"Now then, my fine lady, come and meddle with us if you dare!" muttered my friend, imitating l'Encuerado's tone.
The coyote uttered a shrill cry, and almost immediately a sixth came and stood by her.
"Don't fire till I tell you," said I to Lucien, who seemed as bold as possible.
"You take the dog-wolf," cried Sumichrast to me; "but we won't provoke the contest."
Seeing us evince no fear, the brutes suddenly made off. Sumichrast descended to the bottom of the ravine, and then called me. I noticed among the high grass the entrance of a burrow strewed with whitened bones. Two yards farther on I saw the head of one of the animals, with eyes glittering like a cat's, glaring out of the entrance of another burrow. I threw a stone at the beast, which, far from showing any fear, curled up its lips and showed us a very perfect set of teeth.
"I threw a stone at the beast."
As it was by no means our intention to make war upon wolves, I returned to the plain with Lucien, who had shown no ordinary coolness. I was glad of it, for my great wish was to inure him to danger, and I feared the Indian's misadventure with the otter might have had a bad influence.
"Didn't those wolves frighten you?" asked my friend of the boy.
"A little—especially their eyes, which seemed to dart fire."