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Theboatflirtedoverandsnubbedintothebankbottomup,whileThornton,flungsheeroutofit,wascarrieddown-streamtowardtheworstpartoftherapids,astretchofwildwaterinwhichnoswimmercouldlive.
Buckhadsprunginontheinstant;andattheendofthreehundredyards,amidamadswirlofwater,heoverhauledThornton.
Whenhefelthimgrasphistail,Buckheadedforthebank,swimmingwithallhissplendidstrength.
Buttheprogressshorewardwasslow;theprogressdown-streamamazinglyrapid.
Frombelowcamethefatalroaringwherethewildcurrentwentwilderandwasrentinshredsandspraybytherockswhichthrustthroughliketheteethofanenormouscomb.
Thesuckofthewaterasittookthebeginningofthelaststeeppitchwasfrightful,andThorntonknewthattheshorewasimpossible.
Hescrapedfuriouslyoverarock,bruisedacrossasecond,andstruckathirdwithcrushingforce.
Heclutcheditsslipperytopwithbothhands,releasingBuck,andabovetheroarofthechurningwatershouted:"Go,Buck!Go!"
Buckcouldnotholdhisown,andsweptondown-stream,strugglingdesperately,butunabletowinback.
WhenheheardThornton'scommandrepeated,hepartlyrearedoutofthewater,throwinghisheadhigh,asthoughforalastlook,thenturnedobedientlytowardthebank.
HeswampowerfullyandwasdraggedashorebyPeteandHansattheverypointwhereswimmingceasedtobepossibleanddestructionbegan.
Theyknewthatthetimeamancouldclingtoaslipperyrockinthefaceofthatdrivingcurrentwasamatterofminutes,andtheyranasfastastheycouldupthebanktoapointfarabovewhereThorntonwashangingon.
TheyattachedthelinewithwhichtheyhadbeensnubbingtheboattoBuck'sneckandshoulders,beingcarefulthatitshouldneitherstranglehimnorimpedehisswimming,andlaunchedhimintothestream.
Hestruckoutboldly,butnotstraightenoughintothestream.
Hediscoveredthemistaketoolate,whenThorntonwasabreastofhimandabarehalf-dozenstrokesawaywhilehewasbeingcarriedhelplesslypast.
Hanspromptlysnubbedwiththerope,asthoughBuckwereaboat.
Theropethustighteningonhiminthesweepofthecurrent,hewasjerkedunderthesurface,andunderthesurfaceheremainedtillhisbodystruckagainstthebankandhewashauledout.
Hewashalfdrowned,andHansandPetethrewthemselvesuponhim,poundingthebreathintohimandthewateroutofhim.Hestaggeredtohisfeetandfelldown.
ThefaintsoundofThornton'svoicecametothem,andthoughtheycouldnotmakeoutthewordsofit,theyknewthathewasinhisextremity.
Hismaster'svoiceactedonBucklikeanelectricshock,Hesprangtohisfeetandranupthebankaheadofthementothepointofhispreviousdeparture.
Againtheropewasattachedandhewaslaunched,andagainhestruckout,butthistimestraightintothestream.
Hehadmiscalculatedonce,buthewouldnotbeguiltyofitasecondtime.
Hanspaidouttherope,permittingnoslack,whilePetekeptitclearofcoils.
BuckheldontillhewasonalinestraightaboveThornton;thenheturned,andwiththespeedofanexpresstrainheadeddownuponhim.
Thorntonsawhimcoming,and,asBuckstruckhimlikeabatteringram,withthewholeforceofthecurrentbehindhim,hereachedupandclosedwithbotharmsaroundtheshaggyneck.
Hanssnubbedtheropearoundthetree,andBuckandThorntonwerejerkedunderthewater.
Strangling,suffocating,sometimesoneuppermostandsometimestheother,draggingoverthejaggedbottom,smashingagainstrocksandsnags,theyveeredintothebank.
Thorntoncameto,bellydownwardandbeingviolentlypropelledbackandforthacrossadriftlogbyHansandPete.
HisfirstglancewasforBuck,overwhoselimpandapparentlylifelessbodyNigwassettingupahowl,whileSkeetwaslickingthewetfaceandclosedeyes.
Thorntonwashimselfbruisedandbattered,andhewentcarefullyoverBuck'sbody,whenhehadbeenbroughtaround,findingthreebrokenribs.
"Thatsettlesit,"heannounced."Wecamprighthere."Andcamptheydid,tillBuck'sribsknittedandhewasabletotravel.
Thatwinter,atDawson,Buckperformedanotherexploit,notsoheroic,perhaps,butonethatputhisnamemanynotcheshigheronthetotem-poleofAlaskanfame.
Thisexploitwasparticularlygratifyingtothethreemen;fortheystoodinneedoftheoutfitwhichitfurnished,andwereenabledtomakealong-desiredtripintothevirginEast,whereminershadnotyetappeared.
ItwasbroughtaboutbyaconversationintheEldoradoSaloon,inwhichmenwaxedboastfuloftheirfavoritedogs.
