The Internet Detective Library — page 211: what you’re looking at

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

him- vik is firing f— the yk but y skil- n rapid | rolled | them r bones yr those in the ly a few d those ediately 3, Stokes gsible at desired nly gave nssault. the sled to keep im and one fel- ot so far was not ed, He, uzzle and 1f’s fore- the after ; reached ons. tuk gave es coul THE BATTLE WITH WOLVES. t99 not make out, dropped the revolver he was loading, and turned his attention again to the dogs. They were on a down grade now, and the sled was going at terrific speed. It was gaining, too, and was catching the heels of the dogs nearest to it and tripping them up. Kotuk made a vain effort to guide the dogs to one side in order that they might not be overcome by the rushing sled. Stokes saw what the situation meant. The sled would gain in speed as long as the down grade continued, would either upset the dogs or pass them and drag them after it, and at the end, wherever that might be, all would be in a heap and at the mercy of their savage pursuefs. It occurred to him that it might be possible to cut the harness and let the sled go. In this way the dogs would be sacrificed to the wolves, who might be satisfied then and give the men a chance to escape on foot. It was necessary for himself to keep on firing at the pack. **Cut the harness, Kotuk!’’? he called. But Kotuk olng to the sled and made no effort to obey. A.second later Stokes observed that the wolves were unable to keep pace with the sled, which had already slewed past half the team of dogs. It was going so fast and with such a jolting motion that he could not remain upon his knees. There was nothing for it, therefore, but.that he should crouch upon the bottom of the sled and take his chances just as Kotuk was doing. Down they went, faster than any toboggan ever known, through the darkness, bounding over hummocks, dragging the yelping and whining dogs after them, both men nearly shaken ‘ from their places, until, with a jolt that seemed to make every bone in his body start from its fastenings, Stokes felt the speed suddenly decrease. They were shooting up a steep rise, and before theesled had half lost its headway it came to a stop by colliding against some- thing. Stokes and Kotuk were hurled up against this object and the dogs came piling after them. It was indeed just the hopeless heap that Stokes had foreseen, and how he should fight tie wolves now was a question that in the confusion he could not decide. As he struggled to get on his feet and free hixiself from the writhing dogs he became conscious of two things—first, that the wolves were not behind, and, second, that there were loud cries from human beings followed instantly by the shots of rifles. Then as Stokes and Kotuk stood up, ready to make a last des-