ˇ¶The Call of the Wildˇ·


 CHAPTER 1

    INtO tIVE

    Old longings nomadic leap,

    C customs chain;

    Again from its brumal sleep

    akens train.

    Buck did not read t trouble  alone for  for every tideer dog, strong of muscle and  Sound to San Diego. Because men, groping in tic darkness, al, and because steamsransportation companies o ted dogs, and ted oil, and furry coats to protect t.

    Buck lived at a big a Clara Valley. Judge Millers place, it  stood back from trees, t of t ran around its four sides. t terlacing bougall poplars. At t t. t stables, tages, an endless and orderly array of outures, orcc for tesian  tank  cool in t afternoon.

    And over t demesne Buck ruled.  rue, t but be ot a place, but t count. t, resided in ter toots, trange creatures t rarely put nose out of doors or set foot to ground. On terriers, a score of t least, oots and Ysabel looking out of t tected by a legion of h brooms and mops.

    But Buck o tank or  ing ed Mollie and Alice, ters, on long t before tsteps tures doo tain in table yard, and even beyond, oots and Ysabel terly ignored, for hings of Judge Millers place, humans included.

    . Bernard, o follo so large--y pounds--for cy pounds, to  comes of good living and universal respect, enabled o carry  royal fased aristocrat; rifle egotistical, as country gentlemen sometimes become because of tuation. But  becoming a mere pampered ing and kindred outdoor delig do and o o tubbing races, ter onic and a h preserver.

    And trike dragged men from all to t Buck did not read t kno Manuel, one of tance. Manuel ting sin. o play Ctery. Also, in ting em; and tion certain. For to play a system requires money, he needs of a wife and numerous progeny.

    t a meeting of tion, and tic club, on t of Manuels treac Buck imagined roll. And ion of a solitary man, no one sa ttle flag station knoalked hem.

    quot;You mig; tranger said gruffly, and Manuel doubled a piece of stout rope around Bucks neck under the collar.

    quot;t it, and youll cy,quot; said Manuel, and tranger grunted a ready affirmative.

    Buck ed t dignity. to be sure, it ed performance but o trust in men o give t for a  outreac ed  to intimate o command. But to igting off  t , and  t tigruggled in a fury, ongue lolling out of  c panting futilely. Never in all reated, and never in all  rengtrain o the baggage car.

    t  ongue  ed along in some kind of a conveyance. tive old raveled too often  to knoion of riding in a baggage car. o t, but Buck oo quick for ill  of him once more.

    quot;Yep, s,quot; ttracted by truggle. quot;Im taking o Frisco. A crack dog doctor t ;

    Concerning t nig eloquently for tle ser front.

    quot;All I get is fifty for it,quot; ;and I  do it over for a t;

    trouser leg o ankle.

    quot;?quot; the saloon-keeper demanded.

    quot;A ; ;ouldnt take a sou less, so ;

    quot;t makes a y,quot; ted, quot;and , or Im a square;

    t ed ;If I dont get ;

    quot;Itll be because you o ; laug;,quot; he added.

    Dazed, suffering intolerable pain from t and tongue, tled out of tempted to face ormentors. But edly, till to a cage-like crate.

    t, nursing  understand  all meant.  did t range men?  up in te?  knoy. Several times during t o  ing to see t least. But eacime it  peered in at  of a tallo trembled in Bucks t ed into a savage growl.

    But t ered and picked up te. More tormentors, Buck decided, for tures, ragged and unkempt; and ormed and raged at ticks at ly assailed eetill  ed. e to be lifted into a e in  in anotruck carried ment of boxes and parcels, upon a ferry steamer; rucked off teamer into a great rail, and finally ed in an express car.

    For tail of sives; and for t advances of taliated by teasing  t aunted estable dogs, me rage to y, and  mind t ter caused o fever-pitc matter, rung and finely sensitive, treatment o a fever, ongue.

    age; but no it  , ed a fund of  boded ill for  rain at Seattle.

    Four men gingerly carried te from to a small, out man, er t sagged generously at t and signed t  tormentor, and  t a c and a club.

    quot;You aint going to take  no; the driver asked.

    quot;Sure,quot; tc into te for a pry.

    tantaneous scattering of t in, and from safe percop to che performance.

    Buck rus tering o it, surging and ling . c fell on tside, o get out as ter ent on getting .

    quot;No;  for t time c and sed to  hand.

    And Buck ruly a red-eyed devil, as ogetling, moutter in  eyes. Straig ty pounds of fury, surc passion of to close on t c eetogetcruck by a club in  understand. it  bark and more scream  and launco t cruso time  it  ion. A dozen times en the charge and smashed him down.

    After a particularly fierce blooo dazed to rusaggered limply about, tiful coat sprayed and flecked ely dealt ful bloe agony of t  lion-like in its ferocity,  t ting t to left, cooly caug time o t.

    For t time ruck t doterly senseless.

    quot; dog-breaking, ts ; one of thusiasm.

    quot;Drut; arted the horses.

    Bucks senses came back to  not rengtcer.

    quot; `Anso t; ting from tter e and contents. quot;ell, Buck, my boy,quot;  on in a genial voice, quot;le ruction, and t to let it go at t. Youve learned your place, and I knouffing outa you. Understand?quot;

    As ted tarily bristled at touc  protest.  er, er bolted a generous meal of ra, che mans hand.

    en (); but  broken.  ood no c a man erlife  it. t club ion. It ion to tive laroduction s of life took on a fiercer aspect; and  uncoent cunning of ure aroused. As t by, otes and at tcer. Again and again, as  eacal performance, to Buck: a man er to be obeyed, t necessarily conciliated. Of t Buck y, ten dogs t faails, and licked  e nor obey, finally killed in truggle for mastery.

    Norangers, edly, er. And at sucimes t money passed betrangers took one or more of t, for t ture rong upon ime ed.

    Yet ime came, in ttle ions and.

    quot;Sacredam!quot;  upon Buck. quot;Dat one dam bully dog! E;

    quot;t at t,quot;  reply of ter. quot;And seeing its government money, you aint got no kick coming, e?quot;

    Perrault grinned. Considering t ted demand, it  an unfair sum for so fine an animal. t s dispatcravel t kneen t; ed mentally.

    Buck sa surprised le   er, and as Curly and  receding Seattle from t  aken belo and turned over to a black-faced giant called Francois. Perrault o Buck (of o see many more), and ly to respect t Perrault and Francois ial in administering justice, and too o be fooled by dogs.

    In te fellozbergen o the Barrens.

    reac of o ones face tated some underrick, as, for instance,  t meal. As Buck sprang to punis first; and noto Buck but to recover t ion.

    t attempt to steal from t  all o be left alone, and furt trouble if  left alone. quot;Davequot; e and slept, or yaimes, and took interest in not even ced,  to sleep again.

    Day and nigo tireless pulse of t  to Buck t teadily gro last, one morning, t, and tmospement.  it, as did t a c  t t step upon t sank into a e stuff  more of it fell upon  curiously, tongue. It bit like fire, and t instant ried it again, s. t as w was  snow.

 CHAPTER 2

    thE LA OF CLUB AND FANG

    Bucks first day on tmare. Every  of civilization and flung into t of to do but loaf and be bored. , nor a moments safety. All ion, and every moment life and limb ive need to be constantly alert; for t to the law of club and fang.

    as tures foug experience taugtable lesson. it is true, it  by it. Curly im. tore, eet equally s, and Curlys face o jaw.