Buck,becauseofhisrecord,wasthetargetforthesemen,andThorntonwasdrivenstoutlytodefendhim.
Attheendofhalfanhouronemanstatedthathisdogcouldstartasledwithfivehundredpoundsandwalkoffwithit;asecondbraggedsixhundredforhisdog;andathird,sevenhundred.
"Pooh!pooh!"saidJohnThornton;"Buckcanstartathousandpounds."
"Andbreakitout?andwalkoffwithitforahundredyards?"demandedMatthewson,aBonanzaKing,heofthesevenhundredvaunt.
"Andbreakitout,andwalkoffwithitforahundredyards,"JohnThorntonsaidcoolly.
"Well,"Matthewsonsaid,slowlyanddeliberately,sothatallcouldhear,"I'vegotathousanddollarsthatsayshecan't.Andthereitis."
Sosaying,heslammedasackofgolddustofthesizeofabolognasausagedownuponthebar.
Nobodyspoke.Thornton'sbluff,ifbluffitwas,hadbeencalled.
Hecouldfeelaflushofwarmbloodcreepinguphisface.Histonguehadtrickedhim.
HedidnotknowwhetherBuckcouldstartathousandpounds.Halfaton!Theenormousnessofitappalledhim.
HehadgreatfaithinBuck'sstrengthandhadoftenthoughthimcapableofstartingsuchaload;butnever,asnow,hadhefacedthepossibilityofit,theeyesofadozenmenfixeduponhim,silentandwaiting.
Further,hehadnothousanddollars;norhadHansorPete.
"I'vegotasledstandingoutsidenow,withtwentyfiftypoundsacksofflouronit,"Matthewsonwentonwithbrutaldirectness;"sodon'tletthathinderyou."
Thorntondidnotreply.Hedidnotknowwhattosay.
Heglancedfromfacetofaceintheabsentwayofamanwhohaslostthepowerofthoughtandisseekingsomewheretofindthethingthatwillstartitgoingagain.
ThefaceofJimO'Brien,aMastodonKingandold-timecomrade,caughthiseyes.
Itwasasacuetohim,seemingtorousehimtodowhathewouldneverhavedreamedofdoing.
"Canyoulendmeathousand?"heasked,almostinawhisper.
"Sure,"answeredO'Brien,thumpingdownaplethoricsackbythesideofMatthewson's."Thoughit'slittlefaithI'mhaving,John,thatthebeastcandothetrick."
TheEldoradoemptieditsoccupantsintothestreettoseethetest.
Thetablesweredeserted,andthedealersandgamekeeperscameforthtoseetheoutcomeofthewagerandtolayodds.
Severalhundredmen,furredandmittened,bankedaroundthesledwithineasydistance.
Matthewson'ssled,loadedwithathousandpoundsofflour,hadbeenstandingforacoupleofhours,andintheintensecold(itwassixtybelowzero)therunnershadfrozenfasttothehard-packedsnow.
MenofferedoddsoftwotoonethatBuckcouldnotbudgethesled.
Aquibblearoseconcerningthephrase"breakout."
O'BriencontendeditwasThornton'sprivilegetoknocktherunnersloose,leavingBuckto"breakitout"fromadeadstandstill.
Matthewsoninsistedthatthephraseincludedbreakingtherunnersfromthefrozengripofthesnow.
Amajorityofthemenwhohadwitnessedthemakingofthebetdecidedinhisfavor,whereattheoddswentuptothreetooneagainstBuck.
Therewerenotakers.Notamanbelievedhimcapableofthefeat.
Thorntonhadbeenhurriedintothewager,heavywithdoubt;andnowthathelookedatthesleditself,theconcretefact,withtheregularteamoftendogscurledupinthesnowbeforeit,themoreimpossiblethetaskappeared.Matthewsonwaxedjubilant.
"Threetoone!"heproclaimed."I'lllayyouanotherthousandatthatfigure,Thornton.Whatd'yesay?"
Thornton'sdoubtwasstronginhisface,buthisfightingspiritwasaroused—thefightingspiritthatsoarsaboveodds,failstorecognizetheimpossible,andisdeaftoallsavetheclamorforbattle.HecalledHansandPetetohim.
Theirsackswereslim,andwithhisownthethreepartnerscouldraketogetheronlytwohundreddollars.
Intheebboftheirfortunes,thissumwastheirtotalcapital;yettheylaiditunhesitatinglyagainstMatthewson'ssixhundred.
Theteamoftendogswasunhitched,andBuck,withhisownharness,wasputintothesled.
Hehadcaughtthecontagionoftheexcitement,andhefeltthatinsomewayhemustdoagreatthingforJohnThornton.
Murmursofadmirationathissplendidappearancewentup.
Hewasinperfectcondition,withoutanounceofsuperfluousflesh,andtheonehundredandfiftypoundsthatheweighedweresomanypoundsofgritandvirility.
Hisfurrycoatshonewiththesheenofsilk.
