The little clock on the mantle over the fireplace had struck ten and in spite of his resolve, Rex had drifted off into sleep, when suddenly he was awakened. Yes, it was no dream. From far off in the woods came the long drawn out howl of the wolf. He smiled as he lay there listening. The boys had started something, but just what they had planned he could only guess. Soon came another howl and now it was nearer. A movement, on the other side of the room assured him that Parry was awake, but he did not speak.

“Let it soak in,” he muttered.

Again and again the howls rang through the forest, each time coming nearer. The sound of the cry was deep and long drawn out.

“That kid’s a peach,” Rex smiled as he listened. “He’s got that howl down to perfection.”

“You hear dat?” Parry finally asked in a frightened tone after a particularly loud cry had boomed through the woods.

“Yes, of course I heard it. I’m not deaf. What do you make of it?” Rex said, grinning to himself.

“I tink eet dat wolf,” Parry whispered.

“Well, if it is I only hope it isn’t after me,” Rex declared. “But don’t you think you ought to untie me, Parry?” he asked putting all the fear he could into his voice. “I’d be perfectly helpless the way I am if he gets in here.”

“Heem no want you,” Parry declared as he got out of his bunk and crossed the room. “Heem after me. You tink heem can get in here?”

“Well, of course, no ordinary wolf could,” Rex replied slowly, “but if that’s a spirit wolf as you seem to think, I don’t imagine a little thing like a door would bother him much.”

“I untie you, you try help me, oui?” the breed promised as another howl, now evidently very near, came to their ears.

“Sure, I’ll help you if I can. But if that fellow really gets in, good night.”

Parry quickly untied the ropes and Rex sat up on the edge of the bunk.

Parry had lighted the little lamp and Rex could see that the man was in a bad way. His swarthy face was as pale as a face of that hue could get and his hands trembled violently as he replaced the chimney on the lamp.

Never had he seen such fear in a man’s face and a wave of pity swept over him as he watched.

“But he deserves all that’s coming to him,” he thought.

All this time the cries had been coming nearer. Until now it seemed that the wolf must be close at hand. Then, for a time they stopped. What was coming next Rex wondered. But he did not have long to wait. Soon the sound of the patter of feet was heard on the roof. Patter, patter, they sounded as thought some large animal was running across the roof.

Parry sank down in a chair, his face livid.

“Heem geet me ver’ queek,” he muttered.

Just then, down the big chimney came a deep booming howl, and then all was still for several minutes.

Although, of course he was not frightened, Rex was keyed up to a high pitch wondering what would happen next.

“Look, Parry,” he suddenly cried, pointing to the window.

There, pressed close against the pane, was the face of an enormous wolf, but such a wolf as Rex had never dreamed of seeing. A long red tongue hung from its half open mouth and the eyes glowed like balls of fire, while streams of fire seemed to dart from the pointed nose.

Parry gave one look and started to his feet. Then, suddenly, with a hoarse cry, he threw up his hands and fell in a crumpled heap, on the floor. Rex was quick to grasp his chance, and, picking up the ropes, with which he had been tied, he soon had the breed trussed up so that there was little chance of his being able to get free. This done he threw open the front door and shouted.

“All right, boys, you can come in now.”

Bob and Jack, the latter carrying the wolf’s head on the end of a short stick, were quick to accept the invitation.

“You certainly did the trick, all right,” Rex declared as he pointed to the form lying on the floor. “That head was too much for him and he tumbled over, and I don’t wonder. It was enough to scare anyone out of a year’s growth.”

“He isn’t dead is he?” Bob asked anxiously.

“Not a bit of it,” Rex replied. “He just fainted and I’ll bet it’s the first time such a thing ever happened to him. His kind don’t keel over easily but he was scared half to death before he saw that thing and that was the last straw.”

“You are sure you’ve got him good and fast?” Bob asked.

“I think so, but, perhaps, you had better take a look. I guess you know more about such things than I do.”

But, after a hasty examination, Bob declared that it was a good job.

“Couldn’t have done a better myself,” he said.

“How, in the name of common sense, did you fix up that thing?” Rex asked, pointing to the wolf’s head, which Jack had thrown on the floor.

“We were lucky,” Bob laughed, as he picked up the head. “You see we found the skeleton of a sheep and took the head and made it larger with some birch bark and spruce twigs smeared over with pitch which we got off a pine tree. Jack’s under shirt had to suffer to supply the tongue. Mine isn’t red. Then we got that fire effect by using the heads of pretty near a whole box of matches. It’s pretty crude you see, when you get close to it, but at a distance, I guess it looked real enough.”

“I should say it did,” Rex declared as he picked up the head. “If I hadn’t known that you were back of it I’m not sure but what I’d have gone with Parry.”

“What did you think of Jack’s howls?” Bob asked.

