The Internet Detective Library — page 210: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

~ 198 THE BATTLE WITEK WOLVES. ‘‘Tf we can keep this sort of thing up,’’ Stokes said to him- self, ‘‘we shall beat the demons, provided only that Yedvik is somewhere within reach,”’ | The detective emptied one of his revolvers in this way, firing at intervals, and each time apparently checking the rush of the pursuing pack. As he paused to reload his weapon, an operation that took but a second, he saw the real meaning of the situation. The wolves were coming steadily nearer in spite of every skil- ful shot. Now he could see their leaping forms distinctly. He picked the two leaders in the pack and fired twice in rapid succession. Both wolves aimed at jumped into the air and rolled over upon their backs instantly. The others just behind them Sprung upon the fallen wolves and tore the flesh from their bones savagely. That explained it. Every wolf that Stokes had killed had become food for those nearest it, and this had accounted for the slight pauses in the pursuit. , The trouble was that the pack was so numerous that only a few could get any advantage from their fallen comrades, and those who stopped for a mouthful and failed to get one immediately rushed on after the flying sled and dogs. Seeing that this was'the fiendish character of the wolves, Stokes fired right and left, with a view of killing as mauy as possible at one volley, so as to delay the whole pack. This had the desired effect, but it by no means stopped the pursuit. It simply gave him time to reload his weapons hefore there was a fresh assault. Each time the wolves dashed on they gained a little on the sled until] at last they were distinctly visible, and Stokes had to keep up a rapid firing in order to stay their progress at all. Kotuk dropped the reins and whip and busied himself im and loading the detective’s weapons. Even at that the fierce beasts gained upon them, and one fel- low, whom Stokes in his rapid firing had overlooked, got so far that he actually tried to leap upon the sled. Stokes’ revolver at that instant was empty, and there was not even time to reach for the weapon that Kotuk had loaded. | He, therefore, let go the butt, caught the revolver by its hot muzzle and brought the handle down with all his force upon the wolf’s fore- head. The beast dropped without a sound and landed upon the after part of the sled, where his dead body lay until Stokes reached back and pushed it off to serve as prey for his companions. It was. beginning to look as if, in spite of successful shooting, the savage pack would overcome the travelers, when Kotuk gave a sudden exclamation, whether of alarm or relief Stokes could hi: ter the ord spe the whe of t! and the char $6, sled keep team It coulc there and t throu yelpi from bone sudde The half 1¢ thing Sto dogs ( It 5 and h the CO writh wolves com (Q) ,oOoOkKS