    It ing, to strike and leap a to it ty or forty o t and surrounded tants in an intent and silent circle. Buck did not compre silent intentness, nor tagonist, umbled . S ted for. tling mass of bodies.

    So sudden , and so unexpected, t Buck aken aback. z run out  tongue in a o scatter t did not take long. tes from time Curly  do of s  srampled sno literally torn to pieces, t anding over en came back to Buck to trouble   o it t  doz ran out ongue and laug moment Buck ed ter and deatred.

    Before ragic passing of Curly, ened upon  of straps and buckles. It   to  t fringed turning y  animal, oo o rebel. , t range. Francois ern, demanding instant obedience, and by virtue of ant obedience;  al at Buck,  in traces to jerk Buck into tuition of es and Francois made remarkable progress. Ere turned to camp o stop at quot;; to go a quot;mus; to so keep clear of t doheir heels.

    quot;t; Francois told Perrault. quot;Dat Buck, eac;

    By afternoon, Perrault, rail curned ;Billeequot; and quot;Joequot; rue  as day and nig rospective, ual snarl and a malignant eye. Buck received tz proceeded to t one and tail appeasingly, turned to run  ill appeasingly)  no matter z circled, Joe oget as ion of belligerent fear. So terrible z o forego disciplining  to cover ure urned upon to the camp.

    By evening Perrault secured anot, tle-scarred face and a single eye . ed notely into t, even Spitz left y o be approactingly guilty, and t knoer Buck avoided o t of trouble.a  ambition, like Daves, o be left alone; tero learn, eacal ambition.

    t nig problem of sleeping. tent, illumined by a candle, glo of te plain; and ered it, bot and Francois bombarded ensils, till ernation and fled ignominiously into ter cold. A c nipped  o tempted to sleep, but t soon drove o . Miserable and disconsolate,  among tents, only to find t one place  led ) and t ed.

    Finally an idea came to urn and see eammates . to onis, t t camp, looking for turned. ere tent? No, t could not be, else  . tail and sent. Suddenly t. ling and snarling, fearful of t a friendly little yelp reassured  back to investigate. A ingly, squirmed and o sentions, and even ventured, as a bribe for peace, to lick Bucks face  tongue.

    Anot , ely selected a spot, and ed effort proceeded to dig a rice t from  soundly and comfortably, tled h bad dreams.

    Nor did ill roused by t first  kno surge of fear s trap. It oken t o trap and so could not of . tracted spasmodically and instinctively, tood on end, and raigo t , e camp spread out before  ime  for a stroll o t before.

    A s from Francois ; I say?quot; to Perrault. quot;Dat Buck for sure learn quick as anyt;

    Perrault nodded gravely. As courier for t, bearing important dispatco secure t dogs, and icularly gladdened by the possession of Buck.

    to team inside an otal of nine, and before anoter of an rail too be gone, and t particularly despise it.  ted team and o  still more surprising  in Dave and Sol-leks. tterly transformed by t and active, anxious t table ever, by delay or confusion, retarded t oil of traces seemed t took delight.

    Dave eam rung out ao tion z.

    Buck   receive instruction. Apt sc  teaco linger long in error, and enforcing teaceet cause, and o nip ood in need of it. As Francois o be co mend o retaliate. Once, during a brief , angled in traces and delayed tart, bot ered a sound trouncing. ting tangle  Buck took good care to keep traces clear ter; and ere tered es about ceased nagging ly, and Perrault even ing up  and carefully examining them.

    It imber line, across glaciers and snos  deep, and over t C Divide,  er and time doers of extinct volcanoes, and late t nigo t tt,  t ted just, but all too early ed out in tes to the sled.

    t day ty miles, trail being packed; but t day, and for many days to follorail,  traveled aeam, packing to make it easier for t times exc not often. Perrault er, t all.

    Day after day, for days unending, Buck toiled in traces. Al gray of dating trail cer dark, eating t of fiso sleep into tion for eaco go noo to keep in good condition.

    ly lost tidiousness er,  es, finis, robbed ion. t. ing off t s of to remedy te as fast as tly did  above taking  belong to ceal a slice of bacon urned, ed tting a uproar  ed; , was punished for Bucks misdeed.

    t t marked Buck as fit to survive in tile Nort. It marked ability, y to adjust o cions, t s and terrible deat marked, furto pieces of ure, a vain truggle for existence. It  private property and personal feeling; but in took suco account was a fool, and in so far as o prosper.

    Not t Buck reasoned it out. , t ter . But ter en into al and primitive code. Civilized, ion, say t teness of ion o flee from tion and so save  steal for joy of it, but because of tomac rob openly, but stole secretly and cunningly, out of respect for club and fang. In s, t o do t to do them.

    (or retrogression) ernal economy.  anytter ible; and, once eaten, tomacracted t least particle of nutriment; and  to t reac into toug and stoutest of tissues. Sig became remarkably keen,  in est sound and knee t eet collected beter  by rearing and striking it iff fore legs.  conspicuous trait y to scent t it a nigter  by tree or bank, t later bleably found o leeward, sered and snug.

    And not only did  instincts long dead became alive again. ticated generations fell from o to time t and killed t as t do ask for o learn to fig and slas forgotten ancestors. tricks o ty of tricks. to  effort or discovery, as till cold niged  a star and  , pointing nose at star and uries and t to tillness, and the cold, and dark.

    token of  t song surged to al in t lap over the needs of his wife and divers small copies of himself.

 CHAPTER 3

    t PRIMORDIAL BEASt

    t primordial beast rong in Buck, and under tions of trail life it gre it  groing o to feel at ease, and not only did  pick fig ain deliberateness cerized titude.  prone to rasate action; and in tter red betience, ss.

    On tz never lost an opportunity of seet out of o bully Buck, striving constantly to start t wher.

    Early in trip t aken place  not been for an uned accident. At t cut like a  t and Francois o make tself. tent t Yea in order to travel ligicks of drift to eat supper in the dark.

    Close in under tering rock Buck made . So snug and , t o leave it ed t t urned,  occupied. A old  trespasser z. till no too muc in z z particularly, for o teac imid dog,  and size.

    Francois oo,  in a tangle from ted nest and rouble. quot;A-a-a; o Buck. quot;Give it to  to y t;

    Spitz ious, as age. But it  ted ed truggle for supremacy far into ture, past many a rail and toil.

    An oat, t of a club upon a bony frame, and a so be alive arving ed t in out clubs teet back. t found one  ribs, and tant a score of tes  struggled none till t crumb had been devoured.

    In time toniseam-dogs  out of ts only to be set upon by t seemed as t tons, draped loosely in draggled  terrifying, irresistible. team-dogs  back against t t onset. Buck  by trice ful. Billee s neck eet a frot, and eetaste of it in o greater fierceness.  time felt teeto . It z, treactacking from the side.

    Perrault and Francois,  t of to save ts rolled back before t is . to run back to save turned to ttack on team. Billee, terrified into bravery, sprang t of team beogeto spring after t of tail of z rus intention of overt and under t mass of  o tzs c out on the lake.

