"Say, Henry, that other one that come in an' got a fish -- why didn't the dogs pitch into it? That's what's botherin' me.""You're botherin' too much, Bill," came the sleepy response."You was never like this before.You jes' shut up now, an' go to sleep, an' you'll be all hunkydory in the mornin'.Your stomach's sour, that's what's botherin'
you."
The men slept, breathing heavily, side by side, under the one covering.
The fire died down, and the gleaming eyes drew closer the circle they had flung about the camp.The dogs clustered together in fear, now and again snarling menacingly as a pair of eyes drew close.Once their uproar became so loud that Bill woke up.He got out of bed carefully, so as not to disturb the sleep of his comrade, and threw more wood on the fire.As it began to flame up, the circle of eyes drew farther back.He glanced casually at the huddling dogs.He rubbed his eyes and looked at them more sharply.
Then he crawled back into the blankets.
"Henry," he said."Oh, Henry."
Henry groaned as he passed from sleep to waking, and demanded, "What's wrong now?""Nothin'," came the answer; "only there's seven of 'em again.I just counted."Henry acknowledged receipt of the information with a grunt that slid into a snore as he drifted back into sleep.