The eyes of the two met again and each asked a question of the other.
"I think I was careless, Sol," said Henry. His voice shook a little.
"I hope so," said Shif'less Sol, whose mind was veering more and more toward the belief of Tom Ross, "but I'd like pow'ful well to put a bullet through that animal myself. Them awful wolf howls o' his hit on my nerves, they do."
The chance of the shiftless one came presently. He, too, saw among the bushes the long dark body, the massive pointed head and the glittering eyes. He fired as quickly as Henry had done. Then came that silence, followed in a few minutes by the deep and sinister baying note of the great hound.
"I reckon I fired too quick, too," said Shif'less Sol. But the hands that grasped his rifle were damp and cold.
"'Tain't no use," said Tom Ross in a tone of absolute conviction. "I've seen you and Henry fire afore at harder targets than that, an' hit 'em every time. You hit this one, too."
"Then why didn't we kill the brute?" exclaimed Henry.
"'Cause lead wuzn't meant to kill him. Your bullets went right through him an' never hurt him."
Henry forced a laugh.
"Pshaw, Tom," he said. "Don't talk such foolishness.'"