Page:They who walk in the wilds, (IA theywhowalkinwil00robe).pdf/75

 one—travels mysteriously. The wandering airs make haste to carry it, and none who receives the tidings is left indifferent.

A pack of half a dozen arctic wolves, long-jawed and ravenous, emerged from a deep ravine which cleft the ridge, and trotted boldly forth upon the beach, sniffing interrogatively. Straightway they spotted the rich prize there in plain view, jammed in the crevice. And straightway, disdaining craft or investigation, confident in their ferocity and their speed, they swept down upon it at full gallop.

For the patient watcher on the ridge this was too much. With a roar of indignation he projected himself down the slope like an avalanche, and reached the body of the young walrus some ten paces ahead of the wolves. Standing over it on three legs, he turned, with fangs bared and one paw uplifted, and faced the pack with a low snarl of warning.

The wolves, well knowirig the power of that terrific paw, halted abruptly. The leader sat upon his haunches, with his tongue hanging out, and blinked sagaciously. The rest of the pack divided, two to one side and three to the other, and encircled their huge antagonist, their eyes glinting green, and their jaws slavering. Keeping just at a safe distance of a dozen feet, or so, they uttered never a sound; and the bear, too, stopped