    Later, team-dogs gatoget ser in t. t. t one eam at Yea, orn t; Joe  an eye;  to ribbons, cried and . At daybreak to camp, to find tempers. Fully , notter ely eatable, en a pair of Perraults moose- of traces, and even t of lasemplation of it to look over his wounded dogs.

    quot;A; ly, quot;mebbe it make you mad dog, tes. Mebbe all mad dog, sacredam!  you t?quot;

    trail still bet to siffened team ruggling painfully over t part of trail t encountered, and for t matter, t bethem and Dawson.

    ty Mile River s er defied t, and it  places t t all. Six days of exing toil o cover ty terrible miles. And terrible t of t to dog and man. A dozen times, Perrault, nosing t it fell eacime across t a cold snap er registering fifty below zero, and eacime o build a fire and dry s.

    Noted  ed   courier. ook all manner of risks, resolutely ting tle o t and struggling on from dim dao dark. ed t bent and crackled under foot and upon  droime t. to save ted solidly  ting and t the flames.

    At anotime Spitz  team after o Buck, rengt beraining backward, and beill endons cracked.

    Again, t up t scaled it by a miracle,  miracle; and  bit of o a long rope, ted, one by one, to t. Francois came up last, after to descend, imately made by t found ter of a mile to t.

    By time talinqua and good ice, Buck . t of tion; but Perrault, to make up lost time, puse and early. t day ty-five miles to t day ty-five more to ttle Salmon; ty miles, ohe Five Fingers.

    Bucks feet  so compact and  of tened during tions since t or amed by a cave do receive ion of fiso bring to  for  after supper, and sacrificed tops of o make four moccasins for Buck. t relief, and Buck caused even t to t itself into a grin one morning,  o budge  ter  grerail, and t footgear hrown away.

    At t suddenly mad. Sion by a long, -breaking  every dog bristling raigo fear madness; yet   in a panic. Straiging and frot o to anoto tion started to cross it. And all time, t look,  one leap beo er of a mile aing all  Francois  he axe crashed down upon mad Dollys head.

    Buck staggered over against ted, sobbing for breatzs opportunity. o ing foe and ripped and tore to tisfaction of cz receive t ered to any of team.

    quot;One devil, dat Spitz,quot; remarked Perrault. quot;Some dam day  Buck.quot;

    quot;Dat Buck t; ;All de time I c Buck I knoz all up and spit  on de sno;

    From t z, as lead-dog and acknoer of team, felt ened by trange Soutrange Buck o  one rail. too soft, dying under toil, t, and starvation. Buck ion. crengterful dog, and  ter  of ery. ly cunning, and could bide ime ience t ive.

    It able t ted it. ed it because it race--t pride o t gasp, s if t out of trengt laid  break of camp, transforming tes into straining, eager, ambitious creatures; t spurred t pitc nigting to gloomy unrest and discontent. t bore up Spitz and made races or  ime in t  made oo.

    ened tely. One nig appear.  under a foot of snofully t Pike heard and shivered in his hiding-place.

    But  uneartz fle o punised , and so s Spitz ly, took  at tiny, and sprang upon o z. But Francois, c t ion of justice, broug. to drive Buck from rate rival, and tt of t into play. unned by tz soundly punisimes offending Pike.

    In t folloill continued to interfere betz and ts; but  craftily,  mutiny of Buck, a general insubordination sprang up and increased. Dave and Sol-leks ed, but t of team  from bad to  riginual bickering and jangling. trouble , and at ttom of it ant appreruggle betake place sooner or later; and on more t trife among turned  of  Buck and Spitz  it.

    But tunity did not present itself, and to Daernoon  figill to come. less dogs, and Buck found t  seemed t dogs sreet in long teams, and in t till  by. ted up to t a Clara Valley.  Sout in t, regularly, at nine, at ted a nocturnal song, a weird and eerie c, in w was Bucks deligo join.

    itars leaping in t dance, and ts pall of sno  ciculate travail of existence. It self--one of t songs of t ed ions, t by irred.   ery of t o tery. And t irred by it marked teness o the howling ages.

    Seven days from time to Daeep bank by to trail, and pulled for Yea and Salt ater. Perrault c t in; also, travel pride o make trip of t ed t trim. trail to try s of grub for dog and man, and raveling light.

    ty Mile,  day; and to Pelly. But suc  great trouble and vexation on t of Francois. t led by Buck royed ty of team. It no longer races. t Buck gave to all kinds of petty misdemeanors. No more z a leader greatly to be feared. ted, and to cy. Pike robbed , and gulped it doection of Buck. Anot Dub and Joe fougz and made  tured, ured, and z  snarling and bristling menacingly. In fact,  approac of a bully, and o szs very nose.

    ted tions ill at times tered, table by trange barbarous oatamped tile rage, and tore  it ly urned t it again. z eam. Francois kneoo clever ever again to be caugoil  to  it er deligo precipitate a fig es and tangle traces.

    At ta after supper, Dub turned up a sno, and missed. In a second team y dogs,  sped dourned off into a small creek, up t eadily. It ran ligrengty strong, around bend after bend, but  gain. o te moonlig  flashed on ahead.

    All t stirring of old instincts ated periods drives men out from ties to forest and plain to kill ts, t, to kill--all t ely more intimate.  t, to kill eeto the eyes in warm blood.

    tasy t marks t of life, and beyond  comes as a complete forgetfulness t one is alive. tasy, tfulness of living, comes to tist, caug of  of flame; it comes to tricken field and refusing quarter; and it came to Buck, leading training after t  fled sly before . ure, and of ts of ure t o time. ered by tidal  joy of eace muscle, joint, and sine it   deat it , expressing itself in movement, flying exultantly under tars and over tter t did not move.

    But Spitz, cold and calculating even in  t across a narro  still flitting before  o te pat. It z. t could not turn, and as te teets back in mid air it sricken man may s sound of t Bucks .

    Buck did not cry out.  c drove in upon Spitz, so s . tz gained  almost as t been overtogeteel jarap, as ter footing, ing lips t hed and snarled.

    In a flas. time  o t, snarling, ears laid back, keenly cage, to Buck y. o remember it all--te , and ttle. Over teness and silence brooded a gly calm. t test y air. t , t amed ant circle. too, , ting sloo Buck it range, time. It  ed hings.

    Spitz iced figzbergen tic, and across Canada and to mastery over tter rage o rend and destroy,  t o rend and destroy. ill o receive a rustacked till  defended t attack.

    In vain Buck strove to sink eete dog. ruck for ter flesered by tz. Fang clas and bleeding, but Buck could not penetrate z in a ime again ried for te t, ime and every time Spitz slas aook to rus, z, as a ram by  instead, Bucks sime as Spitz leaped lightly away.

    Spitz oucreaming ing  e. And all t and o finis doz took to rus aggering for footing. Once Buck  over, and ty dogs started up; but  in mid air, and ted.

    But Buck possessed a quality t made for greatness--imagination.  by instinct, but  by tempting trick, but at t instant s loo teetzs left fore leg. te dog faced ried to knock ed trick and broke t fore leg. Despite tz struggled madly to keep up.  circle, ongues, and silvery breating upagonists in t. Only time en.

    tler climes. igill z and to eito fall. Every animal ionless as turned to stone. Only Spitz quivered and bristled as aggered back and forto frig; but  squarely met s on tz disappeared from vieood and looked on, t primordial beast w good.

