Зов предков
The Dominant Primordial Beast
Buckstaggeredoveragainstthesled,exhausted,sobbingforbreath,helpless.ThiswasSpitz’sopportunity. HespranguponBuck,andtwicehisteethsankintohisunresistingfoeandrippedandtorethefleshtothebone. ThenFrancois’slashdescended,andBuckhadthesatisfactionofwatchingSpitzreceivetheworstwhippingasyetadministeredtoanyoftheteams.
"Onedevil,datSpitz,"remarkedPerrault. "SomedamdayheemkeeldatBuck."
"DatBucktwodevils,"wasFrancois’srejoinder. "AlldetamIwatchdatBuckIknowforsure. Lissen:somedamfinedayheemgetmadlakhellan’denheemchewdatSpitzallupan’spitheemoutondesnow. Sure.Iknow."
Fromthenonitwaswarbetweenthem. Spitz,aslead-dogandacknowledgedmasteroftheteam,felthissupremacythreatenedbythisstrangeSouthlanddog. AndstrangeBuckwastohim,forofthemanySouthlanddogshehadknown,notonehadshownupworthilyincampandontrail. Theywerealltoosoft,dyingunderthetoil,thefrost,andstarvation. Buckwastheexception. Healoneenduredandprospered,matchingthehuskyinstrength,savagery,andcunning. Thenhewasamasterfuldog,andwhatmadehimdangerouswasthefactthattheclubofthemanintheredsweaterhadknockedallblindpluckandrashnessoutofhisdesireformastery. Hewaspreeminentlycunning,andcouldbidehistimewithapatiencethatwasnothinglessthanprimitive.