“They were perfect,” Rex replied. “He hadn’t the least doubt, but that his wolf was after him.”

Just then the breed gave a low moan, and, as Rex bent over him, he slowly opened his eyes.

“He’s coming round all right,” Rex said as he straightened up.

“Did wolf geet in?” Parry asked in a weak tone.

“Not exactly,” Rex replied. “But something else did,” and he glanced at the two boys who were standing close together a little to one side.

Parry followed his gaze and, as he saw the boys, he gave Rex a questioning look.

“They are two friends of mine,” Rex explained.

“Then dere was no wolf, non?”

“I’m afraid not,” Rex replied.

“But der head. I seed heem.”

“There it is on the table.”

Parry gave one glance at the object and as the thought that he had been tricked worked its way into his brain, he seemed to notice, for the first time that he was tied. Instantly his face grew dark with anger and he began to strain at his bonds. But Rex had done his work well and with all his great strength, he could not loosen them. Rex let him struggle until, panting, he gave it up.

“It’s no use, Parry,” he said. “Your game is up and you might as well make the best of it. Be a sport. You had your innings and now it’s my turn.”

For the space of a minute the breed glared at him. Evidently a struggle was going on in his mind. He was licked for the time being, at any rate.

“All right. I geet up. I be sport lak’ you be.”

“That’s the talk,” Rex declared. “Nothing like knowing when you’re licked.”

“What you do wid me, eh?” Parry asked humbly.

“We haven’t got to that yet,” Rex said. “I guess that’ll need some figuring,” he added turning to Bob and Jack. “But first let’s get the fire going. It’s getting rather cold in here.”

As soon as the fire was sending its shower of sparks up the chimney, at Rex’s suggestion, they lifted the breed into his bunk and drew a thick blanket over him. He said no word, but lay with a look of dejected resignation on his face.

“Now we’ll get together by the fireplace and go into executive session of the ways and means committee,” Rex said, as he drew a chair up close to the fire. “It don’t look to me as though we were out of the woods yet,” he added as the boys followed his example.

“Not by a good many long miles,” Bob agreed.

“Literally and figuratively both,” Rex laughed.

“Looks to me as though we had a white elephant on our hands,” Jack said hitching his chair nearer the fire.

“Exactly what I was thinking,” Rex agreed. “We’ve got to decide what to do with Parry. We can’t leave him here to starve to death and I don’t see how we can take him with us either. So there we are, betwixt the devil and the deep sea. I tell you,” he whispered, “we must take absolutely no chance of his getting loose. The fat would be in the fire for sure if he did.”

“Well, have you any plan?” Bob asked.

“Not a glimmer, have you?”

“No, I can’t see a way out yet. How about you, Jack?” and Bob looked at his brother.

“Guess I’m about in the same boat as the rest of you,” the boy replied.

“The only thing I’ve thought of so far is for one of us to go to Ashland, I believe that’s the nearest town, and get help while the others stay here and watch him.”

“Well, I’d like to know what’s the matter with that plan?” Rex smiled.

“Ashland is only twelve miles from here and one of us could be back with help tomorrow night easily enough. What do you say, Bob?”

“Sounds good to me,” Bob replied. “I’ll go.”

“Not much you won’t,” Rex objected. “This is my job.”

“Now look here, Rex,” Bob began, “You know as well as I do that it’s best for me to go. I don’t want to brag, but I can make a good deal better time on snow-shoes than you can and besides you don’t know the woods as well as I do, and you could easily lose your way and then we would be in a fix.”

Rex realized the force of Bob’s argument and gave in.

“I suppose you’re right,” he said. “But I hate to have you do all the hard work.”

“Bosh on that hard work stuff,” Bob laughed.

“Well, have it your own way,” Rex smiled. “But I haven’t thanked you for—”

“Just lay off the thanks,” Jack interrupted. “We’ll take all that for granted, eh Bob?”

“Sure we will, Rex, old man.”

“Well it was mighty good and plucky of you just the same,” he declared.

“And now you fellows better turn in and get some sleep. I’ll keep watch of our friend here.”

The boys tried to object but Rex would not listen, declaring that he had been sleeping from twelve to fourteen hours a day and did not need any more for a week.

It was nearly midnight by this time and, in spite of the excitement, both boys were asleep almost as soon as they tumbled into the bunk, which, fortunately, was wide enough to hold them both.

As soon as he was sure that they were asleep Rex went over to Parry and examined his bonds. The breed did not say a word and, after assuring himself that he had not loosened them, he went back to his chair by the fire.

When Bob woke the light was still burning as daylight had not yet come. But a glance at his watch told him that it was nearly five o’clock. Rex was getting breakfast and turned as Bob got out of the bunk.

“All quiet along the Potomac?” the latter asked.

