English
Buck'sfirstdayontheDyeabeachwaslikeanightmare.
Everyhourwasfilledwithshockandsurprise.
Hehadbeensuddenlyjerkedfromtheheartofcivilizationandflungintotheheartofthingsprimordial.
Nolazy,sun-kissedlifewasthis,withnothingtodobutloafandbebored.
Herewasneitherpeace,norrest,noramoment'ssafety.
Allwasconfusionandaction,andeverymomentlifeandlimbwereinperil.
Therewasimperativeneedtobeconstantlyalert;forthesedogsandmenwerenottowndogsandmen.
Theyweresavages,allofthem,whoknewnolawbutthelawofclubandfang.
Hehadneverseendogsfightasthesewolfishcreaturesfought,andhisfirstexperiencetaughthimanunforgetablelesson.
Itistrue,itwasavicariousexperience,elsehewouldnothavelivedtoprofitbyit.Curlywasthevictim.
Theywerecampednearthelogstore,whereshe,inherfriendlyway,madeadvancestoahuskydogthesizeofafull-grownwolf,thoughnothalfsolargeasshe.
Therewasnowarning,onlyaleapinlikeaflash,ametallicclipofteeth,aleapoutequallyswift,andCurly'sfacewasrippedopenfromeyetojaw.
Itwasthewolfmanneroffighting,tostrikeandleapaway;buttherewasmoretoitthanthis.
Thirtyorfortyhuskiesrantothespotandsurroundedthecombatantsinanintentandsilentcircle.
Buckdidnotcomprehendthatsilentintentness,northeeagerwaywithwhichtheywerelickingtheirchops.
Curlyrushedherantagonist,whostruckagainandleapedaside.
Hemethernextrushwithhischest,inapeculiarfashionthattumbledheroffherfeet.
Sheneverregainedthem,Thiswaswhattheonlookinghuskieshadwaitedfor.
Theyclosedinuponher,snarlingandyelping,andshewasburied,screamingwithagony,beneaththebristlingmassofbodies.
Sosuddenwasit,andsounexpected,thatBuckwastakenaback.
HesawSpitzrunouthisscarlettongueinawayhehadoflaughing;andhesawFrancois,swinginganaxe,springintothemessofdogs.
Threemenwithclubswerehelpinghimtoscatterthem.Itdidnottakelong.
TwominutesfromthetimeCurlywentdown,thelastofherassailantswereclubbedoff.
Butshelaytherelimpandlifelessinthebloody,trampledsnow,almostliterallytorntopieces,theswarthalf-breedstandingoverherandcursinghorribly.
ThesceneoftencamebacktoBucktotroublehiminhissleep.Sothatwastheway.Nofairplay.Oncedown,thatwastheendofyou.
Well,hewouldseetoitthatheneverwentdown.
Spitzranouthistongueandlaughedagain,andfromthatmomentBuckhatedhimwithabitteranddeathlesshatred.
BeforehehadrecoveredfromtheshockcausedbythetragicpassingofCurly,hereceivedanothershock.
Francoisfasteneduponhimanarrangementofstrapsandbuckles.
Itwasaharness,suchashehadseenthegroomsputonthehorsesathome.
Andashehadseenhorseswork,sohewassettowork,haulingFrancoisonasledtotheforestthatfringedthevalley,andreturningwithaloadoffirewood.
Thoughhisdignitywassorelyhurtbythusbeingmadeadraughtanimal,hewastoowisetorebel.
Hebuckleddownwithawillanddidhisbest,thoughitwasallnewandstrange.
Francoiswasstern,demandinginstantobedience,andbyvirtueofhiswhipreceivinginstantobedience;whileDave,whowasanexperiencedwheeler,nippedBuck'shindquarterswheneverhewasinerror.
Spitzwastheleader,likewiseexperienced,andwhilehecouldnotalwaysgetatBuck,hegrowledsharpreproofnowandagain,orcunninglythrewhisweightinthetracestojerkBuckintothewayheshouldgo.
