Зов предков
The Law of Club and Fang
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.
