“When the wolf pack came down on me, the beast got frightened, and just left his poor master in the lurch,” returned the rescued one, calmly, yet
watching out of the corner of his eyes to notice the others exchange quick looks, and nod their heads, as if to say: “see, just like I told you, Billie was equal to anything that came along; he’s all right, Billie is!”
“Wolves, eh?” remarked Adrian, presently.
“So the hungry critters got scent of you last night, did they, Billie?” questioned the other chum, eagerly; “and you must have had a tough time staying awake to chase the pack away. Knock over any?”
“Oh! I don’t know how many, because as fast as I bowled one over the rest would jump in, and gobble him up. This morning all I could find there, was a lot of bones scattered about, and some chunks of hair.”
Billie said this as coolly as though after all it were a very little matter, and hardly worth mentioning, after a fellow had alone and unaided slain a grizzly bear.
“And you’ve really not had any sleep all night, then?” Adrian asked; as though that was the most astonishing part of the whole business in his eyes.
“Never a wink I can truthfully say,” the hero of the occasion declared, holding up his right hand in affirmation; “but I’m feeling all right again now. I could stand the wolf part of it, yes, and the keeping on guard a thousand hours, like it seemed to me; but the starving was just awful. I’m mighty
glad to be with you both again. And p’raps, when noontime comes, we can cook something warm.”
“Oh! we’ll promise you that, old fellow,” laughed Adrian; “but let’s be getting out of this blistering heat. I think it’s even worse after that sand storm. Over yonder we’ve got our camp, with poor old Bray waiting for us. He pulled through in good shape, because a mule is tougher than most horses. Come, jump up in your saddle again, and see how it feels to ride.”