Bucklearnedeasily,andunderthecombinedtuitionofhistwomatesandFrancoismaderemarkableprogress.
Eretheyreturnedtocampheknewenoughtostopat"ho,"togoaheadat"mush,"toswingwideonthebends,andtokeepclearofthewheelerwhentheloadedsledshotdownhillattheirheels.
"T'reevair'gooddogs,"FrancoistoldPerrault."DatBuck,heempoollakhell.Itichheemqueekasanyt'ing."
Byafternoon,Perrault,whowasinahurrytobeonthetrailwithhisdespatches,returnedwithtwomoredogs.
"Billee"and"Joe"hecalledthem,twobrothers,andtruehuskiesboth.
Sonsoftheonemotherthoughtheywere,theywereasdifferentasdayandnight.
Billee'sonefaultwashisexcessivegoodnature,whileJoewastheveryopposite,sourandintrospective,withaperpetualsnarlandamalignanteye.
Buckreceivedthemincomradelyfashion,Daveignoredthem,whileSpitzproceededtothrashfirstoneandthentheother.
Billeewaggedhistailappeasingly,turnedtorunwhenhesawthatappeasementwasofnoavail,andcried(stillappeasingly)whenSpitz'ssharpteethscoredhisflank.
ButnomatterhowSpitzcircled,Joewhirledaroundonhisheelstofacehim,manebristling,earslaidback,lipswrithingandsnarling,jawsclippingtogetherasfastashecouldsnap,andeyesdiabolicallygleaming—theincarnationofbelligerentfear.
SoterriblewashisappearancethatSpitzwasforcedtoforegodisciplininghim;buttocoverhisowndiscomfitureheturnedupontheinoffensiveandwailingBilleeanddrovehimtotheconfinesofthecamp.
ByeveningPerraultsecuredanotherdog,anoldhusky,longandleanandgaunt,withabattle-scarredfaceandasingleeyewhichflashedawarningofprowessthatcommandedrespect.
HewascalledSol-leks,whichmeanstheAngryOne.
LikeDave,heaskednothing,gavenothing,expectednothing;andwhenhemarchedslowlyanddeliberatelyintotheirmidst,evenSpitzlefthimalone.
HehadonepeculiaritywhichBuckwasunluckyenoughtodiscover.
Hedidnotliketobeapproachedonhisblindside.
OfthisoffenceBuckwasunwittinglyguilty,andthefirstknowledgehehadofhisindiscretionwaswhenSol-lekswhirleduponhimandslashedhisshouldertotheboneforthreeinchesupanddown.
ForeverafterBuckavoidedhisblindside,andtothelastoftheircomradeshiphadnomoretrouble.
Hisonlyapparentambition,likeDave's,wastobeleftalone;though,asBuckwasafterwardtolearn,eachofthempossessedoneotherandevenmorevitalambition.
ThatnightBuckfacedthegreatproblemofsleeping.
Thetent,illuminedbyacandle,glowedwarmlyinthemidstofthewhiteplain;andwhenhe,asamatterofcourse,enteredit,bothPerraultandFrancoisbombardedhimwithcursesandcookingutensils,tillherecoveredfromhisconsternationandfledignominiouslyintotheoutercold.
Achillwindwasblowingthatnippedhimsharplyandbitwithespecialvenomintohiswoundedshoulder.
Helaydownonthesnowandattemptedtosleep,butthefrostsoondrovehimshiveringtohisfeet.
Miserableanddisconsolate,hewanderedaboutamongthemanytents,onlytofindthatoneplacewasascoldasanother.
Hereandtheresavagedogsrusheduponhim,buthebristledhisneck-hairandsnarled(forhewaslearningfast),andtheylethimgohiswayunmolested.
Finallyanideacametohim.Hewouldreturnandseehowhisownteam-matesweremakingout.
Tohisastonishment,theyhaddisappeared.
Againhewanderedaboutthroughthegreatcamp,lookingforthem,andagainhereturned.Weretheyinthetent?
