Білий ікол
The Trail of the Meat
Instead,hepointedtowardsthewallofdarknessthatpressedaboutthemfromeveryside. Therewasnosuggestionofformintheutterblackness; onlycouldbeseenapairofeyesgleaminglikelivecoals. Henryindicatedwithhisheadasecondpair,andathird. Acircleofthegleamingeyeshaddrawnabouttheircamp. Nowandagainapairofeyesmoved,ordisappearedtoappearagainamomentlater.
Theunrestofthedogshadbeenincreasing,andtheystampeded,inasurgeofsuddenfear,tothenearsideofthefire, cringingandcrawlingaboutthelegsofthemen. Inthescrambleoneofthedogshadbeenoverturnedontheedgeofthefire,andithadyelpedwithpainandfrightasthesmellofitssingedcoatpossessedtheair. Thecommotioncausedthecircleofeyestoshiftrestlesslyforamomentandeventowithdrawabit,butitsettleddownagainasthedogsbecamequiet.
"Henry,it’sablamemisfortunetobeoutofammunition."
Billhadfinishedhispipeandwashelpinghiscompaniontospreadthebedoffurandblanketuponthespruceboughswhichhehadlaidoverthesnowbeforesupper. Henrygrunted,andbeganunlacinghismocassins.
"Howmanycartridgesdidyousayyouhadleft? "heasked.
"Three,"cametheanswer. "An’Iwisht’twasthreehundred. ThenI’dshow’emwhatfor,damn’em!"
Heshookhisfistangrilyatthegleamingeyes,andbegansecurelytoprophismoccasinsbeforethefire.
"An’Iwishtthiscoldsnap’dbreak,"hewenton. "It’sbenfiftybelowfortwoweeksnow. An’IwishtI’dneverstartedonthistrip,Henry.