 CHAPTER 4

    O MAStERShIP

    quot;E I say? I speak true ;

    t morning o ts liged t.

    quot;Dat Spitz fig; said Perrault, as s.

    quot;An dat Buck fig;And noime. No more Spitz, no more trouble, sure.quot;

    packed tfit and loaded to rotted up to tz  noticing  Sol-leks to ted position. In , Sol-leks  lead-dog left. Buck sprang upon Sol-leks in a fury, driving anding in his place.

    quot;E; Francois cried, slapping ;Look at dat Buck.  Spitz, o take de job.quot;

    quot;Go o budge.

    ook Buck by teningly, dragged o one side and replaced Sol-leks. t like it, and s e, but  all uno go.

    Francois ;No; h a heavy club in his hand.

    Buck remembered ter, and retreated sloempt to c for  beyond tterness and rage; and  if the way of clubs.

    t about o Buck   of Dave. Buck retreated teps. Francois folloed. After some time of t Buck feared a t Buck . ed, not to escape a clubbing, but to  ent h less.

    Perrault took a  for tter part of an  o come after o test generation, and every  out of t try to run a retreated around and around tising plainly t w, he would come in and be good.

    Francois sat doc looked at cime rail an c and grinned s t ten. t up to o Buck. Buck laug kept ance. Francois unfastened Sol-lekss traces and put eam stood o trail. t t. Once more Francois called, and once more Buck laug away.

    quot;t; Perrault commanded.

    Francois complied, ted in, laugriumply, and so position at team. races ened, t, and  on to trail.

    a bound Buck took up ties of leaders ing, z, of whom Francois had never seen an equal.

    But it es live up to it, t Buck excelled. Dave and Sol-leks did not mind t o toil, and toil migraces. So long as t  interfered  care  order. t of team,  days of Spitz, and t no Buck proceeded to lick to shape.

    Pike,  tband to do, ly and repeatedly s day z ue of superior weig ill o whine for mercy.

    tone of team picked up immediately. It recovered its old-time solidarity, and once more traces. At tive eek and Koona, y ook ah.

    quot;Never suc Buck!quot; ;No, never!  you say, Perrault?quot;

    And Perrault nodded. rail  condition, end. It  too cold. temperature dropped to fifty belorip. turn, and t on t infrequent stop-pages.

    ty Mile River ively coated  en days coming in. In one run ty-mile das of Lake LeBarge to te agist (seventy miles of lakes), t t turn it o run to nigopped e Pass and dropped dos of Skaguay and of t t.

    It y miles. For t and Francois ts up and doreet of Skaguay and ations to drink, ant center of a o clean out toerest turned to ot came official orders. Francois called Buck to  over   of Francois and Perrault. Like ot of Bucks life for good.

    A Scotcook ces, and in company eams arted back over trail to Da  oil eacrain, carrying o t gold under the Pole.

    Buck did not like it, but o taking pride in it after t es, , did t onous life, operating y. One day  a certain time eacurned out, fires , and breakfast en. t nigcents, ot fireer or ice for to ture of t o loaf around, after ten, for an ers among t ttles  brougo mastery, so t  out of his way.

    Best of all, pero lie near tretc in front,  times  of Judge Millers big a Clara Valley, and of t sank, and Ysabel, toots, t oftener er, t figz and ten or o eat.  ant, and sucent y t gave ty; tincts (ors become s) ill later, in him, quickened and became alive again.

    Sometimes as  t seemed t t as  man from ter of leg and longer of arm,  ringy and knotty ratted, and ed back under it from ttered strange sounds, and seemed very muco c, a stick one made fast to t naked, a ragged and fire-scorc  ted into almost a t stand erect, but runk inclined for bent at t  catlike, and a quick alertness as of one hings seen and unseen.

    At otimes tted by t beasts of prey. And . And dreaming t ts of anoto rise along and on end across ill ly, and ted at ;; o  up and yaretchough he had been asleep.

    It  of  at least. But in time tters for tside. tired, to make matters  sno a soft trail, greater friction on t t all, and did t for the animals.

    Eac ttended to first. te before te, and no man sougill o t of till, trengt doer traveled eigance; and eigell upon life of toug. Buck stood it, keeping es up to taining discipline, too ired. Billee cried and her side.

    But it able, and  get on  again till ime in times, in traces, raining to start it,   could find noterested in alked it over at meal-time, and over t pipes before going to bed, and one nigation.  from  to till  many times. Somet te no broken bones, could not make it out.

    By time Cassiar Bar races. tc and took  of team, making t dog, Sol-leks, fast to tention o rest Dave, letting ed being taken out, grunting and groened, and rail  bear t another dog should do his work.

    arted,  snoen trail, attacking Sol-leks eet rying to t o t snoriving to leap inside races and get beto drive  o tinging las t to strike o run quietly on trail be continued to flounder alongside in t sno, till exed. train of sleds churned by.

    it remnant of rengto stagger along beill train made anotop, o ood alongside Sol-leks.  to get a ligurned and started  on trail ion, turned topped in surprise. too; t moved. o ness t. Dave ten traces, and anding directly in front of the sled in his proper place.

    o remain talked of s  t killed it, and recalled instances too old for toil, or injured,  out of traces. Also, t a mercy, since Dave o die any races, -easy and content. So  involuntarily from te of . Several times fell doraces, and once t er on one of his hind legs.

    But  till camp o travel. At ime ried to crao s  on , staggered, and fell. to  es sa till t of sig of river timber.

    rain craced eps to t. talking. A revolver-s rang out. tinkled merrily, trail; but Buck knerees.

 CHAPTER 5

    tOIL OF tRACE AND tRAIL

    ty days from time it left Da ater Mail, es at t Skaguay. tcate,  and  of es, ter dogs, ively lost more , en successfully feigned a  leg, . Sol-leks was limping, and Dub was suffering from a wrenched shoulder blade.

    terribly footsore. No spring or rebound  in t fell rail, jarring tigue of a days travel. tter  t tired. It  tiredness t comes t, from  iredness t comes trengtoil. tion left, no reserve strengto call upon. It  least bit of it. Every muscle, every fiber, every cell, ired, dead tired. And t. In less traveled ty-five  eig five days rest.  Skaguay, tly on t legs. traces taut, and on t managed to keep out of the sled.

    quot;Muss,quot; tottered doreet of Skaguay. quot;Dis is de last. Den  one long rest. E.quot;

    tly expected a long stopover. t, and in ture of reason and common justice terval of loafing. But so many o ts,   rus ted mail aking on Alpine proportions; also, tco take trail. to be got rid of, and, since dogs count for little against dollars, to be sold.

    time Buck and es found ired and ates came along and boug;; and quot;C;. Cisery eyes and a mustac ted fiercely and vigorously up, giving to t concealed. er of nineteen or ty, s revolver and a ing knife strapped about  t fairly bristled ridges. t  salient t  advertised terable. Botly out of place, and  of tery of t passes understanding.

    Buck  agent, and kne tcrain drivers  of  and Francois and tes to tent retc;Mercedesquot; ter--a nice family party.

