Two Young Lumbermen by Edward Stratemeyer

When Owen returned with the horses, Dale had found everything but a bag of shot that had been resting in the back end of the sleigh when the catastrophe occurred.

"I can't find the shot anywhere," he said. "It was so heavy that it has sunk clear out of sight."

"Well, we can't waste time here," was Owen's reply. "Come, help me hitch up the team and we'll be on our way."

They were soon ready to move, and then came the task of getting the turnout back to the road at the top of the hollow. Before making the start Owen tested the ground and the snow in several directions with a stick.

"We'll try it this way," he said, pointing out the course. "You take hold of Billy and I'll try to handle Daisy."

With some misgivings, the start was made. The horses lurched and plunged, and the sleigh creaked and groaned as if ready to go to pieces then and there.

"One more pull and we'll be up! " cried Owen. "Now then, get up, Daisy! get up, Billy!"

The team did its best, and now the sleigh was at the very edge of the trail above. Here was a steep incline of several yards. Billy slipped and Dale came close to going under the animal's hoofs. But horse and youth regained their positions, and with a final jerk the horses reached a firm footing, and the turnout and the young lumbermen came after them.

"Phew! That's a good job done! " panted Owen, coming to a halt for breath.

"You're right, Owen. I was afraid we'd have to give it up," panted Dale in return.

"Here is the bag of shot. It must have fallen out of the sleigh when the horses first took fright."

"Do you think that bear will bother us any more?"

"I hope not. But you had better keep the shot-gun handy. I'll take the reins and try to keep them under control, no matter what happens."

The sky had grown darker, and the snow was now coming down in smaller flakes. These appeared to grow harder, and presently the wind came up, driving the flakes into their faces like so much salt.

"We're up against a regular snowstorm, and no mistake," remarked Owen. "We'll be lucky if we reach camp to-night."

"We'll have to reach camp," answered Dale hastily. The prospect of spending a night among the hills, with no shelter, and with a big bear in that vicinity, did not appeal to him.

"We'll do the best we can, Dale. I can't see the road, can you?"

"Not more than a yard or two ahead of the horses. But they ought to be able to keep the trail. They know they are going home."

"If they don't get scared again."

On they went, the sleigh making scarcely a sound, excepting where it scraped over some wind-swept rock or an exposed tree root. Both of the young lumbermen kept on guard for a possible encounter with wild animals, but not so much as a rabbit appeared to disturb them.