Celie was accountable for that.

He confessed the fact to himself, not without a certain pleasurable satisfaction.

He had allowed her presence, and his thoughts of her, to fill the adventure completely for him, and as a result they were now facing an appalling danger.

If he had followed his own judgment, and had made Bram Johnson a prisoner, as he should have done in his line of duty, matters would have stood differently.
For several minutes after Celie had disappeared into her room he studied the actions of the wolves in the corral.

A short time before he had considered a method of ridding himself of Bram's watchful beasts.
Now he regarded them as the one greatest protection they possessed.
There were seven left.