Зов предков
Into the Primitive
Bucksawmoneypassbetweenthem,andwasnotsurprisedwhenCurly,agood-naturedNewfoundland,andhewereledawaybythelittleweazenedman. Thatwasthelasthesawofthemanintheredsweater,andasCurlyandhelookedatrecedingSeattlefromthedeckoftheNarwhal,itwasthelasthesawofthewarmSouthland. CurlyandheweretakenbelowbyPerraultandturnedovertoablack-facedgiantcalledFrancois. PerraultwasaFrench–Canadian,andswarthy;butFrancoiswasaFrench–Canadianhalf-breed,andtwiceasswarthy. TheywereanewkindofmentoBuck(ofwhichhewasdestinedtoseemanymore),andwhilehedevelopednoaffectionforthem,henonethelessgrewhonestlytorespectthem. HespeedilylearnedthatPerraultandFrancoiswerefairmen,calmandimpartialinadministeringjustice,andtoowiseinthewayofdogstobefooledbydogs.
Inthe‘tween-decksoftheNarwhal,BuckandCurlyjoinedtwootherdogs. Oneofthemwasabig,snow-whitefellowfromSpitzbergenwhohadbeenbroughtawaybyawhalingcaptain,andwhohadlateraccompaniedaGeologicalSurveyintotheBarrens. Hewasfriendly,inatreacheroussortofway,smilingintoone’sfacethewhilehemeditatedsomeunderhandtrick,as,forinstance,whenhestolefromBuck’sfoodatthefirstmeal. AsBucksprangtopunishhim,thelashofFrancois’swhipsangthroughtheair,reachingtheculpritfirst; andnothingremainedtoBuckbuttorecoverthebone. ThatwasfairofFrancois,hedecided,andthehalf-breedbeganhisriseinBuck’sestimation.
Theotherdogmadenoadvances,norreceivedany;also,hedidnotattempttostealfromthenewcomers. Hewasagloomy,morosefellow,andheshowedCurlyplainlythatallhedesiredwastobeleftalone,andfurther,thattherewouldbetroubleifhewerenotleftalone.
