Белый клык
The She-Wolf
Henryleftthecookingtocomeandsee. Notonlyhadhispartnertiedthedogsup,buthehadtiedthem,aftertheIndianfashion,withsticks. Abouttheneckofeachdoghehadfastenedaleatherthong. Tothis,andsoclosetotheneckthatthedogcouldnotgethisteethtoit, hehadtiedastoutstickfourorfivefeetinlength. Theotherendofthestick,inturn,wasmadefasttoastakeinthegroundbymeansofaleatherthong. Thedogwasunabletognawthroughtheleatherathisownendofthestick. Thestickpreventedhimfromgettingattheleatherthatfastenedtheotherend.
Henrynoddedhisheadapprovingly.
"It’stheonlycontraptionthat’lleverholdOneEar,"hesaid. "Hecangnawthroughleatherascleanasaknifean’jes’abouthalfasquick. Theyall’llbehereinthemornin’hunkydory."
"Youjes’bettheywill,"Billaffirmed."Ifoneofem’turnsupmissin’,I’llgowithoutmycoffee."
"Theyjes’knowweain’tloadedtokill,"Henryremarkedatbed-time,indicatingthegleamingcirclethathemmedthemin. "Ifwecouldputacoupleofshotsinto’em,they’dbemorerespectful. Theycomeclosereverynight. Getthefirelightoutofyoureyesan’lookhard—there!Didyouseethatone?"
Forsometimethetwomenamusedthemselveswithwatchingthemovementofvagueformsontheedgeofthefirelight. Bylookingcloselyandsteadilyatwhereapairofeyesburnedinthedarkness,theformoftheanimalwouldslowlytakeshape. Theycouldevenseetheseformsmoveattimes.
Asoundamongthedogsattractedthemen’sattention.
