealing back in the sled to make sure that in the hurry of their departure they had not forgotten their rifles.
“They not come yet,” Toma reassured them. “Bye ’n’ bye weather get more cold, snow more deep, wolves more hungry. Then we watch out. No travel like this at night then. Me ’fraid wolves too.”
Dick laughed. “I’m glad to hear that there’s something you’re really afraid of, Toma. I’d begun to think that nothing could frighten you.”
Another howl from the wolf pack, and Sandy’s mittened hand was pawing at Dick’s shoulder.
“Honestly, Dick, I don’t like this. Just listen to that! Isn’t it awful? Toma, are you sure they won’t come over here and try to gobble us up?”