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Hissisterandbrother-in-lawsecondedhim;buttheywerefrustratedbytheirheavyoutfitandtheirownincompetence.
Itwasasimplemattertogivethedogslessfood;butitwasimpossibletomakethedogstravelfaster,whiletheirowninabilitytogetunderwayearlierinthemorningpreventedthemfromtravellinglongerhours.
Notonlydidtheynotknowhowtoworkdogs,buttheydidnotknowhowtoworkthemselves.
ThefirsttogowasDub.Poorblunderingthiefthathewas,alwaysgettingcaughtandpunished,hehadnonethelessbeenafaithfulworker.
Hiswrenchedshoulder-blade,untreatedandunrested,wentfrombadtoworse,tillfinallyHalshothimwiththebigColt'srevolver.
ItisasayingofthecountrythatanOutsidedogstarvestodeathontherationofthehusky,sothesixOutsidedogsunderBuckcoulddonolessthandieonhalftherationofthehusky.
TheNewfoundlandwentfirst,followedbythethreeshort-hairedpointers,thetwomongrelshangingmoregrittilyontolife,butgoingintheend.
BythistimealltheamenitiesandgentlenessesoftheSouthlandhadfallenawayfromthethreepeople.
Shornofitsglamourandromance,Arctictravelbecametothemarealitytooharshfortheirmanhoodandwomanhood.
Mercedesceasedweepingoverthedogs,beingtoooccupiedwithweepingoverherselfandwithquarrellingwithherhusbandandbrother.
Toquarrelwastheonethingtheywerenevertoowearytodo.
Theirirritabilityaroseoutoftheirmisery,increasedwithit,doubleduponit,outdistancedit.
Thewonderfulpatienceofthetrailwhichcomestomenwhotoilhardandsuffersore,andremainsweetofspeechandkindly,didnotcometothesetwomenandthewoman.Theyhadnoinklingofsuchapatience.
Theywerestiffandinpain;theirmusclesached,theirbonesached,theirveryheartsached;andbecauseofthistheybecamesharpofspeech,andhardwordswerefirstontheirlipsinthemorningandlastatnight.
CharlesandHalwrangledwheneverMercedesgavethemachance.
Itwasthecherishedbeliefofeachthathedidmorethanhisshareofthework,andneitherforboretospeakthisbeliefateveryopportunity.
SometimesMercedessidedwithherhusband,sometimeswithherbrother.
Theresultwasabeautifulandunendingfamilyquarrel.
Startingfromadisputeastowhichshouldchopafewsticksforthefire(adisputewhichconcernedonlyCharlesandHal),presentlywouldbeluggedintherestofthefamily,fathers,mothers,uncles,cousins,peoplethousandsofmilesaway,andsomeofthemdead.
ThatHal'sviewsonart,orthesortofsocietyplayshismother'sbrotherwrote,shouldhaveanythingtodowiththechoppingofafewsticksoffirewood,passescomprehension;neverthelessthequarrelwasaslikelytotendinthatdirectionasinthedirectionofCharles'spoliticalprejudices.
AndthatCharles'ssister'stale-bearingtongueshouldberelevanttothebuildingofaYukonfire,wasapparentonlytoMercedes,whodisburdenedherselfofcopiousopinionsuponthattopic,andincidentallyuponafewothertraitsunpleasantlypeculiartoherhusband'sfamily.
Inthemeantimethefireremainedunbuilt,thecamphalfpitched,andthedogsunfed.
Mercedesnursedaspecialgrievance—thegrievanceofsex.
Shewasprettyandsoft,andhadbeenchivalrouslytreatedallherdays.
Butthepresenttreatmentbyherhusbandandbrotherwaseverythingsavechivalrous.Itwashercustomtobehelpless.Theycomplained.
Uponwhichimpeachmentofwhattoherwashermostessentialsex-prerogative,shemadetheirlivesunendurable.
Shenolongerconsideredthedogs,andbecauseshewassoreandtired,shepersistedinridingonthesled.
Shewasprettyandsoft,butsheweighedonehundredandtwentypounds—alustylaststrawtotheloaddraggedbytheweakandstarvinganimals.
