"We had better move on," said he, "that carcass of the horse there draws
the wolves; they are often mad with hunger in the winter time you know,
and especially when there is snow on the ground. I could easily kill a
pretty good number of them, but they might come down upon us by scores,
and if I should happen to fall asleep again it would not be pleasant
to wake up and find myself in the stomach of one of those confounded
brutes. When I was disposed of they would make only a mouthful of you,
little one! So come along, we must scamper off as fast as ever we can.
That fellow there was only the advance guard, the others will not be far
behind him--this carcass will keep them busy for a while, and give us
time to get the start of them. You can walk now, Chiquita, can't you?"
"Yes, indeed," she replied cheerily, "that little nap has done me so
much good. Poor Agostino! you shall not have to carry me again, like
a great clumsy parcel. And Agostino," she added with a fierce energy,
"when my feet refuse to walk or run in your service you must just cut
my throat with your big knife there, and throw me into the next ditch.
I will thank you for it, Agostino, for I could not bear to have your
precious life in danger for the sake of poor, miserable little me.
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