No,thatcouldnotbe,elsehewouldnothavebeendrivenout.Thenwherecouldtheypossiblybe?
Withdroopingtailandshiveringbody,veryforlornindeed,heaimlesslycircledthetent.
Suddenlythesnowgavewaybeneathhisforelegsandhesankdown.Somethingwriggledunderhisfeet.
Hesprangback,bristlingandsnarling,fearfuloftheunseenandunknown.
Butafriendlylittleyelpreassuredhim,andhewentbacktoinvestigate.
Awhiffofwarmairascendedtohisnostrils,andthere,curledupunderthesnowinasnugball,layBillee.
Hewhinedplacatingly,squirmedandwriggledtoshowhisgoodwillandintentions,andevenventured,asabribeforpeace,tolickBuck'sfacewithhiswarmwettongue.
Anotherlesson.Sothatwasthewaytheydidit,eh?
Buckconfidentlyselectedaspot,andwithmuchfussandwasteeffortproceededtodigaholeforhimself.
Inatricetheheatfromhisbodyfilledtheconfinedspaceandhewasasleep.
Thedayhadbeenlongandarduous,andhesleptsoundlyandcomfortably,thoughhegrowledandbarkedandwrestledwithbaddreams.
Nordidheopenhiseyestillrousedbythenoisesofthewakingcamp.Atfirsthedidnotknowwherehewas.
Ithadsnowedduringthenightandhewascompletelyburied.
Thesnowwallspressedhimoneveryside,andagreatsurgeoffearsweptthroughhim—thefearofthewildthingforthetrap.
Itwasatokenthathewasharkingbackthroughhisownlifetothelivesofhisforebears;forhewasacivilizeddog,anundulycivilizeddog,andofhisownexperienceknewnotrapandsocouldnotofhimselffearit.
Themusclesofhiswholebodycontractedspasmodicallyandinstinctively,thehaironhisneckandshouldersstoodonend,andwithaferocioussnarlheboundedstraightupintotheblindingday,thesnowflyingabouthiminaflashingcloud.
Erehelandedonhisfeet,hesawthewhitecampspreadoutbeforehimandknewwherehewasandrememberedallthathadpassedfromthetimehewentforastrollwithManueltotheholehehaddugforhimselfthenightbefore.
AshoutfromFrancoishailedhisappearance."WotIsay?"thedog-drivercriedtoPerrault."DatBuckforsurelearnqueekasanyt'ing."
Perraultnoddedgravely.AscourierfortheCanadianGovernment,bearingimportantdespatches,hewasanxioustosecurethebestdogs,andhewasparticularlygladdenedbythepossessionofBuck.
Threemorehuskieswereaddedtotheteaminsideanhour,makingatotalofnine,andbeforeanotherquarterofanhourhadpassedtheywereinharnessandswingingupthetrailtowardtheDyeaCanon.
Buckwasgladtobegone,andthoughtheworkwashardhefoundhedidnotparticularlydespiseit.
Hewassurprisedattheeagernesswhichanimatedthewholeteamandwhichwascommunicatedtohim;butstillmoresurprisingwasthechangewroughtinDaveandSol-leks.
Theywerenewdogs,utterlytransformedbytheharness.
Allpassivenessandunconcernhaddroppedfromthem.
Theywerealertandactive,anxiousthattheworkshouldgowell,andfiercelyirritablewithwhatever,bydelayorconfusion,retardedthatwork.
Thetoilofthetracesseemedthesupremeexpressionoftheirbeing,andallthattheylivedforandtheonlythinginwhichtheytookdelight.
Davewaswheelerorsleddog,pullinginfrontofhimwasBuck,thencameSol-leks;therestoftheteamwasstrungoutahead,singlefile,totheleader,whichpositionwasfilledbySpitz.
BuckhadbeenpurposelyplacedbetweenDaveandSol-lekssothathemightreceiveinstruction.
