The Dominant Primordial Beast

           ThedominantprimordialbeastwasstronginBuck,andunderthefierceconditionsoftraillifeitgrewandgrew. Yetitwasasecretgrowth. Hisnewborncunninggavehimpoiseandcontrol. Hewastoobusyadjustinghimselftothenewlifetofeelatease,andnotonlydidhenotpickfights,butheavoidedthemwheneverpossible. Acertaindeliberatenesscharacterizedhisattitude. Hewasnotpronetorashnessandprecipitateaction; andinthebitterhatredbetweenhimandSpitzhebetrayednoimpatience,shunnedalloffensiveacts. 

           Ontheotherhand,possiblybecausehedivinedinBuckadangerousrival,Spitzneverlostanopportunityofshowinghisteeth. HeevenwentoutofhiswaytobullyBuck,strivingconstantlytostartthefightwhichcouldendonlyinthedeathofoneortheother. Earlyinthetripthismighthavetakenplacehaditnotbeenforanunwontedaccident. AttheendofthisdaytheymadeableakandmiserablecampontheshoreofLakeLeBarge. Drivingsnow,awindthatcutlikeawhite-hotknife,anddarknesshadforcedthemtogropeforacampingplace. Theycouldhardlyhavefaredworse. Attheirbacksroseaperpendicularwallofrock,andPerraultandFrancoiswerecompelledtomaketheirfireandspreadtheirsleepingrobesontheiceofthelakeitself. ThetenttheyhaddiscardedatDyeainordertotravellight. Afewsticksofdriftwoodfurnishedthemwithafirethatthaweddownthroughtheiceandleftthemtoeatsupperinthedark. 

           CloseinundertheshelteringrockBuckmadehisnest.