    Buck co take doent and load t deal of effort about t no businesslike metent o an aimes as large as it sin disinually fluttered in t up an unbroken ctering of remonstrance and advice.  a clot of ted it s put on t over icles  very sack, and they unloaded again.

    tent came out and looked on, grinning and  one another.

    quot;Youve got a rig load as it is,quot; said one of t;and its not me sell you your business, but I  tote t tent along if I ;

    quot;Undreamed of!quot; cried Mercedes, ty dismay. quot; a tent?quot;

    quot;Its springtime, and you  get any more cold ; the man replied.

    S t odds and ends on top tainous load.

    quot;tll ride?quot; one of the men asked.

    quot; it?quot; Cly.

    quot;Os all rigs all rig; tened meekly to say. quot;I  a  is all. It seemed a mite top-;

    Curned  in t well.

    quot;And of course t contraption be; affirmed a second of the men.

    quot;Certainly,quot; said eness, taking ;Mus; ed. quot;Mus;

    t tbands, strained s, to move the sled.

    quot;tes, Ill s; o las at the whip.

    But Mercedes interfered, crying, quot;Ont,quot; as s  from ;t promise you  be  of trip, or I  go a step.quot;

    quot;Precious lot you kno dogs,quot; ;and I  to  anyt of ts t;

    Mercedes looked at told repugnances at sigten in ty face.

    quot;ter, if you  to kno; came t;Plum tuckered out, ts ter. t.quot;

    quot;Rest be blanked,quot; said ;O; in pain and sorro th.

    But sure, and rus once to t;Never mind t man,quot; sedly. quot;Youre driving our dogs and you do  ;

    Again  tbands, dug t into t doo it, and put fortrengt s, tood still, panting. tling savagely, werfered. Sears in  her arms around his neck.

    quot;You poor, poor dears,quot; sically, quot; like  oo miserable to resist aking it as a part of the days miserable work.

    One of teeto suppress  speech, now spoke up:

    quot;Its not t I care a  for t  to tell you, you can y lot by breaking out t sled. t. t against t and left, and break it out.quot;

    A time ttempt  time, follo to tes struggling frantically under turned and sloped steeply into treet. It op-, and  sucurn t over, spilling s load topped. tened sled bounded on its side bereatment t load. Buck eam follo tripped and reet, adding to ty of Skaguay as ttered tfit along its choroughfare.

    Kind-ed citizens caugtered belongings. Also, ted to reac ened uncent, and overfit. Canned goods urned out t made men laugrail is a to dream about. quot;Blankets for a el,quot; quot;oo muc rid of t tent, and all to ;

    And so it , tion of ticle after article . Sicular over eac knees, rocking back and fortedly. S go an inc for a dozen Co everybody and to everyto cast out even articles of apparel t ive necessaries. And in tacked t tornado.

    tfit, t in ill a formidable bulk. C out in t six Outside dogs. to team, and teek and Koona, tained at trip, brougeam up to fourteen. But tside dogs, tically broken in since t amount to muc-ers, one erminate breed. t seem to kno, and taug not to do,  teac to do. t take kindly to trace and trail. ition of t-broken by trange savage environment in ment t spirit at all; bones  them.

    iteam  by ty-five inuous trail, tlook  brigyle, een dogs. t over t never een dogs. In ture of Arctic travel teen dogs s drag one sled, and t  one sled could not carry teen dogs. But C knorip out o a dog, so many dogs, and so many days, Q.E.D. Mercedes looked over t was all so very simple.

    Late next morning Buck led team up treet. t it, no snap or go in arting dead imes ance bet ater and Da, jaded and tired, rail once more, made ter.   in t of any dog. tsiders imid and frig confidence in ters.

    Buck felt vaguely t t kno by it became apparent t t learn. t order or discipline. It took t to pitco break t camp and get t for t of topping and rearranging t make ten miles. On oto get started at all. And on no day did tance used by tation.

    It able t t on dog food. But tened it by overfeeding, bringing tsider dogs rained by co make t of little, ites. And o t  tion oo small. . And to cap it all, y eyes and a quaver in , could not cajole o giving till more, sole from t is  food t Buck and t rest. And time, trength severely.

    to t t ance only quarter covered; furt for love or money no additional dog food o be obtained. So  doion and tried to increase travel. er and brot trated by tfit and tence. It ter to give t it o make travel faster, o get under ed traveling longer  only did t kno t knohemselves.

    t to go  ting caugreated and unrested,  from bad to ill finally  s revolver. It is a saying of try t an Outside dog starves to deation of tside dogs under Buck could do no less tion of t first, follo-ers, tily on to life, but going in the end.

    By time all ties and gentleness of ts glamour and romance, Arctic travel became to ty too oo occupied o quarrel oo o do. tability arose out of t, doubled upon it, out-distanced it. tience of trail o tience. tiff and in pain; ts ac on t at night.

    C  o speak t every opportunity. Sometimes Mercedes sided imes  iful and unending family quarrel. Starting from a dispute as to e  of t , or t of society plays e, so do icks of fireend in t direction as in tion of Cical prejudices. And t Cers tale-bearing tongue s to t only to Mercedes, opic, and incidentally upon a feraits unpleasantly peculiar to ime t, tche dogs unfed.

    Mercedes nursed a special grievance--tty and soft, and reated all  t treatment by  o be  of o  essential sex prerogative, sired, sed in riding in tty and soft, but sy pounds--a lusty last strao tarving animals. Sill traces and tood still. Co get off and reated, t and importuned al of tality.

    On one occasion took rengt again. S  dorail. t on t s move. After traveled trengt he sled again.

    In to ticed on ot one must get arted out preac to er and brot into t t, and a tooto trade ts revolver t kept ting knife company at itute for food  as it ripped from tarved tlemen six monts frozen state it rips of galvanized iron, and  into omac to tritious leatrings and into a mass of s ating and indigestible.

    And t all Buck staggered along at team as in a nigill bloiffness and gloss  of iful furry coat. tted ed ao knotty strings, and t eaclined cleanly t iness. It er .

    As it  es. ting skeletons. toget misery to te of ting ant, just as tant. t er-living. ttered faintly.  races like dead dogs, and to go out. And ottered to t and staggered on.

    tured, fell and could not rise. raded off ook traces, t t of t to one side. Buck sa to t day Koona , and but five of too far gone to be malignant; Pike, crippled and limping, only  conscious enougo malinger; Sol-leks, till faito toil of trace and trail, and mournful in t tle strengto pull; teek, raveled so far t er and ill at team, but no longer enforcing discipline or striving to enforce it, blind ime and keeping trail by t and by t.

    It iful spring  neit. Eac later. It  nigly er silence o t spring murmur of a  came from t lived and moved again, t moved during t. ting out in young buds. Sting on fress sang in ts, and in tled forto tridges and . Squirrels ering, birds singing, and over split the air.

    From every rickle of er, tains. All training to break loose t bound it do ate ae from above. Air-, o ting, rending, t-sigo deataggered the huskies.

    itfully ering, taggered into Joons camp at te River. ed, truck dead. Mercedes dried  Joon. C doo rest.  doakingly, iffness. alking. Joon ling t toucick of birctled and listened, gave monosyllabic replies, and erse advice. ainty t it  be followed.

    quot;told us up above t ttom  of trail and t t to do o lay over,quot; o tons o take no more cten ice. quot;told us  make e River, and ; t riump.

    quot;And told you true,quot; Joon ans;ttoms likely to drop out at any moment. Only fools, . I tell you straig risk my carcass on t ice for all t;

    quot;ts because youre not a fool, I suppose,quot; said ;All to Da; ;Get up t up t;

    ton  on   bet alter things.

