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The Law of Club and Fang
Eretheyreturnedtocampheknewenoughtostopat"ho,"togoaheadat"mush,"toswingwideonthebends,andtokeepclearofthewheelerwhentheloadedsledshotdownhillattheirheels.
"T’reevair’gooddogs,"FrancoistoldPerrault. "DatBuck,heempoollakhell. Itichheemqueekasanyt’ing."
Byafternoon,Perrault,whowasinahurrytobeonthetrailwithhisdespatches,returnedwithtwomoredogs. "Billee"and"Joe"hecalledthem,twobrothers,andtruehuskiesboth.Sonsoftheonemotherthoughtheywere,theywereasdifferentasdayandnight. Billee’sonefaultwashisexcessivegoodnature,whileJoewastheveryopposite,sourandintrospective,withaperpetualsnarlandamalignanteye. Buckreceivedthemincomradelyfashion,Daveignoredthem,whileSpitzproceededtothrashfirstoneandthentheother. Billeewaggedhistailappeasingly,turnedtorunwhenhesawthatappeasementwasofnoavail,andcried(stillappeasingly)whenSpitz’ssharpteethscoredhisflank. ButnomatterhowSpitzcircled,Joewhirledaroundonhisheelstofacehim,manebristling,earslaidback,lipswrithingandsnarling,jawsclippingtogetherasfastashecouldsnap,andeyesdiabolicallygleaming—theincarnationofbelligerentfear. SoterriblewashisappearancethatSpitzwasforcedtoforegodisciplininghim; buttocoverhisowndiscomfitureheturnedupontheinoffensiveandwailingBilleeanddrovehimtotheconfinesofthecamp.
ByeveningPerraultsecuredanotherdog,anoldhusky,longandleanandgaunt,withabattle-scarredfaceandasingleeyewhichflashedawarningofprowessthatcommandedrespect. HewascalledSol-leks,whichmeanstheAngryOne. LikeDave,heaskednothing,gavenothing,expectednothing; andwhenhemarchedslowlyanddeliberatelyintotheirmidst,evenSpitzlefthimalone.