Aptscholarthathewas,theywereequallyaptteachers,neverallowinghimtolingerlonginerror,andenforcingtheirteachingwiththeirsharpteeth.Davewasfairandverywise.
HenevernippedBuckwithoutcause,andheneverfailedtoniphimwhenhestoodinneedofit.
AsFrancois'swhipbackedhimup,Buckfoundittobecheapertomendhiswaysthantoretaliate.
Once,duringabriefhalt,whenhegottangledinthetracesanddelayedthestart,bothDaveandSolleksflewathimandadministeredasoundtrouncing.
Theresultingtanglewasevenworse,butBucktookgoodcaretokeepthetracesclearthereafter;anderethedaywasdone,sowellhadhemasteredhiswork,hismatesaboutceasednagginghim.
Francois'swhipsnappedlessfrequently,andPerraultevenhonoredBuckbyliftinguphisfeetandcarefullyexaminingthem.
Itwasahardday'srun,uptheCanon,throughSheepCamp,pasttheScalesandthetimberline,acrossglaciersandsnowdriftshundredsoffeetdeep,andoverthegreatChilcootDivide,whichstandsbetweenthesaltwaterandthefreshandguardsforbiddinglythesadandlonelyNorth.
Theymadegoodtimedownthechainoflakeswhichfillsthecratersofextinctvolcanoes,andlatethatnightpulledintothehugecampattheheadofLakeBennett,wherethousandsofgoldseekerswerebuildingboatsagainstthebreak-upoftheiceinthespring.
Buckmadehisholeinthesnowandsleptthesleepoftheexhaustedjust,butalltooearlywasroutedoutinthecolddarknessandharnessedwithhismatestothesled.
Thatdaytheymadefortymiles,thetrailbeingpacked;butthenextday,andformanydaystofollow,theybroketheirowntrail,workedharder,andmadepoorertime.
Asarule,Perraulttravelledaheadoftheteam,packingthesnowwithwebbedshoestomakeiteasierforthem.
Francois,guidingthesledatthegee-pole,sometimesexchangedplaceswithhim,butnotoften.
Perraultwasinahurry,andhepridedhimselfonhisknowledgeofice,whichknowledgewasindispensable,forthefallicewasverythin,andwheretherewasswiftwater,therewasnoiceatall.
Dayafterday,fordaysunending,Bucktoiledinthetraces.
Always,theybrokecampinthedark,andthefirstgrayofdawnfoundthemhittingthetrailwithfreshmilesreeledoffbehindthem.
Andalwaystheypitchedcampafterdark,eatingtheirbitoffish,andcrawlingtosleepintothesnow.Buckwasravenous.
Thepoundandahalfofsun-driedsalmon,whichwashisrationforeachday,seemedtogonowhere.
Heneverhadenough,andsufferedfromperpetualhungerpangs.
Yettheotherdogs,becausetheyweighedlessandwereborntothelife,receivedapoundonlyofthefishandmanagedtokeepingoodcondition.
Heswiftlylostthefastidiousnesswhichhadcharacterizedhisoldlife.
Adaintyeater,hefoundthathismates,finishingfirst,robbedhimofhisunfinishedration.Therewasnodefendingit.
Whilehewasfightingofftwoorthree,itwasdisappearingdownthethroatsoftheothers.
Toremedythis,heateasfastasthey;and,sogreatlydidhungercompelhim,hewasnotabovetakingwhatdidnotbelongtohim.Hewatchedandlearned.
WhenhesawPike,oneofthenewdogs,aclevermalingererandthief,slylystealasliceofbaconwhenPerrault'sbackwasturned,heduplicatedtheperformancethefollowingday,gettingawaywiththewholechunk.
Agreatuproarwasraised,buthewasunsuspected;whileDub,anawkwardblundererwhowasalwaysgettingcaught,waspunishedforBuck'smisdeed.
ThisfirsttheftmarkedBuckasfittosurviveinthehostileNorthlandenvironment.
