they're headed for the ridge. They'll follow that fence, go along the pipeline and jump that coyote in Swamenburg's woods. What you think?"
"Maybe," said Abe. "Let us go over the hill out and look if anything breaks from the woods over the road."
They hurried back to the car and Ike Yoder started it with a force that made the gravel spurt under the tires. They had lost sight of the pack and could no longer hear them over the noise of the engine. On the way to the farm, Yoder had been a slow, cautious driver, but now he tore along like a madman, the car leaping and jolting over the potholes. Then to Billy's shock, he gave the wheel a sudden twist and went right across a field, following the open gap of a pipeline. At the top of the ridge he killed the engine and everyone leaned out to listen, Billy trying to hold his breath so he could hear better.
Far away he could hear crows crying angrily. Then came the sound of a house dog barking, which for a moment, Billy thought might be the cry of the hounds. They waited a few minutes more but no other sounds came to them. Ike Yoder abruptly threw the car into gear and they were off again.
They rocketed down the far side of the hill at full speed, the car swaying so that the boy had to cling to the side. They hit the dirt road farther down and tore along it. The woods came to an abrupt end here, and Yoder stopped. Everyone strained with listening.
"There they are," said Lapp, jumping out. The other men followed him and, in his excitement, Billy fell. Abe Zook angrily jerked him to his feet and muttered, "Don't be such a dumkoft!"
Now they could clearly hear the hounds. "Oh, that's welcome!" breathed Yoder. They continued to listen, Billy scarcely daring to breathe.
"They're coming back from the woods," said Yoder after a minute.
"They've split," added Lapp.
Abe Zook said nothing. Billy was bursting to ask questions but did not dare, for the men were still listening intently.
"Rock and Squealer are on the dog that the wolf runs with," said Abe after a pause. "I have seen her and I think she is a female. They will not stay long on her. They are not much for another dog. They know something is wrong already."
Billy was now conscious that the baying was coming from two different directions. From a field below the ridge the boy could identify the cry of two hounds, one of them shrill. Even while he listened the baying petered away uncertainly, but from the woods above them came a deeper, surer chorus.
"Where do you think he'll break?" asked Lapp.
Abe Zook shrugged. "Here down by the fence maybe."
The men fingered their guns and said nothing. Billy stared at the long gash of the pipeline cutting and wondered what might suddenly appear there.
Rock and Squealer emerged from the woods, ran over to the men and then cast about looking for a fresh scent. Lapp called them over and heaved them into the car.
Abe Zook suggested, "Let us take the car and go to Five Points. Isaac, you stay here maybe?"
"OK, I'll stay," agreed Lapp. "I'll keep the dogs with me."
"Put leashes on them yet," said Yoder. The dogs were unloaded from the car, leads fastened to their collars, and Lapp held them while the others drove off.
Five Points was on the far side of the ridge, a place where five roads came together. As they started to get out of the car, there came the sudden scream of a wildly excited hound, not twenty feet from where they were, instantly joined by the yelling of the rest of the pack shouting the view. At almost the same instant, a brown form shot from the underbrush and flew past them. Billy got a quick glimpse of long legs, a narrow muzzle, and a curious undoglike lope, and then the creature had crossed the road and was gone.
"The werewolf!" he screamed. "Now he's gone!"
Neither man answered. Both had been in the act of getting out of the car and neither had his rifle ready.
The pack tore across the road in full cry. There was a brief crashing as they went through the sumac tangle
"Maybe," said Abe. "Let us go over the hill out and look if anything breaks from the woods over the road."
They hurried back to the car and Ike Yoder started it with a force that made the gravel spurt under the tires. They had lost sight of the pack and could no longer hear them over the noise of the engine. On the way to the farm, Yoder had been a slow, cautious driver, but now he tore along like a madman, the car leaping and jolting over the potholes. Then to Billy's shock, he gave the wheel a sudden twist and went right across a field, following the open gap of a pipeline. At the top of the ridge he killed the engine and everyone leaned out to listen, Billy trying to hold his breath so he could hear better.
Far away he could hear crows crying angrily. Then came the sound of a house dog barking, which for a moment, Billy thought might be the cry of the hounds. They waited a few minutes more but no other sounds came to them. Ike Yoder abruptly threw the car into gear and they were off again.
They rocketed down the far side of the hill at full speed, the car swaying so that the boy had to cling to the side. They hit the dirt road farther down and tore along it. The woods came to an abrupt end here, and Yoder stopped. Everyone strained with listening.
"There they are," said Lapp, jumping out. The other men followed him and, in his excitement, Billy fell. Abe Zook angrily jerked him to his feet and muttered, "Don't be such a dumkoft!"
Now they could clearly hear the hounds. "Oh, that's welcome!" breathed Yoder. They continued to listen, Billy scarcely daring to breathe.
"They're coming back from the woods," said Yoder after a minute.
"They've split," added Lapp.
Abe Zook said nothing. Billy was bursting to ask questions but did not dare, for the men were still listening intently.
"Rock and Squealer are on the dog that the wolf runs with," said Abe after a pause. "I have seen her and I think she is a female. They will not stay long on her. They are not much for another dog. They know something is wrong already."
Billy was now conscious that the baying was coming from two different directions. From a field below the ridge the boy could identify the cry of two hounds, one of them shrill. Even while he listened the baying petered away uncertainly, but from the woods above them came a deeper, surer chorus.
"Where do you think he'll break?" asked Lapp.
Abe Zook shrugged. "Here down by the fence maybe."
The men fingered their guns and said nothing. Billy stared at the long gash of the pipeline cutting and wondered what might suddenly appear there.
Rock and Squealer emerged from the woods, ran over to the men and then cast about looking for a fresh scent. Lapp called them over and heaved them into the car.
Abe Zook suggested, "Let us take the car and go to Five Points. Isaac, you stay here maybe?"
"OK, I'll stay," agreed Lapp. "I'll keep the dogs with me."
"Put leashes on them yet," said Yoder. The dogs were unloaded from the car, leads fastened to their collars, and Lapp held them while the others drove off.
Five Points was on the far side of the ridge, a place where five roads came together. As they started to get out of the car, there came the sudden scream of a wildly excited hound, not twenty feet from where they were, instantly joined by the yelling of the rest of the pack shouting the view. At almost the same instant, a brown form shot from the underbrush and flew past them. Billy got a quick glimpse of long legs, a narrow muzzle, and a curious undoglike lope, and then the creature had crossed the road and was gone.
"The werewolf!" he screamed. "Now he's gone!"
Neither man answered. Both had been in the act of getting out of the car and neither had his rifle ready.
The pack tore across the road in full cry. There was a brief crashing as they went through the sumac tangle
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