Then he discovered it.

The wolves were gone.

Remained only the trampled snow to show how closely they had pressed him.

Sleep was welling up and gripping him again, his head was sinking down upon his knees, when he roused with a sudden start.
There were cries of men, and churn of sleds, the creaking of harnesses, and the eager whimpering of straining dogs.

Four sleds pulled in from the river bed to the camp among the trees.