Unable to distinguish the words, the hired men rushed to the door and threw it open.  Peering along the path of the light, they saw the forms of the boys.

“Quick!  The rifle!  The wolf’s after us!” shouted Tom.

Fortunately Mr. Alden always kept a loaded rifle on a rack on the kitchen wall with which to shoot foxes that attempted to raid his hen-roost.

Hastily the hired man named Joe sprang for the weapon, seized it and dashed from the door, shouting: 

“Where is it?  Where is it?”

Before the boys could answer, however, his keen eyes espied the black form.

Joe had often amused himself shooting at a target with Larry and Tom and was able to make four bull’s-eyes out of five, but never before had the opportunity to aim at a live mark come to him, and as he raised the rifle his hands trembled.

“Shoot! shoot!” yelled Larry.  “No matter if you don’t hit it, shoot!”

Bang! went the gun, and as the report of the firearm died away the wolf was seen to stagger and fall.  Soon the beast arose again, but by that time the hired man was ready for another shot.  This finished the beast, and with a yelp it rolled over and breathed its last.

CHAPTER II

MR. ALDEN BRINGS NEWS

Exhausted by their run and the excitement of their escape, Larry and Tom staggered into the house and dropped into chairs, their mother and the hired men pressing about and plying them with questions.  But it was several minutes before the boys recovered their breath sufficiently to speak.

Tom was the first to get over his fright, and, as soon as he could control his voice, gave a vivid account of their attempt to reach home before their father, their hearing the uncanny sound from the swamp, the sudden appearance of the wolf behind them and their desperate race to get to the house before the beast should overtake them.

“It’s a good thing I practiced shooting last winter,” exclaimed Joe as the story ended.  He was proud of what he had accomplished.

“There’s father,” declared Mrs. Alden as a “whoa!” sounded from the yard.

Quickly Larry picked up a lantern, and, followed by all but his mother, went out to help unhitch the horses and take them into the barn.

“What’s been going on?” demanded the farmer as the others joined him.  “I heard the rifle shot.”

Eagerly they all started to tell.

“Don’t all speak at once,” interposed Mr. Alden.  “You’re talking so loud and so fast I can’t understand a word.  Tom, suppose you explain?”

Excitedly the youngest of the brothers poured forth the tale.

“A wolf in Bramley, eh?  Well, well!  It’s a good thing you boys were so near home.  This is sure a great day for happenings.  My sons get chased into their own dooryard and I——­”

But as though to arouse their curiosity, the farmer did not finish his sentence.