“Fine’s a fiddle,” Rex assured him “and breakfast will be ready just as soon as the coffee boils.”

The rain had stopped but a glance outside told Bob that the weather had not entirely cleared.

“It’s going to be a pretty hard tramp on that wet snow,” he thought as he stepped back into the room.

He woke Jack and in a few minutes Rex announced that breakfast was ready. As soon as they were finished they lifted Parry from his bunk and placed him in a chair.

“Now, Parry, I’ll feed you,” Rex said.

“You untie hands, I be bon.” The breed declared with an imploring look.

But Rex shook his head.

“No, my friend. I’ve seen what you can do with those hands and I’m not going to take a chance.”

So he had to submit to being fed, an operation which took some little time as he was a big feeder.

“Well I guess I’ll be on my way,” Bob said as soon as the first gleam of the coming dawn showed in the east.

“Sure you can find the way?” Rex asked anxiously.

“Sure. I’ve got a map here and my compass. I’ll be all right and I ought to be back here by three or four o’clock. You be careful with that fellow and don’t let him get loose,” he cautioned as he fastened the thongs of his snow-shoes.

“Well so long,” he said as he shook hands with them.

As he had feared the snow was very wet and sticky and the going was hard from the start. But he was used to it and a merry whistle floated back to the two on the porch as they watched him until the mighty forest swallowed him.

“He’s a boy in a thousand,” Rex declared as they turned back into the cabin, and Jack heartily agreed with him.

Before washing the dishes Rex again examined their prisoner’s bonds and assured himself that all was well.

“We must not let him out of our sight for a minute,” he whispered to Jack. “His strength is really marvelous and he might wiggle out of those ropes and if he should, he’d make short work of us.”

“Will you go back with them when they come after Parry?” Jack asked as he was drying the dishes.

“I thought I’d like to go with you,” Rex said. “You see that business, which I was supposed to attend to, has been settled long before this and there is really no hurry about my getting back now.”

“That’ll be the finest ever,” Jack declared, delighted at the thought of having their friend with them on the homeward trip. “We’ll show you how they drive logs down the river. Say did you ever see a log rolling contest?”

“No. I never did, but I’ve read about them. It must be fun.”

“I’ll say it is.”

Meanwhile Bob was plowing his way through the wet snow toward Ashland. Before he had gone far the sun broke through the clouds and it began to grow warm and he was soon forced to remove his mackinaw.

How the snow did stick to his shoes. It seemed as though he was lifting a heavy weight every time he raised a foot.

“I guess it’ll be night before I get there,” he thought and it was only a little after ten o’clock when, from the top of a small hill, he looked down upon the little town, nestling at its foot.

The town boasted a telegraph office and, making his way thither, he sent a message to Rex’s father in Philadelphia, telling him that he was all right. He also telegraphed to his own father telling him that they had found Rex and would start for Moosehead Lake next day. This done he explained matters to the operator and asked him to whom he should apply.

“Jim Dugan is a deputy. He lives right across the street in that white house. Guess you better see him,” the man advised.

Bob found Jim Dugan a genial man about fifty years old and anxious to help him after he had heard the story.

“But I can’t hardly believe it of Parry Magloire,” he declared when Bob told him what happened. “I know Parry well. He’s been guiding round here for all of five years and I never heard of his cutting up any tricks before. Guess he must have had a brain storm. Now I’ll get hold of Joe Hinkson and after we get a bite ter eat we’ll start back with you. We can drive up to within about a mile of the lake all right.”

Bob was very glad to know that he would not have to tramp all the way back.

Joe Hinkson was a young man but a few years older than Bob, but he was, as Bob could see, a powerfully built man.

They found the road in fair shape for that time of year and it was only a little past two o’clock when the deputy announced.

“We’ll ave ter hoof it from here.”

They donned snow-shoes and at once struck off through the thick woods.

“Ter think that Parry’d do a thing like that,” Joe said as they trudged along.

“It sure do beat the Dutch,” the deputy agreed.

Soon the cabin hove in sight and Bob gave a loud whoop which brought Rex and Jack out on the porch.

“Well, you sure did make it snappy,” Jack said as he grasped his brother’s hand. “I didn’t expect you for two hours.”

Bob introduced his companions and they all went into the cabin.

“Well, well, what you been up to, Parry?” the deputy greeted the prisoner.

“Hello, Jeem. I think I mak’ one beeg fool out of myself, oui,” the breed answered.

“Yes, I guess you have,” Dugan replied severely.

Then turning to Bob he said, “You can untie him now. I’ll be responsible for him.”

Bob did as he asked and Parry stretched himself with a sigh of relief.

“I’m mighty sorry that a thing of this sort should have happened,” the deputy said, turning to Rex. “I’m afraid that it’ll give you a mighty bad impression of us up here in Maine. But I never knowed a thing of this sort ter happen afore. Parry, I’m sure ashamed of you.”