Sherodefordays,tilltheyfellinthetracesandthesledstoodstill.
CharlesandHalbeggedhertogetoffandwalk,pleadedwithher,entreated,thewhilesheweptandimportunedHeavenwitharecitaloftheirbrutality.
Ononeoccasiontheytookheroffthesledbymainstrength.Theyneverdiditagain.
Sheletherlegsgolimplikeaspoiledchild,andsatdownonthetrail.
Theywentontheirway,butshedidnotmove.
Aftertheyhadtravelledthreemilestheyunloadedthesled,camebackforher,andbymainstrengthputheronthesledagain.
Intheexcessoftheirownmiserytheywerecalloustothesufferingoftheiranimals.
Hal'stheory,whichhepractisedonothers,wasthatonemustgethardened.
Hehadstartedoutpreachingittohissisterandbrother-in-law.
Failingthere,hehammereditintothedogswithaclub.
AttheFiveFingersthedog-foodgaveout,andatoothlessoldsquawofferedtotradethemafewpoundsoffrozenhorse-hidefortheColt'srevolverthatkeptthebighunting-knifecompanyatHal'ship.
Apoorsubstituteforfoodwasthishide,justasithadbeenstrippedfromthestarvedhorsesofthecattlemensixmonthsback.
Initsfrozenstateitwasmorelikestripsofgalvanizediron,andwhenadogwrestleditintohisstomachitthawedintothinandinnutritiousleatherystringsandintoamassofshorthair,irritatingandindigestible.
AndthroughitallBuckstaggeredalongattheheadoftheteamasinanightmare.
Hepulledwhenhecould;whenhecouldnolongerpull,hefelldownandremaineddowntillblowsfromwhiporclubdrovehimtohisfeetagain.
Allthestiffnessandglosshadgoneoutofhisbeautifulfurrycoat.
Thehairhungdown,limpanddraggled,ormattedwithdriedbloodwhereHal'sclubhadbruisedhim.
Hismuscleshadwastedawaytoknottystrings,andthefleshpadshaddisappeared,sothateachribandeveryboneinhisframewereoutlinedcleanlythroughtheloosehidethatwaswrinkledinfoldsofemptiness.
Itwasheartbreaking,onlyBuck'sheartwasunbreakable.
Themanintheredsweaterhadprovedthat.
AsitwaswithBuck,sowasitwithhismates.Theywereperambulatingskeletons.
Thereweresevenalltogether,includinghim.
Intheirverygreatmiserytheyhadbecomeinsensibletothebiteofthelashorthebruiseoftheclub.
Thepainofthebeatingwasdullanddistant,justasthethingstheireyessawandtheirearsheardseemeddullanddistant.
Theywerenothalfliving,orquarterliving.
Theyweresimplysomanybagsofbonesinwhichsparksoflifeflutteredfaintly.
Whenahaltwasmade,theydroppeddowninthetraceslikedeaddogs,andthesparkdimmedandpaledandseemedtogoout.
Andwhenthecluborwhipfelluponthem,thesparkflutteredfeeblyup,andtheytotteredtotheirfeetandstaggeredon.
TherecameadaywhenBillee,thegood-natured,fellandcouldnotrise.
Halhadtradedoffhisrevolver,sohetooktheaxeandknockedBilleeontheheadashelayinthetraces,thencutthecarcassoutoftheharnessanddraggedittooneside.
Bucksaw,andhismatessaw,andtheyknewthatthisthingwasveryclosetothem.
OnthenextdayKoonawent,andbutfiveofthemremained:Joe,toofargonetobemalignant;Pike,crippledandlimping,onlyhalfconsciousandnotconsciousenoughlongertomalinger;Sol-leks,theone-eyed,stillfaithfultothetoiloftraceandtrail,andmournfulinthathehadsolittlestrengthwithwhichtopull;Teek,whohadnottravelledsofarthatwinterandwhowasnowbeatenmorethantheothersbecausehewasfresher;andBuck,stillattheheadoftheteam,butnolongerenforcingdisciplineorstrivingtoenforceit,blindwithweaknesshalfthetimeandkeepingthetrailbytheloomofitandbythedimfeelofhisfeet.
