Білий ікол
The Mad God
"Youketchumdogyoutakeumallright,"washislastword.
Thebottlesweredelivered,butaftertwodays. "Youketchumdog,"wereBeautySmith’swordstoGreyBeaver.
WhiteFangslunkintocamponeeveninganddroppeddownwithasighofcontent. Thedreadedwhitegodwasnotthere. Fordayshismanifestationsofdesiretolayhandsonhimhadbeengrowingmoreinsistent,andduringthattimeWhiteFanghadbeencompelledtoavoidthecamp. Hedidnotknowwhatevilwasthreatenedbythoseinsistenthands. Heknewonlythattheydidthreatenevilofsomesort,andthatitwasbestforhimtokeepoutoftheirreach.
ButscarcelyhadhelaindownwhenGreyBeaverstaggeredovertohimandtiedaleatherthongaroundhisneck. HesatdownbesideWhiteFang,holdingtheendofthethonginhishand. Intheotherhandheheldabottle,which,fromtimetotime,wasinvertedabovehisheadtotheaccompanimentofgurglingnoises.
Anhourofthispassed,whenthevibrationsoffeetincontactwiththegroundforerantheonewhoapproached. WhiteFanghearditfirst,andhewasbristlingwithrecognitionwhileGreyBeaverstillnoddedstupidly. WhiteFangtriedtodrawthethongsoftlyoutofhismaster’shand;buttherelaxedfingersclosedtightlyandGreyBeaverrousedhimself.
BeautySmithstrodeintocampandstoodoverWhiteFang. Hesnarledsoftlyupatthethingoffear,watchingkeenlythedeportmentofthehands. Onehandextendedoutwardandbegantodescenduponhishead. Hissoftsnarlgrewtenseandharsh. Thehandcontinuedslowlytodescend,whilehecrouchedbeneathit,eyeingitmalignantly,hissnarlgrowingshorterandshorteras,withquickeningbreath,itapproacheditsculmination.