It was a pack large enough to be fearless of any enemy and to attack boldly any prey that crossed its path.
Leading the way, and keeping under cover of trees, with Bobby and Jimmy close at his heels, Skipper Ed turned and ran down the gulch toward the cabin, which was not above a mile distant.

The gulch ended in an open space, which was a marsh in summer but was now a white expanse of hard-beaten snow.

Between this open space and the bay shore a hedge of thick brush grew.

On its northern and southern sides the open was flanked by the forest, extending from the gulch mouth to the shore of the bay, and on the northern side it continued to Skipper Ed's cabin and beyond.
Skipper Ed led the way into the forest to the southward of the open, that they might keep well to leeward of the pack, and thus avoid so far as possible danger of the wolves getting their scent.

He hoped that this maneuver might permit them to circuit back to the cabin under the protecting cover of the brush fringe along the shore and the forest to the northward.