Itwasbeautifulspringweather,butneitherdogsnorhumanswereawareofit.
Eachdaythesunroseearlierandsetlater.
Itwasdawnbythreeinthemorning,andtwilightlingeredtillnineatnight.
Thewholelongdaywasablazeofsunshine.
Theghostlywintersilencehadgivenwaytothegreatspringmurmurofawakeninglife.
Thismurmurarosefromalltheland,fraughtwiththejoyofliving.
Itcamefromthethingsthatlivedandmovedagain,thingswhichhadbeenasdeadandwhichhadnotmovedduringthelongmonthsoffrost.Thesapwasrisinginthepines.
Thewillowsandaspenswereburstingoutinyoungbuds.
Shrubsandvineswereputtingonfreshgarbsofgreen.
Cricketssanginthenights,andinthedaysallmannerofcreeping,crawlingthingsrustledforthintothesun.
Partridgesandwoodpeckerswereboomingandknockingintheforest.
Squirrelswerechattering,birdssinging,andoverheadhonkedthewild-fowldrivingupfromthesouthincunningwedgesthatsplittheair.
Fromeveryhillslopecamethetrickleofrunningwater,themusicofunseenfountains.
Allthingswerethawing,bending,snapping.
TheYukonwasstrainingtobreakloosetheicethatbounditdown.
Itateawayfrombeneath;thesunatefromabove.
Air-holesformed,fissuressprangandspreadapart,whilethinsectionsoficefellthroughbodilyintotheriver.
Andamidallthisbursting,rending,throbbingofawakeninglife,undertheblazingsunandthroughthesoft-sighingbreezes,likewayfarerstodeath,staggeredthetwomen,thewoman,andthehuskies.
Withthedogsfalling,Mercedesweepingandriding,Halswearinginnocuously,andCharles'seyeswistfullywatering,theystaggeredintoJohnThornton'scampatthemouthofWhiteRiver.
Whentheyhalted,thedogsdroppeddownasthoughtheyhadallbeenstruckdead.
MercedesdriedhereyesandlookedatJohnThornton.Charlessatdownonalogtorest.
Hesatdownveryslowlyandpainstakinglywhatofhisgreatstiffness.Haldidthetalking.
JohnThorntonwaswhittlingthelasttouchesonanaxe-handlehehadmadefromastickofbirch.
Hewhittledandlistened,gavemonosyllabicreplies,and,whenitwasasked,terseadvice.
Heknewthebreed,andhegavehisadviceinthecertaintythatitwouldnotbefollowed.
"Theytoldusupabovethatthebottomwasdroppingoutofthetrailandthatthebestthingforustodowastolayover,"HalsaidinresponsetoThornton'swarningtotakenomorechancesontherottenice.
"Theytolduswecouldn'tmakeWhiteRiver,andhereweare."
Thislastwithasneeringringoftriumphinit.
"Andtheytoldyoutrue,"JohnThorntonanswered.
"Thebottom'slikelytodropoutatanymoment.
Onlyfools,withtheblindluckoffools,couldhavemadeit.
Itellyoustraight,Iwouldn'triskmycarcassonthaticeforallthegoldinAlaska."
"That'sbecauseyou'renotafool,Isuppose,"saidHal."Allthesame,we'llgoontoDawson."Heuncoiledhiswhip."Getupthere,Buck!Hi!Getupthere!Mushon!"
Thorntonwentonwhittling.Itwasidle,heknew,togetbetweenafoolandhisfolly;whiletwoorthreefoolsmoreorlesswouldnotaltertheschemeofthings.
Buttheteamdidnotgetupatthecommand.
Ithadlongsincepassedintothestagewhereblowswererequiredtorouseit.
Thewhipflashedout,hereandthere,onitsmercilesserrands.JohnThorntoncompressedhislips.
Sol-lekswasthefirsttocrawltohisfeet.Teekfollowed.Joecamenext,yelpingwithpain.Pikemadepainfulefforts.
Twicehefellover,whenhalfup,andonthethirdattemptmanagedtorise.Buckmadenoeffort.Helayquietlywherehehadfallen.
Thelashbitintohimagainandagain,butheneitherwhinednorstruggled.