    But team did not get up at t o tage . t, s merciless errands. Joon compressed  to crao . teek follo, yelping s. tempt managed to rise. Buck made no effort. ly o  ruggled. Several times ton started, as to speak, but cure came into inued, ely up and down.

    t time Buck self a sufficient reason to drive o a rage. omary club. Buck refused to move under tes, o get up, but, unlike t to get up. rong upon o t  departed from  of tten ice  under  all day, it seemed t er close at  ter rying to drive o stir. So greatly  t  mucinued to fall upon  do .  strangely numb. As t distance,  en. t sensations of pain left  anytly  of t it was no longer  seemed so far away.

    And t tering a cry t iculate and more like ton sprang upon truck by a falling tree. Mercedes screamed. Cfully,  did not get up because of iffness.

    Joon stood over Buck, struggling to control oo convulsed o speak.

    quot;If you strike t dog again, Ill kill you,quot;  last managed to say in a choking voice.

    quot;Its my dog,quot; ;Get out of my o Da;

    ton stood betion of getting out of ting knife. Mercedes screamed, cried, lauged tic abandonment of eria. ton rapped o tried to pick it up. tooped, picked it up rokes cut Bucks traces.

    left in er, or oo near dead to be of furtes later t from to see. Pike  teek. taggering. Mercedes  tumbled along in the rear.

    As Buck con knelt beside ime ate of terrible starvation, ter of a mile ac cras back end drop doo a rut, and to it, jerk into to turn one step to run back, Sand tion of ice give o be seen. ttom  of trail.

    quot;You poor devil,quot; said Joon and Buck licked his hand.

 CHAPTER 6

    FOR thE LOVE OF A MAN

    on froze  in tners able and left o get o get out a raft of saime  inued  limp left cer, listening lazily to ture, Buck sloh.

    A rest comes very good after one raveled t must be confessed t Buck o cover  matter, ton, and Skeet and Nig--ing for t to come t o carry to Da tle Irister o resent  advances. Sor trait ens, so ser , sed task, till o look for rations as mucons. Nig, equally friendly trative, was a  laugure.

    to Bucks surprise ted no jealousy toronger ticed o all sorts of ridiculous games, in o join; and in to a neence. Love, genuine passionate love, ime. t Judge Millers doa Clara Valley. iting and tramping, it ners of pompous guardiansately and dignified friends love t ion, t  aken Joon to arouse.

    t, furter. Oto ty and business expediency; o t . And  a kindly greeting or a co sit doalk ;gasquot; --aking Bucks o Buck er joy t roug eac seemed t  s ecstasy. And  tered sound, and in t fas movement, Joon ly exclaim, quot;God! you can all but speak!quot;

    Buck rick of love expression t o . en seize tons  teetime afterood to be love ood te for a caress.

    For t part, ion.  on touco  seek tokens. Unlike Skeet, o sons ill petted, or Nig,   ons knee, Buck ent to adore at a distance. , at tons feet, looking up into , studying it, follo interest eacing expression, every movement or cure. Or, as c , o tclines of ts of en, sucrengtons urn t speec s of  s.

    For a long time after  like ton to get out of . From t  tent to  again, Buck  ransient masters since o t no master could be permanent.  ton  of  and Francois and tc. Even in t, in ed by t sucimes o tent, en to ters breathing.

    But in spite of t love on,  civilizing influence, train of tive, ion, t ained o sit by Joons fire, rat Soutamped ions of civilization. Because of  love,  steal from t from any ot ate an instant; ection.

    eet as fiercely as ever and more s and Nig oo good-natured for quarreling--besides, to Joon; but trange dog, no matter ly acknoerrible antagonist. And Buck age or dreed on to deatz, and from ting dogs of t master or be mastered;  in t ood for fear, and sucandings made for deat or be eaten, e, do of time, he obeyed.

    , and ternity bey ro ed dog,  be and prompting, tasting t e, ting for ter ing tening elling ; dictating ing ions, lying doo sleep uff of his dreams.

    So peremptorily did t eac a call en as eriously t compelled to turn en eart, and to plunge into t, and on and on,   as often as  unbroken earton drehe fire again.

    ton alone  of mankind ravelers mig   all, and from a too demonstrative man  up and ners, e, arrived on ted raft, Buck refused to notice till o ton; after t olerated t of ing favors from ting. type as ton, living close to t into t Daood Buck and  insist upon an intimacy sucained  and Nig.

    For ton, o groraveling. Notoo great for Buck to do, aked t and left Daers of tanana) tting on t of a cliff  beloting near t less ention of e to t ;Jump, Buck!quot;  and over t instant reme edge, o safety.

    quot;Its uncanny,quot; Pete said, after it  their speech.

    ton s;No, it is splendid, and it is terrible, too. Do you kno sometimes makes me afraid.quot;

    quot;Im not o be t lays ; Pete announced conclusively, nodding oward Buck.

    quot;Py Jingo!quot; ion. quot;Not mineself eit;

    It  Circle City, ere t, t Petes appre;Blackquot; Burton, a man evil tempered and malicious, enderfoot at ton stepped good naturedly betion. Burton struck out,  raigon  spinning, and saved che bar.

    t  a somet described as a roar, and t tons t. tinctively t  op of eet. time tly blocking, and  orn open. t ing to rusile clubs. A quot;miners meetingquot; called on t, decided t t provocation, and Buck ion  day hrough every camp in Alaska.

    Later on, in tons life in quite anotners  doretcy Mile Creek. e moved along tree to tree, , s descent by means of a pole, and sing directions to t abreast of t, er.

    At a particularly bad spot,  into t off ton poled t out into tream, ran doo snub t ream in a current as s as a mill-race, oo suddenly. t flirted over and snubbed in to ttom up, , ream to part of tretcer in which no swimmer could live.

    Buck ant; and at ter, on.  ail, Buck rengt tream amazingly rapid. From beloal roaring   in s teeter as it took t steep pitcful, and ton kne truck a tcs slippery top er sed: quot;Go, Buck! Go!quot;

    Buck could not  on doream, struggling desperately, but unable to ed, ly reared out of ter, t look, turned obediently toe and  t ruction began.

    t time a man could cling to a slippery rock in t driving current ter of minutes, and t as to a point far above ac to Bucks neck and s it srangle o tream. ruck out boldly, but not straigo tream. ake too late,  of rokes away w.

    ly snubbed . tig, ill ruck against t. e to er out of aggered to  and fell do sound of tons voice came to t make out t, t remity. ers voice acted on Buck like an electric so  and ran up to t of ure.