Itmarkedhisadaptability,hiscapacitytoadjusthimselftochangingconditions,thelackofwhichwouldhavemeantswiftandterribledeath.
Itmarked,further,thedecayorgoingtopiecesofhismoralnature,avainthingandahandicapintheruthlessstruggleforexistence.
ItwasallwellenoughintheSouthland,underthelawofloveandfellowship,torespectprivatepropertyandpersonalfeelings;butintheNorthland,underthelawofclubandfang,whosotooksuchthingsintoaccountwasafool,andinsofarasheobservedthemhewouldfailtoprosper.
NotthatBuckreasoneditout.Hewasfit,thatwasall,andunconsciouslyheaccommodatedhimselftothenewmodeoflife.
Allhisdays,nomatterwhattheodds,hehadneverrunfromafight.
Buttheclubofthemanintheredsweaterhadbeatenintohimamorefundamentalandprimitivecode.
Civilized,hecouldhavediedforamoralconsideration,saythedefenceofJudgeMiller'sriding-whip;butthecompletenessofhisdecivilizationwasnowevidencedbyhisabilitytofleefromthedefenceofamoralconsiderationandsosavehishide.
Hedidnotstealforjoyofit,butbecauseoftheclamorofhisstomach.
Hedidnotrobopenly,butstolesecretlyandcunningly,outofrespectforclubandfang.
Inshort,thethingshedidweredonebecauseitwaseasiertodothemthannottodothem.
Hisdevelopment(orretrogression)wasrapid.
Hismusclesbecamehardasiron,andhegrewcalloustoallordinarypain.
Heachievedaninternalaswellasexternaleconomy.
Hecouldeatanything,nomatterhowloathsomeorindigestible;and,onceeaten,thejuicesofhisstomachextractedthelastleastparticleofnutriment;andhisbloodcarriedittothefarthestreachesofhisbody,buildingitintothetoughestandstoutestoftissues.
Sightandscentbecameremarkablykeen,whilehishearingdevelopedsuchacutenessthatinhissleepheheardthefaintestsoundandknewwhetheritheraldedpeaceorperil.
Helearnedtobitetheiceoutwithhisteethwhenitcollectedbetweenhistoes;andwhenhewasthirstyandtherewasathickscumoficeoverthewaterhole,hewouldbreakitbyrearingandstrikingitwithstiffforelegs.
Hismostconspicuoustraitwasanabilitytoscentthewindandforecastitanightinadvance.
Nomatterhowbreathlesstheairwhenhedughisnestbytreeorbank,thewindthatlaterblewinevitablyfoundhimtoleeward,shelteredandsnug.
Andnotonlydidhelearnbyexperience,butinstinctslongdeadbecamealiveagain.
Thedomesticatedgenerationsfellfromhim.
Invaguewaysherememberedbacktotheyouthofthebreed,tothetimethewilddogsrangedinpacksthroughtheprimevalforestandkilledtheirmeatastheyranitdown.
Itwasnotaskforhimtolearntofightwithcutandslashandthequickwolfsnap.
Inthismannerhadfoughtforgottenancestors.
Theyquickenedtheoldlifewithinhim,andtheoldtrickswhichtheyhadstampedintotheheredityofthebreedwerehistricks.
Theycametohimwithouteffortordiscovery,asthoughtheyhadbeenhisalways.
Andwhen,onthestillcoldnights,hepointedhisnoseatastarandhowledlongandwolflike,itwashisancestors,deadanddust,pointingnoseatstarandhowlingdownthroughthecenturiesandthroughhim.
Andhiscadencesweretheircadences,thecadenceswhichvoicedtheirwoeandwhattothemwasthemeaningofthestiffness,andthecold,anddark.
Thus,astokenofwhatapuppetthinglifeis,theancientsongsurgedthroughhimandhecameintohisownagain;andhecamebecausemenhadfoundayellowmetalintheNorth,andbecauseManuelwasagardener'shelperwhosewagesdidnotlapovertheneedsofhiswifeanddiverssmallcopiesofhimself.
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