But they obeyed without question.
Young Sterry hoped by making what might look like an attack upon the famishing beasts to scare them off for a few minutes, during which the three, and especially Jennie, could reach a point below them.

With the brutes thus thrown in the rear, it might be said the danger would be over.
Now, as every one knows, the wolf is a sneak, and generally will run from a child if it presents a bold front; but the animal becomes very dangerous when pressed by hunger.
Monteith Sterry's reception was altogether different from what he anticipated.

When the half-dozen wolves saw him speeding toward them they stopped their trotting, and, like the bear, looked around, as not understanding what it meant.
"Confound them! Why don't they take to the woods ?" he muttered.

He had removed the mitten from his right hand, which grasped his revolver.
"This isn't according to Hoyle." He shied a little to the right, with a view of preventing a collision with the creatures, and the moment he was close enough, let fly with one chamber at the nearest.
Accidentally he nipped the wolf, which emitted a yelping bark, leaped several feet in the air, then limped into the woods, as he had learned enough of the interesting stranger.
That was just what the youth had hoped to do, and the success of his scheme would have been perfect had the others imitated their wounded companion, but they did not.
Without paying any attention to Sterry they broke into a gallop toward the middle of the river, their course such as to place them either in advance of Fred and Jennie Whitney or to bring all together.
Greatly alarmed for his friends, Monteith did an unnecessary thing by shouting (for the couple could not fail to see their danger), and fired two more barrels of his pistol.

Neither shot took effect, nor did the wolves give them any heed, but they and the skaters converged with perilous swiftness.
Forgetful of his own danger, Monteith shouted again: "Look out! Why don't you change your course ?" Neither replied, but it was absurd for the panic-stricken youth to suppose they did not understand the situation and were shaping their movements accordingly.
Having observed the wolves as soon as Sterry, they never lost sight of them for a second.