Louis was confident they were not far from "the bigstone," but careful
Hector had his doubts, and Catharine was weary. The children had already
conceived a sort of home feeling for the valley and the mass of stone that
had sheltered them for so many nights, and soon the dark mass came in
sight, as the broad full light of the now risen moon fell upon its rugged
sides; they were nearer to it than they had imagined. "Forward for 'the big
stone' and the wigwam," cried Louis.
"Hush!" said Catharine, "look there," raising her hand with a warning
gesture.
"Where? what?"
"The wolf! the wolf!" gasped out the terrified girl. There indeed, upon the
summit of the block, in the attitude of a sentinel or watcher, stood the
gaunt-figured animal, and as she spoke, a long wild cry, the sound of which
seemed as if it came midway between the earth and the tops of the tall
pines on the lofty ridge above them, struck terror into their hearts, as
with speechless horror they gazed upon the dark outline of the terrible
beast. There it stood, with its head raised, its neck stretched outward,
and ears erect, as if to catch the echo that gave back those dismal sounds;
another minute and he was gone, and the crushing of branches and the rush
of many feet on the high bank above, was followed by the prolonged cry of
some poor fugitive animal,--a doe, or fawn, perhaps,--in the very climax
of mortal agony; and then the lonely recesses of the forest took up that
fearful death-cry, the far-off shores of the lake and the distant islands
prolonged it, and the terrified children clung together in fear and
trembling.
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