Білий ікол

           Anditwasabeating.Hishandwasheavy.Everyblowwasshrewdtohurt;andhedeliveredamultitudeofblows. 

           Impelledbytheblowsthatraineduponhim,nowfromthisside,nowfromthat,WhiteFangswungbackandforthlikeanerraticandjerkypendulum. Varyingweretheemotionsthatsurgedthroughhim. Atfirst,hehadknownsurprise.Thencameamomentaryfear,whenheyelpedseveraltimestotheimpactofthehand. Butthiswasquicklyfollowedbyanger. Hisfreenatureasserteditself,andheshowedhisteethandsnarledfearlesslyinthefaceofthewrathfulgod. Thisbutservedtomakethegodmorewrathful. Theblowscamefaster,heavier,moreshrewdtohurt. 

           GreyBeavercontinuedtobeat,WhiteFangcontinuedtosnarl.Butthiscouldnotlastforever. Oneortheothermustgiveover,andthatonewasWhiteFang. Fearsurgedthroughhimagain. Forthefirsttimehewasbeingreallyman-handled. Theoccasionalblowsofsticksandstoneshehadpreviouslyexperiencedwereascaressescomparedwiththis. Hebrokedownandbegantocryandyelp. Foratimeeachblowbroughtayelpfromhim;butfearpassedintoterror,untilfinallyhisyelpswerevoicedinunbrokensuccession,unconnectedwiththerhythmofthepunishment. 

           AtlastGreyBeaverwithheldhishand. WhiteFang,hanginglimply,continuedtocry. Thisseemedtosatisfyhismaster,whoflunghimdownroughlyinthebottomofthecanoe. Inthemeantimethecanoehaddrifteddownthestream. GreyBeaverpickedupthepaddle.WhiteFangwasinhisway. Hespurnedhimsavagelywithhisfoot. InthatmomentWhiteFang’sfreenatureflashedforthagain,andhesankhisteethintothemoccasinedfoot. 

           Thebeatingthathadgonebeforewasasnothingcomparedwiththebeatinghenowreceived. GreyBeaver’swrathwasterrible;likewisewasWhiteFang’sfright.