Зов предков
For the Love of a Man
TheyattachedthelinewithwhichtheyhadbeensnubbingtheboattoBuck’sneckandshoulders,beingcarefulthatitshouldneitherstranglehimnorimpedehisswimming,andlaunchedhimintothestream. Hestruckoutboldly,butnotstraightenoughintothestream. Hediscoveredthemistaketoolate,whenThorntonwasabreastofhimandabarehalf-dozenstrokesawaywhilehewasbeingcarriedhelplesslypast.
Hanspromptlysnubbedwiththerope,asthoughBuckwereaboat. Theropethustighteningonhiminthesweepofthecurrent,hewasjerkedunderthesurface,andunderthesurfaceheremainedtillhisbodystruckagainstthebankandhewashauledout. Hewashalfdrowned,andHansandPetethrewthemselvesuponhim,poundingthebreathintohimandthewateroutofhim. Hestaggeredtohisfeetandfelldown. ThefaintsoundofThornton’svoicecametothem,andthoughtheycouldnotmakeoutthewordsofit,theyknewthathewasinhisextremity. Hismaster’svoiceactedonBucklikeanelectricshock. Hesprangtohisfeetandranupthebankaheadofthementothepointofhispreviousdeparture.
Againtheropewasattachedandhewaslaunched,andagainhestruckout,butthistimestraightintothestream. Hehadmiscalculatedonce,buthewouldnotbeguiltyofitasecondtime. Hanspaidouttherope,permittingnoslack,whilePetekeptitclearofcoils. BuckheldontillhewasonalinestraightaboveThornton; thenheturned,andwiththespeedofanexpresstrainheadeddownuponhim.
