Beyond the sunset

by Arthur D. Howden Smith

I felt him shrug his shoulders.

"Wolfs."

"Real? Did I imagine that?"

"It may be they were spirit wolves, such as Nadoweiswe warned us of," said Tawannears at my other side, taking his musket from the Dutchman's charge.

I could not see his face, but his voice was serious.

"You mock me," I answered.

"Why, brother? Who knows? We have passed beyond the world of men, I think."

"You touched one, did you not?" I insisted.

He considered.

"True." He raised the hand to his nostrils, sniffed. "And it left on me the rank wolf smell. Yes, they were no spirit beasts, brother, but it does not matter. Spirit beasts or flesh and blood, they would never have touched me."