Зов предков
Who Has Won to Mastership
Therestoftheteam,however,hadgrownunrulyduringthelastdaysofSpitz,andtheirsurprisewasgreatnowthatBuckproceededtolickthemintoshape.
Pike,whopulledatBuck’sheels,andwhoneverputanouncemoreofhisweightagainstthebreast-bandthanhewascompelledtodo,wasswiftlyandrepeatedlyshakenforloafing; anderethefirstdaywasdonehewaspullingmorethaneverbeforeinhislife. Thefirstnightincamp,Joe,thesourone,waspunishedroundly—athingthatSpitzhadneversucceededindoing. Bucksimplysmotheredhimbyvirtueofsuperiorweight,andcuthimuptillheceasedsnappingandbegantowhineformercy.
Thegeneraltoneoftheteampickedupimmediately. Itrecovereditsold-timesolidarity,andoncemorethedogsleapedasonedoginthetraces. AttheRinkRapidstwonativehuskies,TeekandKoona,wereadded;andtheceleritywithwhichBuckbrokethemintookawayFrancois’sbreath.
"NevairesuchadogasdatBuck!"hecried. "No,nevaire!Heemworthonet’ousan’dollair,byGar!Eh?Wotyousay,Perrault?"
AndPerraultnodded. Hewasaheadoftherecordthen,andgainingdaybyday. Thetrailwasinexcellentcondition,wellpackedandhard,andtherewasnonew-fallensnowwithwhichtocontend. Itwasnottoocold. Thetemperaturedroppedtofiftybelowzeroandremainedtherethewholetrip. Themenrodeandranbyturn,andthedogswerekeptonthejump,withbutinfrequentstoppages.
