Білий ікол

           Yethisdominantnatureasserteditself,andhehadfirsttothrashthemintoanacknowledgmentofhissuperiorityandleadership. Thisaccomplished,hehadlittletroublewiththem. Theygavetrailtohimwhenhecameandwentorwalkedamongthem,andwhenheassertedhiswilltheyobeyed. 

           Inthesameway,hecametotolerateMatt—asapossessionofhismaster.Hismasterrarelyfedhim.Mattdidthat,itwashisbusiness; yetWhiteFangdivinedthatitwashismaster’sfoodheateandthatitwashismasterwhothusfedhimvicariously. Mattitwaswhotriedtoputhimintotheharnessandmakehimhaulsledwiththeotherdogs. ButMattfailed.ItwasnotuntilWeedonScottputtheharnessonWhiteFangandworkedhim,thatheunderstood. Hetookitashismaster’swillthatMattshoulddrivehimandworkhimjustashedroveandworkedhismaster’sotherdogs. 

           DifferentfromtheMackenzietoboggansweretheKlondikesledswithrunnersunderthem. Anddifferentwasthemethodofdrivingthedogs. Therewasnofan-formationoftheteam.Thedogsworkedinsinglefile,onebehindanother,haulingondoubletraces. Andhere,intheKlondike,theleaderwasindeedtheleader. Thewisestaswellasstrongestdogwastheleader,andtheteamobeyedhimandfearedhim. ThatWhiteFangshouldquicklygainthispostwasinevitable. Hecouldnotbesatisfiedwithless,asMattlearnedaftermuchinconvenienceandtrouble. WhiteFangpickedoutthepostforhimself,andMattbackedhisjudgmentwithstronglanguageaftertheexperimenthadbeentried. But,thoughheworkedinthesledintheday,WhiteFangdidnotforegotheguardingofhismaster’spropertyinthenight. Thushewasondutyallthetime,evervigilantandfaithful,themostvaluableofallthedogs. 

           "Makin’freetospitoutwhat’sinme,"Mattsaidoneday,"Ibegtostatethatyouwasawiseguyallrightwhenyoupaidthepriceyoudidforthatdog.