Parry hung his head but said nothing.

“Well, we’ll be getting back,” the deputy announced. “Get your duds on, Parry. I suppose you boys will wait till morning afore you start?” he asked turning to Bob.

“Why, I hardly know, but probably we will as it’s pretty late to start now,” Bob replied. “We are certainly very grateful to you for coming to our aid.”

“Oh, that’s nothin’. All in the day’s work,” the deputy declared. Then turning to Rex he asked:

“What charge do you want ter make ’gainst this feller, Mr. Dale?”

“Why, er I don’t think I want to make any,” Rex said after a moment’s thought. “Really I have no hard feelings against him and I believe that he’s been punished enough. How about it Parry?”

“I ver’ sorry. I, I don’t know what mak’ me do heem,” the breed said as he stood with downcast eyes.

“Then suppose we let it go at that,” Rex suggested.

“Just as you say,” the deputy agreed. “But I’ll be blest if many would do it. Parry, you don’t deserve it.”

“The man actually had tears in his eyes,” Bob declared, after they had gone.

“I honestly think that he’s a good fellow at heart,” Rex declared.

It did not take them long to decide against starting back that afternoon.

“We’ll hit the hay early tonight and get off by daylight,” Bob said as he opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. “The wind has shifted into the northwest,” he announced, a moment later as he came back. “It’s growing colder and that just suits us. If it will only freeze tonight we can make twenty or twenty-five miles before it gets soft.”

“Who owns this cabin?” Jack asked turning to Rex.

“It belongs to a friend of Dad’s in Philadelphia. His name is Brown and he comes up here every summer for a couple of months.”

The cabin was well stocked with supplies and Rex said that they were at liberty to take what they wished with them. Before going to bed that night they got everything ready so that there might be no delay in getting off in the morning.

As Bob had hoped it froze hard during the night and when they started just as the eastern sky was beginning to lighten, they found a good hard crust. They were all in high spirits as they slung their packs onto their backs and fastened the snow-shoes on top of them.

“Here’s where we make a record,” Jack shouted as he took the lead.

“Now, son, don’t you go to hitting it up too fast. Remember Rex isn’t in training for a long hike,” Bob cautioned.

“Don’t you hold back on my account,” Rex said. “I’m a pretty good walker and if I get winded, I’ll let you know.”

Jack knew that Rex was game, but he also realized the truth of Bob’s statement, so he set a slower pace than he would have taken had they been by themselves. Still they made good time, considering the big hill which they had to climb. Rex was puffing, as Jack declared, like a young porpoise, by the time they reached the top and he laughingly acknowledged the indictment.

“Guess I’m too fat,” he laughed as he leaned against a tree.

They rested for a while before starting down the hill, and after that Rex seemed to get his second wind and it was only a little past ten o’clock when they reached the bank of the stream where Bob had taken his plunge two days before. The ice had, in the meantime, gone out of the stream and the lake as well.

“How, in the world, are we ever going to get across?” Jack asked as he gazed at the swollen stream, the waters of which were rushing madly by.

“That seems to be the main question, just at present,” Bob agreed as he threw his pack to the ground and slowly scratched his head. “If it was summer we could wade across, but believe me that water is mighty wet and cold. I know, because I tried it,” and he told Rex of his experience on the up trip.

“Do you know how far it would be to go around it?” Rex asked.

“No, but judging from its size here, it would be a good many miles,” Bob replied.

“Well, there’s only one way so far as I can see,” Jack declared.

“Well, spring it,” Bob said.

“You see, up the stream a bit there are some pines growing pretty close to the edge,” he began pointing with his finger. “Now, if we can find one that will do, what’s the matter with cutting it down so that it’ll fall across the drink and then we’ll have a bridge?”

“I guess it’s the only way, so let’s get busy.”

“Just a minute till I get the ax out of my pack.”

It did not take them long to find a tree which Bob declared would do, and they at once set to work. It was hard and slow cutting as the ax was a small one not adapted to felling so large a piece of timber. But, by taking turns, they accomplished it in a little more than a half hour. The tree fell true and, as the banks were high on both sides of the stream they had a bridge well above the rushing water.

It did not take them long to make the crossing and soon they were all safe on the other side.

“All that work just to use it for a minute,” Jack declared in a disgusted tone as he leaped to the bank, the last one over.

“That’s often the way in this world, son,” Rex said soberly. “We’ll be fortunate if things always turn out as well.”

By this time the snow had softened so that the crust would no longer bear their weight and they were forced to take to their snow-shoes. Each day lowered the snow perceptibly, but it was still too deep to wade through. However, it did not get actually wet and so did not greatly impede their progress and they continued to make fair time. They camped that night not far from where Bob had shot the moose, and were again on their way at daybreak.