Зов предков
Who Has Won to Mastership
Hedidnotstanderect,butwithtrunkinclinedforwardfromthehips,onlegsthatbentattheknees. Abouthisbodytherewasapeculiarspringiness,orresiliency,almostcatlike,andaquickalertnessasofonewholivedinperpetualfearofthingsseenandunseen.
Atothertimesthishairymansquattedbythefirewithheadbetweenhislegsandslept. Onsuchoccasionshiselbowswereonhisknees,hishandsclaspedabovehisheadasthoughtoshedrainbythehairyarms. Andbeyondthatfire,inthecirclingdarkness,Buckcouldseemanygleamingcoals,twobytwo,alwaystwobytwo,whichheknewtobetheeyesofgreatbeastsofprey. Andhecouldhearthecrashingoftheirbodiesthroughtheundergrowth,andthenoisestheymadeinthenight. AnddreamingtherebytheYukonbank,withlazyeyesblinkingatthefire,thesesoundsandsightsofanotherworldwouldmakethehairtorisealonghisbackandstandonendacrosshisshouldersanduphisneck,tillhewhimperedlowandsuppressedly,orgrowledsoftly,andthehalf-breedcookshoutedathim, "Hey,youBuck,wakeup!" Whereupontheotherworldwouldvanishandtherealworldcomeintohiseyes,andhewouldgetupandyawnandstretchasthoughhehadbeenasleep.
Itwasahardtrip,withthemailbehindthem,andtheheavyworkworethemdown.
