Білий ікол

           WhenhesawWhiteFang’seyesbeginningtoglaze,heknewbeyonddoubtthatthefightwaslost. Thenhebrokeloose.HespranguponWhiteFangandbegansavagelytokickhim. Therewerehissesfromthecrowdandcriesofprotest,butthatwasall. Whilethiswenton,andBeautySmithcontinuedtokickWhiteFang,therewasacommotioninthecrowd. Thetallyoungnewcomerwasforcinghiswaythrough,shoulderingmenrightandleftwithoutceremonyorgentleness. Whenhebrokethroughintothering,BeautySmithwasjustintheactofdeliveringanotherkick. Allhisweightwasononefoot,andhewasinastateofunstableequilibrium. Atthatmomentthenewcomer’sfistlandedasmashingblowfullinhisface. BeautySmith’sremainingleglefttheground,andhiswholebodyseemedtoliftintotheairasheturnedoverbackwardandstruckthesnow. Thenewcomerturneduponthecrowd. 

           "Youcowards!"hecried. "Youbeasts!" 

           Hewasinaragehimself—asanerage. Hisgreyeyesseemedmetallicandsteel-likeastheyflasheduponthecrowd. BeautySmithregainedhisfeetandcametowardhim,snifflingandcowardly. Thenew-comerdidnotunderstand. Hedidnotknowhowabjectacowardtheotherwas,andthoughthewascomingbackintentonfighting. So,witha"Youbeast!" hesmashedBeautySmithoverbackwardwithasecondblowintheface. BeautySmithdecidedthatthesnowwasthesafestplaceforhim,andlaywherehehadfallen,makingnoefforttogetup. 

           "Comeon,Matt,lendahand,"thenewcomercalledthedog-musher,whohadfollowedhimintothering. 

           Bothmenbentoverthedogs. MatttookholdofWhiteFang,readytopullwhenCherokee’sjawsshouldbeloosened.