Frightful howls resounded. The wolves, starting on the track of the horse, fled into the darkness with a terrible speed.
"Ha! Thalcave!" cried Glenarvan.
"Quick, quick!" continued the Indian; while Glenarvan said to Robert, in a voice broken by emotion,—
"Robert, my lad, you hear! He will sacrifice himself for us; he will rush out over the plain, and turn aside the fury of the wolves upon himself."
"Friend Thalcave," replied Robert, looking imploringly at the Patagonian, "friend Thalcave, do not leave us!"
"No," said Glenarvan, "he will not leave us."
And, turning to the Indian, he added, pointing to the terrified horses crowding against the stakes,—