Білий ікол

           Thiswassomethingthatdogswerenotsupposedtodo.Itwasunprecedented. ButWhiteFangdidit,trottingawayfromthefortintheearlymorning,withtheendofthestickhangingtohisneck. 

           Hewaswise. ButhadhebeenmerelywisehewouldnothavegonebacktoGreyBeaverwhohadalreadytwicebetrayedhim. Buttherewashisfaithfulness,andhewentbacktobebetrayedyetathirdtime. AgainheyieldedtothetyingofathongaroundhisneckbyGreyBeaver,andagainBeautySmithcametoclaimhim. Andthistimehewasbeatenevenmoreseverelythanbefore. 

           GreyBeaverlookedonstolidlywhilethewhitemanwieldedthewhip. Hegavenoprotection. Itwasnolongerhisdog. WhenthebeatingwasoverWhiteFangwassick. Asoftsouthlanddogwouldhavediedunderit,butnothe. Hisschooloflifehadbeensterner,andhewashimselfofsternerstuff. Hehadtoogreatvitality.Hisclutchonlifewastoostrong. Buthewasverysick. Atfirsthewasunabletodraghimselfalong,andBeautySmithhadtowaithalf-an-hourforhim. Andthen,blindandreeling,hefollowedatBeautySmith’sheelsbacktothefort. 

           Butnowhewastiedwithachainthatdefiedhisteeth,andhestroveinvain,bylunging,todrawthestaplefromthetimberintowhichitwasdriven. Afterafewdays,soberandbankrupt,GreyBeaverdepartedupthePorcupineonhislongjourneytotheMackenzie. WhiteFangremainedontheYukon,thepropertyofamanmorethanhalfmadandallbrute. Butwhatisadogtoknowinitsconsciousnessofmadness? ToWhiteFang,BeautySmithwasaveritable,ifterrible,god. Hewasamadgodatbest,butWhiteFangknewnothingofmadness; heknewonlythathemustsubmittothewillofthisnewmaster,obeyhiseverywhimandfancy.