Зов предков
The Toil of Trace and Trail
"Theytoldusupabovethatthebottomwasdroppingoutofthetrailandthatthebestthingforustodowastolayover,"HalsaidinresponsetoThornton’swarningtotakenomorechancesontherottenice. "Theytolduswecouldn’tmakeWhiteRiver,andhereweare." Thislastwithasneeringringoftriumphinit.
"Andtheytoldyoutrue,"JohnThorntonanswered. "Thebottom’slikelytodropoutatanymoment. Onlyfools,withtheblindluckoffools,couldhavemadeit. Itellyoustraight,Iwouldn’triskmycarcassonthaticeforallthegoldinAlaska."
"That’sbecauseyou’renotafool,Isuppose,"saidHal. "Allthesame,we’llgoontoDawson." Heuncoiledhiswhip. "Getupthere,Buck! Hi!Getupthere!Mushon!"
Thorntonwentonwhittling. Itwasidle,heknew,togetbetweenafoolandhisfolly; whiletwoorthreefoolsmoreorlesswouldnotaltertheschemeofthings.
Buttheteamdidnotgetupatthecommand. Ithadlongsincepassedintothestagewhereblowswererequiredtorouseit. Thewhipflashedout,hereandthere,onitsmercilesserrands. JohnThorntoncompressedhislips. Sol-lekswasthefirsttocrawltohisfeet. Teekfollowed. Joecamenext,yelpingwithpain. Pikemadepainfulefforts. Twicehefellover,whenhalfup,andonthethirdattemptmanagedtorise. Buckmadenoeffort. Helayquietlywherehehadfallen. Thelashbitintohimagainandagain,butheneitherwhinednorstruggled.