SeveraltimesThorntonstarted,asthoughtospeak,butchangedhismind.
Amoisturecameintohiseyes,and,asthewhippingcontinued,hearoseandwalkedirresolutelyupanddown.
ThiswasthefirsttimeBuckhadfailed,initselfasufficientreasontodriveHalintoarage.
Heexchangedthewhipforthecustomaryclub.
Buckrefusedtomoveundertherainofheavierblowswhichnowfelluponhim.
Likehismates,hebarelyabletogetup,but,unlikethem,hehadmadeuphismindnottogetup.
Hehadavaguefeelingofimpendingdoom.
Thishadbeenstronguponhimwhenhepulledintothebank,andithadnotdepartedfromhim.
Whatofthethinandrottenicehehadfeltunderhisfeetallday,itseemedthathesenseddisastercloseathand,outthereaheadontheicewherehismasterwastryingtodrivehim.Herefusedtostir.
Sogreatlyhadhesuffered,andsofargonewashe,thattheblowsdidnothurtmuch.
Andastheycontinuedtofalluponhim,thesparkoflifewithinflickeredandwentdown.Itwasnearlyout.Hefeltstrangelynumb.
Asthoughfromagreatdistance,hewasawarethathewasbeingbeaten.Thelastsensationsofpainlefthim.
Henolongerfeltanything,thoughveryfaintlyhecouldheartheimpactoftheclubuponhisbody.
Butitwasnolongerhisbody,itseemedsofaraway.
Andthen,suddenly,withoutwarning,utteringacrythatwasinarticulateandmorelikethecryofananimal,JohnThorntonspranguponthemanwhowieldedtheclub.
Halwashurledbackward,asthoughstruckbyafailingtree.Mercedesscreamed.
Charleslookedonwistfully,wipedhiswateryeyes,butdidnotgetupbecauseofhisstiffness.
JohnThorntonstoodoverBuck,strugglingtocontrolhimself,tooconvulsedwithragetospeak.
"Ifyoustrikethatdogagain,I'llkillyou,"heatlastmanagedtosayinachokingvoice.
"It'smydog,"Halreplied,wipingthebloodfromhismouthashecameback."Getoutofmyway,orI'llfixyou.I'mgoingtoDawson."
ThorntonstoodbetweenhimandBuck,andevincednointentionofgettingoutoftheway.Haldrewhislonghunting-knife.
Mercedesscreamed,cried,laughed,andmanifestedthechaoticabandonmentofhysteria.
ThorntonrappedHal'sknuckleswiththeaxe-handle,knockingtheknifetotheground.
Herappedhisknucklesagainashetriedtopickitup.
Thenhestooped,pickedituphimself,andwithtwostrokescutBuck'straces.
Halhadnofightleftinhim.Besides,hishandswerefullwithhissister,orhisarms,rather;whileBuckwastooneardeadtobeoffurtheruseinhaulingthesled.
Afewminuteslatertheypulledoutfromthebankanddowntheriver.
Buckheardthemgoandraisedhisheadtosee,Pikewasleading,Sol-lekswasatthewheel,andbetweenwereJoeandTeek.Theywerelimpingandstaggering.Mercedeswasridingtheloadedsled.
Halguidedatthegee-pole,andCharlesstumbledalongintherear.
AsBuckwatchedthem,Thorntonkneltbesidehimandwithrough,kindlyhandssearchedforbrokenbones.
Bythetimehissearchhaddisclosednothingmorethanmanybruisesandastateofterriblestarvation,thesledwasaquarterofamileaway.
Dogandmanwatcheditcrawlingalongovertheice.
Suddenly,theysawitsbackenddropdown,asintoarut,andthegee-pole,withHalclingingtoit,jerkintotheair.Mercedes'sscreamcametotheirears.
TheysawCharlesturnandmakeonesteptorunback,andthenawholesectionoficegivewayanddogsandhumansdisappear.
Ayawningholewasallthatwastobeseen.
Thebottomhaddroppedoutofthetrail.
JohnThorntonandBucklookedateachother.
"Youpoordevil,"saidJohnThornton,andBucklickedhishand.
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