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The Sounding of the Call
Thewolfstartedontowardtheplacefromwherethecallsurelycame,thenreturnedtohim,sniffingnosesandmakingactionsasthoughtoencouragehim. ButBuckturnedaboutandstartedslowlyonthebacktrack. Forthebetterpartofanhourthewildbrotherranbyhisside,whiningsoftly. Thenhesatdown,pointedhisnoseupward,andhowled. Itwasamournfulhowl,andasBuckheldsteadilyonhiswayhehearditgrowfaintandfainteruntilitwaslostinthedistance.
JohnThorntonwaseatingdinnerwhenBuckdashedintocampandspranguponhiminafrenzyofaffection,overturninghim,scramblinguponhim,lickinghisface,bitinghishand —"playingthegeneraltom-fool,"asJohnThorntoncharacterizedit,thewhileheshookBuckbackandforthandcursedhimlovingly.
FortwodaysandnightsBuckneverleftcamp,neverletThorntonoutofhissight. Hefollowedhimaboutathiswork,watchedhimwhileheate,sawhimintohisblanketsatnightandoutoftheminthemorning. Butaftertwodaysthecallintheforestbegantosoundmoreimperiouslythanever. Buck’srestlessnesscamebackonhim,andhewashauntedbyrecollectionsofthewildbrother,andofthesmilinglandbeyondthedivideandtherunsidebysidethroughthewideforeststretches. Onceagainhetooktowanderinginthewoods,butthewildbrothercamenomore; andthoughhelistenedthroughlongvigils,themournfulhowlwasneverraised.
