human
Well, they do sound different somehow, from what they did when we were sitting around the cheery camp-fire, listening to stories told by the guides, Thad admitted.
gpt
But then, wolves as a rule are cowardly brutes. They may do a heap of howling, but they seldom show any bravery. Only when in packs are they feared by hunters, away up in the frozen-up parts of Canada, I'm told.
human
But, say, don't you think there's a pack around here, right now?
gpt
What makes you ask that?
human
Why, in the first place, old Eli told us they never came away down here unless in numbers; and then again, Thad, didn't you notice that when one gave tongue over yonder to the right, a second answered him back from the left; and by jinks! listen to that, would you, a third and a fourth, as sure as you live! Say, they're all around us, Thad; they've got us surrounded!
gpt
Let 'em surround, if it does 'em any good, laughed the other; and if he felt the slightest bit of uneasiness himself on account of those wolfish howls, Thad at least managed to conceal it; because he knew Step Hen was feeling
human
But don't you think they might be able to pull us down just by force of numbers, Thad?
gpt
Oh! there can't be any such bunch of the cowardly brutes around, as all that, I guess, Step Hen. And don't forget, please, that we're armed with weapons calculated to knock the spots out of any gray sneak that ever tried to steal venison won by two husky hunters. Think how you have six bullets in that little gun of yours; and each one ought to count for a wolf, if it came to the worst.
human
Oh! there's where I was a fool!
gpt
What's that?
human
Why, I never stuck a blessed cartridge in my pocket, you see. Thought the six I had in the magazine of the gun would be good and plenty for all the needs I'd run up against. Now I wish I had the whole hundred along. Just my luck. I'm always losing things, and if it ain't anything else, it must be chances. Think of a hundred dead wolves, and all killed with this great little gun while I sat perched up in the crotch of a nice tree! It makes me sick to think of it, that's what, Thad.
gpt
Are you sure you did put six cartridges in the magazine before we left?
human
Well, that's what I meant to do, and I reckon I did, all right; though Giraffe was joking me at the time, and he might have upset my calculations,
gpt
Well, then, suppose you drop your bundle of meat, and take a look, advised Thad.
human
If it gets to warm quarters it's just as well that you know how many wolves you can account for. Throw them out in one, two, three order, now.