Downtheneckandacrosstheshoulders,hismane,inreposeasitwas,halfbristledandseemedtoliftwitheverymovement,asthoughexcessofvigormadeeachparticularhairaliveandactive.
Thegreatbreastandheavyforelegswerenomorethaninproportionwiththerestofthebody,wherethemusclesshowedintightrollsunderneaththeskin.
Menfeltthesemusclesandproclaimedthemhardasiron,andtheoddswentdowntotwotoone.
"Gad,sir!Gad,sir!"stutteredamemberofthelatestdynasty,akingoftheSkookumBenches."Iofferyoueighthundredforhim,sir,beforethetest,sir;eighthundredjustashestands."
ThorntonshookhisheadandsteppedtoBuck'sside.
"Youmuststandofffromhim,"Matthewsonprotested."Freeplayandplentyofroom."
Thecrowdfellsilent;onlycouldbeheardthevoicesofthegamblersvainlyofferingtwotoone.
EverybodyacknowledgedBuckamagnificentanimal,buttwentyfifty-poundsacksofflourbulkedtoolargeintheireyesforthemtoloosentheirpouch-strings.
ThorntonkneltdownbyBuck'sside.Hetookhisheadinhistwohandsandrestedcheekoncheek.
Hedidnotplayfullyshakehim,aswashiswont,ormurmursoftlovecurses;buthewhisperedinhisear."Asyouloveme,Buck.Asyouloveme,"waswhathewhispered.Buckwhinedwithsuppressedeagerness.
Thecrowdwaswatchingcuriously.Theaffairwasgrowingmysterious.Itseemedlikeaconjuration.
AsThorntongottohisfeet,Buckseizedhismittenedhandbetweenhisjaws,pressinginwithhisteethandreleasingslowly,half-reluctantly.
Itwastheanswer,interms,notofspeech,butoflove.Thorntonsteppedwellback.
"Now,Buck,"hesaid.
Bucktightenedthetraces,thenslackedthemforamatterofseveralinches.Itwasthewayhehadlearned.
"Gee!"Thornton'svoicerangout,sharpinthetensesilence.
Buckswungtotheright,endingthemovementinaplungethattookuptheslackandwithasuddenjerkarrestedhisonehundredandfiftypounds.
Theloadquivered,andfromundertherunnersaroseacrispcrackling.
"Haw!"Thorntoncommanded.
Buckduplicatedthemanoeuvre,thistimetotheleft.
Thecracklingturnedintoasnapping,thesledpivotingandtherunnersslippingandgratingseveralinchestotheside.Thesledwasbrokenout.
Menwereholdingtheirbreaths,intenselyunconsciousofthefact.
"Now,MUSH!"
Thornton'scommandcrackedoutlikeapistol-shot.
Buckthrewhimselfforward,tighteningthetraceswithajarringlunge.
Hiswholebodywasgatheredcompactlytogetherinthetremendouseffort,themuscleswrithingandknottinglikelivethingsunderthesilkyfur.
Hisgreatchestwaslowtotheground,hisheadforwardanddown,whilehisfeetwereflyinglikemad,theclawsscarringthehard-packedsnowinparallelgrooves.
Thesledswayedandtrembled,half-startedforward.
Oneofhisfeetslipped,andonemangroanedaloud.
Thenthesledlurchedaheadinwhatappearedarapidsuccessionofjerks,thoughitneverreallycametoadeadstopagain...halfaninch...aninch...twoinches...Thejerksperceptiblydiminished;asthesledgainedmomentum,hecaughtthemup,tillitwasmovingsteadilyalong.
Mengaspedandbegantobreatheagain,unawarethatforamomenttheyhadceasedtobreathe.
Thorntonwasrunningbehind,encouragingBuckwithshort,cheerywords.
Thedistancehadbeenmeasuredoff,andashenearedthepileoffirewoodwhichmarkedtheendofthehundredyards,acheerbegantogrowandgrow,whichburstintoaroarashepassedthefirewoodandhaltedatcommand.
Everymanwastearinghimselfloose,evenMatthewson.
Hatsandmittenswereflyingintheair.
Menwereshakinghands,itdidnotmatterwithwhom,andbubblingoverinageneralincoherentbabel.
ButThorntonfellonhiskneesbesideBuck.
Headwasagainsthead,andhewasshakinghimbackandforth.
ThosewhohurriedupheardhimcursingBuck,andhecursedhimlongandfervently,andsoftlyandlovingly.
"Gad,sir!Gad,sir!"splutteredtheSkookumBenchking."I'llgiveyouathousandforhim,sir,athousand,sir—twelvehundred,sir."
Thorntonrosetohisfeet.Hiseyeswerewet.
Thetearswerestreamingfranklydownhischeeks.
"Sir,"hesaidtotheSkookumBenchking,"no,sir.Youcangotohell,sir.It'sthebestIcandoforyou,sir."
BuckseizedThornton'shandinhisteeth.Thorntonshookhimbackandforth.
Asthoughanimatedbyacommonimpulse,theonlookersdrewbacktoarespectfuldistance;norweretheyagainindiscreetenoughtointerrupt.
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