Dick left the scene with a feeling of regret that the villanous wolves should have their feast so much sooner than they expected.
Yet, after all, why should we call these wolves villanous?
They did nothing wrong--nothing contrary to the laws of their peculiar nature.
Nay, if we come to reason upon it, they rank higher in this matter than man; for while the wolf does no violence to the laws of its instincts, man often deliberately silences the voice of conscience, and violates the laws of his own nature.

But we will not insist on the term, good reader, if you object strongly to it.

We are willing to admit that the wolves are _not_ villanous, but, _assuredly_, they are unlovable.
In the course of the afternoon the three horsemen reached a small creek, the banks of which were lined with a few stunted shrubs and trees.

Having eaten nothing since the night before, they dismounted here to "feed," as Joe expressed it.
"Cur'ous thing," remarked Joe, as he struck a light by means of flint, steel, and tinder-box--"cur'ous thing that we're made to need sich a lot o' grub.

If we could only get on like the sarpints, now, wot can breakfast on a rabbit, and then wait a month or two for dinner! Ain't it cur'ous ?" Dick admitted that it was, and stooped to blow the fire into a blaze.
Here Henri uttered a cry of consternation, and stood speechless, with his mouth open.
"What's the matter?
what is't ?" cried Dick and Joe, seizing their rifles instinctively.
"De--grub--him--be--forgat!" There was a look of blank horror, and then a burst of laughter from Dick Varley.