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The Sounding of the Call
Theotherssatdownandhowled. AndnowthecallcametoBuckinunmistakableaccents. He,too,satdownandhowled. Thisover,hecameoutofhisangleandthepackcrowdedaroundhim,sniffinginhalf-friendly,half-savagemanner. Theleadersliftedtheyelpofthepackandsprangawayintothewoods. Thewolvesswunginbehind,yelpinginchorus. AndBuckranwiththem,sidebysidewiththewildbrother,yelpingasheran.
AndheremaywellendthestoryofBuck. TheyearswerenotmanywhentheYeehatsnotedachangeinthebreedoftimberwolves; forsomewereseenwithsplashesofbrownonheadandmuzzle,andwithariftofwhitecentringdownthechest. Butmoreremarkablethanthis,theYeehatstellofaGhostDogthatrunsattheheadofthepack. TheyareafraidofthisGhostDog,forithascunninggreaterthanthey,stealingfromtheircampsinfiercewinters,robbingtheirtraps,slayingtheirdogs,anddefyingtheirbravesthunters.
Nay,thetalegrowsworse. Hunterstherearewhofailtoreturntothecamp,andhunterstherehavebeenwhomtheirtribesmenfoundwiththroatsslashedcruellyopenandwithwolfprintsabouttheminthesnowgreaterthantheprintsofanywolf. Eachfall,whentheYeehatsfollowthemovementofthemoose,thereisacertainvalleywhichtheyneverenter. AndwomentherearewhobecomesadwhenthewordgoesoverthefireofhowtheEvilSpiritcametoselectthatvalleyforanabiding-place.
