Зов предков

           Sosuddenwasit,andsounexpected,thatBuckwastakenaback. HesawSpitzrunouthisscarlettongueinawayhehadoflaughing;andhesawFrancois,swinginganaxe,springintothemessofdogs. Threemenwithclubswerehelpinghimtoscatterthem.Itdidnottakelong. TwominutesfromthetimeCurlywentdown,thelastofherassailantswereclubbedoff. Butshelaytherelimpandlifelessinthebloody,trampledsnow,almostliterallytorntopieces,theswarthalf-breedstandingoverherandcursinghorribly. ThesceneoftencamebacktoBucktotroublehiminhissleep. Sothatwastheway. Nofairplay. Oncedown,thatwastheendofyou. Well,hewouldseetoitthatheneverwentdown. Spitzranouthistongueandlaughedagain,andfromthatmomentBuckhatedhimwithabitteranddeathlesshatred. 

           BeforehehadrecoveredfromtheshockcausedbythetragicpassingofCurly,hereceivedanothershock. Francoisfasteneduponhimanarrangementofstrapsandbuckles. Itwasaharness,suchashehadseenthegroomsputonthehorsesathome. Andashehadseenhorseswork,sohewassettowork,haulingFrancoisonasledtotheforestthatfringedthevalley,andreturningwithaloadoffirewood. Thoughhisdignitywassorelyhurtbythusbeingmadeadraughtanimal,hewastoowisetorebel. Hebuckleddownwithawillanddidhisbest,thoughitwasallnewandstrange. Francoiswasstern,demandinginstantobedience,andbyvirtueofhiswhipreceivinginstantobedience;whileDave,whowasanexperiencedwheeler,nippedBuck’shindquarterswheneverhewasinerror. Spitzwastheleader,likewiseexperienced,andwhilehecouldnotalwaysgetatBuck,hegrowledsharpreproofnowandagain,orcunninglythrewhisweightinthetracestojerkBuckintothewayheshouldgo. Bucklearnedeasily,andunderthecombinedtuitionofhistwomatesandFrancoismaderemarkableprogress.