"Climb a tree quickly!" They had seen and heard him, and making for the nearest tree, each shinned up as fast as he could.
"Here's a howdy-do," said Tom to himself.

"Four boys treed by wolves and night coming on." Yet he swung his legs and whistled thoughtfully, while the others shouted to him, but he could not hear what they said, for the wind was blowing away from him.

In the meantime the wolves did not all desert him and he could only wait patiently, with the others, for something to turn up.
What did turn up was a good deal of a shock to all of them.
Grace, Jessica, Nora and Anne suddenly emerged from the forest, standing out in bold relief on the brow of the hill.
The three boys at the top of the hill all jumped to the ground at once.
"Run for the trees," cried David, for the wolves had caught the new scent and had started toward them on a dead run.
"Crack, crack," went a rifle.

Instantly the first wolf staggered and fell backward.
How was it that the boys had not noticed before that the girls were not alone?
Another shot and a second wolf ran almost into their midst, gave a leap and fell dead.

One more dropped; and the sole surviving wolf beat a frenzied retreat.
"We found old Jean!" cried Grace.