    Again ttacruck out, but time straigo tream. ed once, but  be guilty of it a second time.  tting no slack,  it clear of coils. Buck ill raigon; turned, and rain on saering ram,  beree, and Buck and ton er. Strangling, suffocating, sometimes one uppermost and sometimes ttom, smas rocks and snags, to the bank.

    ton came to, belly doly propelled back and fort log by e.  glance ting up a   face and closed eyes. ton ered, and  carefully over Bucks body, hree broken ribs.

    quot;t settles it,quot; ;e camp rig; And camp till Bucks ribs knitted and o travel.

    t er, at Da, not so  one t puts cotem pole of Alaskan fame. t icularly gratifying to tood in need of tfit rip into t,  appeared. It ion in tful of te dogs. Buck, because of arget for ton outly to defend  tated t art a sled ; a second bragged six hird, seven hundred.

    quot;Poo; said Joon. quot;Buck can start a t;

    quot;And break it out, and  for a ; demanded Matt.

    quot;And break it out, and  for a ; Joon said cooly.

    quot;ell,quot; Mattely, so t all could ;Ive got a t says . And t is.quot; So saying,  of the bar.

    Nobody spoke. tons bluff, if bluff it  a ton! t appalled  faitrengten t arting suc never, as no, t and ing. Furte.

    quot;Ive got a sled standing outside noy fifty-pound sacks of flour on it,quot; Matt on al directness; quot;so dont let t ;

    ton did not reply.  knoo say. o face in t  and is seeking some art it going again. todon king and old-time comrade, caug o o rouse o do w he would never have dreamed of doing.

    quot;Can you lend me a t;  in a whisper.

    quot;Sure,quot; anst;ts little fait t can do trick.quot;

    tied its occupants into treet to see test. tables ed, and to see tcome of to lay odds. Several tened, banked around tance. Mattanding for a couple of ense cold --it y belo to to one t Buck could not budge t;break out.quot; OBrien contended it ons privilege to knock to quot;break it outquot; from a dead standstill. Matted t ty of tnessed t decided in  t up to to one against Buck.

    takers. Not a man believed . ton o t; and no  tself, te fact, eam of ten dogs curled up in t, task appeared. Matt.

    quot;to one!quot; ;Ill lay you anot t figure, ton, ;

    tons doubt rong in  ing spirit ing spirit t soars above odds, fails to recognize to all save ttle. e to ners could rake togetotal capital; yet t unatingly against Matthewsons six hundred.

    team of ten dogs o t tagion of tement, and  t in some  ton. Murmurs of admiration at  up.  condition,  an ounce of superfluous flesy pounds t  and virility.  s o lift , as ticular ive. t breast and ion  of ig t doo to one.

    quot;Gad, sir! Gad, sir!quot; stuttered a member of test dynasty, a king of t;I offer you eigest; eig as ands.quot;

    ton sepped over to Bucks side.

    quot;You must stand off from ; Mattested. quot;Free play and plenty of room.quot;

    t; only could be o one. Everybody ackno animal, but ty fifty-pound sacks of flour bulked too large in to loosen trings.

    ton knelt do love curses; but ;As you love me, Buck. As you love me,quot; was w h suppressed eagerness.

    tcerious. It seemed like a conjuration. As ton got to , Buck seized tened antly. It erms, not of speec of love. ton stepped well back.

    quot;No; he said.

    Buck tigraces, tter of several inc he way he had learned.

    quot;Gee!quot; tons voice rang out, sense silence.

    Buck so t, ending t in a plunge t took up ted y pounds. the runners arose a crisp crackling.

    quot;; ton commanded.

    Buck duplicated time to t. turned into a snapping, ting and ting several inco t. Men .

    quot;Now, MUS;

    tons command cracked out like a pistol s. Buck tigraces ly togetremendous effort, tting like live t c o t rembled, arted for appeared a rapid succession of jerks, t never really came to a dead stop again . . . ill it eadily along.

    Men gasped and began to breat for a moment to breaton o a roar as ed at command. Every man earing ts and mittens  did not matter  babel.

    But ton fell on  ly, and softly and lovingly.

    quot;Gad, sir! Gad, sir!quot; sputtered t;Ill give you a twelve ;

    ton rose to . . tears reaming frankly do; o t;no, sir. You can go to s t I can do for you, sir.quot;

    Buck seized tons eeton sed by a common impulse, to a respectful distance; nor  enougo interrupt.

 CHAPTER 7

    thE CALL

    een es for Joon,  possible for er to pay off certain debts and to journey ners into t after a fabled lost mine, tory of ry. Many men  it; feurned from t. t mine eeped in tragedy and sery. No one kne man. t tradition stopped before it got back to  and ramso it, and to te of imony s t hland.

    But no living man ed treasure on and Pete and o t on an unknorail to acy miles up to t into te River, passed tion, and il te itself became a streamlet, tanding peaks .

    Joon asked little of man or nature.  and a rifle o te, Indian fased raveling; and if o find it, like t on traveling, secure in t sooner or later o it. So, on t journey into t, straig ion and tools principally made up timecard less future.

    to Buck it range places. For  a time teadily, day after day; and for less pans of dirt by t of times t imes ted riotously, all according to tune of ing. Summer arrived, and dogs and men, packs on ted across blue mountain lakes, and descended or ascended unknos .

    t, and back and forted ted vastness, rue. t across divides in summer blizzards, s sun on naked mountains betimber line and ternal snoo summer valleys amid ss and flies, and in tra. In trated a ry, sad and silent, he melancholy rippling of waves on lonely beaches.

    And ter terated trails of men , an ancient pat Cabin seemed very near. But tery, as t and t remained a mystery. Anotime time-graven ted blankets Joon found a long-barreled flintlock.  for a ,  o t ts.

    Spring came on once more, and at t t Cabin, but a ster across ttom of t no fart and nuggets, and ty pounds to tside ts toiled, days flasreasure up.

    to do, save t no ton killed, and Buck spent long -legged o ly, no ttle o be done; and often, blinking by t other world which he remembered.

    t tclessly, arts and a e t  roved every its first appearance. t t noiselessly, Buck at t and vigilant, tcrils quivering, for to trees and travel a as on to limb, sometimes a dozen feet apart, letting go and catc,  rees as on ts of vigil spent beneatrees wed, ig.

    And closely akin to till sounding in t. It filled  unrest and strange desires. It caused o feel a vague, s gladness, and irrings for  imes o t, looking for it as t angible tly or defiantly, as t dictate.  o to t  t eart, berunks of fallen trees, o all t moved and sounded about  mig o surprise t understand. But  kno reason about t all.

    Irresistible impulses seized  of t and ent and listening, and o  and das aisles and across to run doercourses, and to creep and spy upon t a time cridges drumming and strutting up and do especially o run in tening to t, reading signs and sounds as man may read a book, and seeking for terious somet called--called,  all times, for o come.

    One nigart, eager-eyed, nostrils quivering and scenting, ling in recurrent  came te of it, for ted), distinct and definite as never before--a long-dra silence daso t more sloion in every movement, till o an open place among trees, and looking out sa on ed to timber wolf.

    it ceased from its ried to sense alked into tly togetail straigiff, feet falling ed care. Every movement advertised commingled tening and overture of friendliness. It ruce t marks ting of s t prey. But t sigo overtake. o a blind cimber jam barred t, pivoting on er tling, clipping eetogetinuous and rapid succession of snaps.

    Buck did not attack, but circled  and , ime and again ed, tion or Buck could not so easily aken ill Bucks  bay, only to das t opportunity.

    But in tinacity  no ended, finally sniffed noses  in ts belie ter some time of tarted off at an easy lope in a manner t plainly s clear to Buck t o come, and t issued, and across t took its rise.

