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The Sounding of the Call
Hebegantosleepoutatnight,stayingawayfromcampfordaysatatime; andoncehecrossedthedivideattheheadofthecreekandwentdownintothelandoftimberandstreams. Therehewanderedforaweek,seekingvainlyforfreshsignofthewildbrother,killinghismeatashetravelledandtravellingwiththelong,easylopethatseemsnevertotire. Hefishedforsalmoninabroadstreamthatemptiedsomewhereintothesea,andbythisstreamhekilledalargeblackbear,blindedbythemosquitoeswhilelikewisefishing,andragingthroughtheforesthelplessandterrible. Evenso,itwasahardfight,anditarousedthelastlatentremnantsofBuck’sferocity. Andtwodayslater,whenhereturnedtohiskillandfoundadozenwolverenesquarrellingoverthespoil,hescatteredthemlikechaff; andthosethatfledlefttwobehindwhowouldquarrelnomore.
Theblood-longingbecamestrongerthaneverbefore. Hewasakiller,athingthatpreyed,livingonthethingsthatlived,unaided,alone,byvirtueofhisownstrengthandprowess,survivingtriumphantlyinahostileenvironmentwhereonlythestrongsurvived. Becauseofallthishebecamepossessedofagreatprideinhimself,whichcommunicateditselflikeacontagiontohisphysicalbeing. Itadvertiseditselfinallhismovements,wasapparentintheplayofeverymuscle,spokeplainlyasspeechinthewayhecarriedhimself,andmadehisgloriousfurrycoatifanythingmoreglorious.
