New National Fourth Reader Part 5

PART I.

"During the summer and winter, we had several adventures in the trapping and killing of wild animals. One of them was of such a singular and dangerous kind, that you may feel interested in hearing it.

"It occurred in the dead of winter, when there was snow upon the ground.

The lake was frozen over, and the ice was as smooth as gla.s.s. We spent much of our time in skating about over its surface, as the exercise gave us health and a good appet.i.te.

"Even Cudjo, our colored servant, had taken a fancy for this amus.e.m.e.nt, and was a very good skater. Frank was fonder of it than the rest of us, and was, in fact, the best skater among us.

"One day, however, neither Cudjo nor I had gone out, but only Frank and Harry. The rest of us were busy at some carpenter work within doors.

"We could hear the merry laugh of the boys, and the ring of their skates as they glided over the smooth ice. All at once, a cry reached our ears, which we knew meant the presence of some danger.

"'O Robert!' cried my wife, 'they have broken through the ice!'

"We all dropped what we held in our hands, and rushed to the door. I seized a rope as I ran, while Cudjo took his long spear, thinking it might be of use to us. This was the work of a moment, and the next we were outside the house.

"What was our astonishment to see both the boys, away at the farthest end of the lake, but skating toward us as fast as they could!

"At the same time, our eyes rested upon a terrible sight. Close behind them upon the ice, and following at full gallop, was a pack of wolves!

"They were not the small prairie wolves, which either of the boys might have chased with a stick, but of a species known as the 'Great Dusky Wolf' of the Rocky Mountains.

"There were six of them in all. Each of them was twice the size of the prairie wolf, and their long, dark bodies, gaunt with hunger, and crested from head to tail with a high, bristling mane, gave them a most fearful appearance.

"They ran with their ears set back and their jaws apart, so that we could see their red tongues and white teeth.

"We did not stop a moment, but rushed toward the lake. I threw down the rope, and seized hold of a large rail as I ran, while Cudjo hurried forward armed with a spear. My wife, with presence of mind, turned back into the house for my rifle.

"I saw that Harry was foremost, and that the fierce wolves were fast closing upon Frank. This was strange, for we knew that Frank was by far the better skater. We all called out to him, uttering loud shouts of encouragement. Both were bearing themselves manfully, but Frank was most in danger.

"The wolves were upon his heels! 'O they will kill him!' I cried, expecting the next moment to see him thrown down upon the ice. What was my joy at seeing him suddenly wheel and dart off in a new direction."

Directions for Reading.--This lesson should be read with spirit, and in a full, clear tone of voice.

Language Lesson.--_Presence of mind_ is the power to act quickly when sudden danger threatens.

_Upon his heels_ means very close to.

_Dead of winter_ is the middle of winter, as that is supposed to be the quietest or most lifeless time.

Syllabify, accent, and mark sounds of letters in the following words: _fancy, gallop, prairie, bristling, rifle_.

LESSON VI.

e lud'ed, _got away from; avoided_.

ex cit'ing, _causing deep interest_.

marks'man, _one who shoots well_.

re treat'ing, _going away from_.

en a'bled, _helped; made able_.

sim'i lar, _like; nearly the same_.

pur suit', _following after_.

nim'bly, _with a quick motion_.

com menced', _began_.

AN ADVENTURE WITH DUSKY WOLVES.

PART II.

"The wolves, thus nimbly eluded, now kept on after Harry, who, in turn, became the object of our anxiety.

"In a moment they were close upon him; but he, already warned by his brother, wheeled in a similar manner, while the fierce brutes, swept along by the force of their running, were carried a long distance upon the ice before they could turn themselves.

"Their long, bushy tails, however, soon enabled them to turn about and follow in the new direction, and they galloped after Harry, who was now the nearest to them.

"Frank, in the meantime, had again turned, and came sweeping past behind them, at the same time shouting loudly, as if to tempt them away from their pursuit of Harry.

"They heeded him not, and again he changed his direction, and, as though he was about to skate into their midst, followed the wolves.