“It is the work of wolves,” said the Mongol.  “They are always hereabout in large numbers.”

We came across several more herds of antelope, which ran along quietly enough until they had made a comfortable distance ahead of us and then with tremendous leaps and bounds crossed our bows like the proverbial chicken on the road.  Then, after a couple of hundred paces at this speed, they stopped and began to graze quite calmly.  Once I turned my camel back and the whole herd immediately took up the challenge again, coursed along parallel with me until they had made sufficient distance for their ideas of safety and then once more rushed across the road ahead of me as though it were paved with red hot stones, only to assume their previous calmness and graze back on the same side of the trail from which our column had first started them.  On another occasion I did this three times with a particular herd and laughed long and heartily at their stupid customs.

We passed a very unpleasant night in this valley.  We stopped on the shore of the frozen stream in a spot where we found shelter from the wind under the lee of a high shore.  In our stove we did have a fire and in our kettle boiling water.  Also our tent was warm and cozy.  We were quietly resting with pleasant thoughts of supper to soothe us, when suddenly a howling and laughter as though from some inferno burst upon us from just outside the tent, while from the other side of the valley came the long and doleful howls in answer.

“Wolves,” calmly explained the Mongol, who took my revolver and went out of the tent.  He did not return for some time but at last we heard a shot and shortly after he entered.

“I scared them a little,” said he.  “They had congregated on the shore of the Adair around the body of a camel.”

“And they have not touched our camels?” we asked.

“We shall make a bonfire behind our tent; then they will not bother us.”

After our supper we turned in but I lay awake for a long time listening to the crackle of the wood in the fire, the deep sighing breaths of the camels and the distant howling of the packs of wolves; but finally, even with all these noises, fell asleep.  How long I had been asleep I did not know when suddenly I was awakened by a strong blow in the side.  I was lying at the very edge of the tent and someone from outside had, without the least ceremony, pushed strongly against me.  I thought it was one of the camels chewing the felt of the tent.  I took my Mauser and struck the wall.  A sharp scream was followed by the sound of quick running over the pebbles.  In the morning we discovered the tracks of wolves approaching our tent from the side opposite to the fire and followed them to where they had begun to dig under the tent wall; but evidently one of the would-be robbers was forced to retreat with a bruise on his head from the handle of the Mauser.