    On te slope of terso a level country retc and many streams, and t stretceadily, er  last anso, and irring to tirred to ties of  again, no, the wide sky overhead.

    topped by a running stream to drink, and, stopping, Buck remembered Joon.  doarted on tourned to ions as to encourage  Buck turned about and started slorack. For tter part of an ly. t doed   and fainter until it  in tance.

    Joon ing dinner urning ing ;playing tom-fool,quot; as Joon cerized it, th and cursed him lovingly.

    For t ton out of .  at ce, sa nig of t after t began to sound more imperiously tlessness came back on ed by recollections of t stretcook to  tened the mournful howl was never raised.

    o sleep out at nigaying a a time; and once  t doo timber and streams. t as raveled and traveling  seems never to tire. ream t emptied someream oes   aroused t latent remnants of Bucks ferocity. And ter, o tered t fled left two behind who would quarrel no more.

    tronger t preyed, living on t lived, unaided, alone, by virtue of rengtriumply in a ile environment  pride in ed itself like a contagion to  advertised itself in all s,  in t if anyt for tray bro doic  of t. Bernard fated size and   size and   broader, he wolf head on a massive scale.

    elligence, selligence and St. Bernard intelligence; and all t of scure as any t roamed traig diet,  tide of y. on passed a caressing s pent magnetism at tact. Every part, brain and body, nerve tissue and fiber, o t exquisite pitcs t equilibrium or adjustment. to sigs y. Quickly as a o defend from attack or to attack, o compass termined and responded in tant. In point of fact tions of perceiving, determining, and responding ial; but so infinitesimal ervals of time bet taneous. ality, and snapped into play seel springs. Life streamed t, until it seemed t it  asy and put forthe world.

    quot;Never ; said Joon one day, as tners c of camp.

    quot;; said Pete.

    quot;Py Jingo! I t; hans affirmed.

    t of camp, but t see tant and terrible transformation ly, cat-footed, a passing s appeared and disappeared among to take advantage of every cover, to crarike. ake a ptarmigan from its nest, kill a rabbit as it slept, and snap in mid-air ttle coo late for trees. Fis too quick for oo , not from onness; but o eat o steal upon t o let ttering in mortal fear to tree-tops.

    As ter abundance, moving sloo meet ter in tray part-gro rongly for larger and more formidable quarry, and  one day on t ty moose reams and timber, and c bull. emper, and, standing over six feet from tagonist as even Buck could desire. Back and fortossed  palmated antlers, branco fourteen points and embracing seven feet ips. ter lig sight of Buck.

    From t forruded a feated for  instinct o cut t from t  of t out of reac antlers and of terrible splay amped  o turn o paroxysms of rage. At sucs reated craftily, luring ed inability to escape. But o rejoin the herd.

    tience of tireless, persistent as life itself--t ionless for endless s s coils, ts ambuscade; tience belongs peculiarly to life s living food; and it belonged to Buck as o tarding its marcating tinued. Buck multiplied tacking from all sides, enveloping tting out im as fast as it could rejoin its mates,  tience of creatures preyed upon,  of creatures preying.

    As to its bed in t (ts eps more and more reluctantly to t leader. ter  seemed tireless creature t   t ened. ter interest tent to pay toll.

    As tces--tered--as t a rapid pace t.  follo  let  more ton rong life, full of figruggle, and at t teeture w reac knuckled knees.

    From t and day, Buck never left  a moments rest, never permitted it to brorees or ts of young bircunity to slake  in trickling streams ten, in desperation,  into long stretc. At sucime Buck did not attempt to stay  loped easily at isfied ood still, attacking rove to eat or drink.

    t s tree of rot greo standing for long periods, o ted ears dropped limply; and Buck found more time in  er for o rest. At sucs, panting ongue and  appeared to Buck t a cir in to t and stream and air seemed palpitant  ler sense.  kne t; t t strange t and ranging; and o investigate after he business in hand.

    At last, at t moose dourn and turn about. ted, refresrong, urned o on, er  loss for tangled ry itude of direction t put man and ic needle to shame.

    As ir in t different from t t borne in upon le, mysterious alked of it, ttered about it, t. Several times opped and dre sniffs, reading a message  calamity already  erso toion.

    trail t sent ling. It led straigoealtraining and tense, alert to titudinous details ory--all but tion of traveling.  silence of t. tted. ttened against a gray dead limb so t  of it, a self.

    As Buck slid along o tive force .  into a t and found Nig. ruding, her side of his body.

    A on  in Da in a deatruggle, directly on trail, and Buck passed around  stopping. From t sound of many voices, rising and falling in a sing-song c. Bellying foro t tant Buck peered out  over  kno  errible ferocity. For t time in o usurp cunning and reason, and it   his head.

    ts  t roy.  t man--it s--ripping t ill t jugular spouted a fountain of blood.  pause to im, but ripped in passing,  bound tearing  of a second man. tanding  in t, tearing, rending, destroying, in constant and terrific motion angled toget t one anoter,  Buck in mid-air, drove it t of anoter  t broke tood out beyond. ts, and terror to t of t.

    And truly Buck e, raging at trees. It eful day for ts. ttered far and ry, and it  till a er t t of togeted t, urned to ted camp. e  moment of surprise. tons desperate struggle en on ted every detail of it doo t in ter, lay Skeet, faito t. tself, muddy and discolored from tually  it contained, and it contained Joon; for Buck folloo ter, from wrace led away.

    All day Buck brooded by tlessly about tion of movement, as a passing out and aon  left a great void in  akin to  a void  times, emplate ts,  t; and at sucimes  pride in er t experienced.  game of all, and   not for t wheir arrows, spears and clubs.

    Nigrees into ting till it lay batly day. And , brooding and mourning by to a stirring of t ot ening and scenting. From far aed a faint, ss passed t oted in o ter of tened. It ed call, sounding more luringly and compelling to obey. Joon  tie he claims of man no longer bound him.

    ing t, as ts , on ting moose, t last crossed over from treams and timber and invaded Bucks valley. Into t streamed, ter of tood Buck, motionless as a statue, ing till and large ood, and a moments pause fell, till t one leaped straigruck, breaking tood,  movement, as before, tricken  in ser treaming blood from slass or shoulders.

    t to fling togets eagerness to pull doy stood ead. Pivoting on  once, presenting a front ly did o side. But to prevent tting be to till  up against a o a rigo bay, protected on to do but face t.

    And so  at ted. tongues of all  and lolling, te fangs se in t. Some ood on t, cill oter from tiously, in a friendly manner, and Buck recognized t and a day. ly, and, as Buck wouched noses.

    t and battle-scarred, came foro t sniffed noses  doed nose at t t doakable accents. oo, sat doo ther, yelping as he ran.

    And ory of Buck. t many ed a cimber  of ering do. But more remarkable ts tell of a G Dog t runs at t Dog, for it er tealing from ters, robbing traps, slaying t ers.

    Nay, tale groo return to ters tribesmen found s slass about ter ts of any  of tain valley  came to select t valley for an abiding-place.

    In tor, o t valley, of  kno is a great, gloriously coated  unlike, all otimber land and comes doo an open space among trees. ream floted moose-o t and vegetable mold overrunning it and s yelloime, s.

    But  alo t t or glimmering borealis, leaping gigantic above  t a-bellow as he pack.