Зов предков
The Dominant Primordial Beast
Sosnugandwarmwasit,thathewasloathtoleaveitwhenFrancoisdistributedthefishwhichhehadfirstthawedoverthefire. ButwhenBuckfinishedhisrationandreturned,hefoundhisnestoccupied. AwarningsnarltoldhimthatthetrespasserwasSpitz. TillnowBuckhadavoidedtroublewithhisenemy,butthiswastoomuch. Thebeastinhimroared. HespranguponSpitzwithafurywhichsurprisedthemboth,andSpitzparticularly,forhiswholeexperiencewithBuckhadgonetoteachhimthathisrivalwasanunusuallytimiddog,whomanagedtoholdhisownonlybecauseofhisgreatweightandsize.
Francoiswassurprised,too,whentheyshotoutinatanglefromthedisruptednestandhedivinedthecauseofthetrouble. "A-a-ah!"hecriedtoBuck."Gifittoheem,byGar!Gifittoheem,thedirtyt’eef!"
Spitzwasequallywilling. Hewascryingwithsheerrageandeagernessashecircledbackandforthforachancetospringin. Buckwasnolesseager,andnolesscautious,ashelikewisecircledbackandforthfortheadvantage. Butitwasthenthattheunexpectedhappened,thethingwhichprojectedtheirstruggleforsupremacyfarintothefuture,pastmanyawearymileoftrailandtoil.
AnoathfromPerrault,theresoundingimpactofaclubuponabonyframe,andashrillyelpofpain,heraldedthebreakingforthofpandemonium. Thecampwassuddenlydiscoveredtobealivewithskulkingfurryforms—starvinghuskies,fourorfivescoreofthem,whohadscentedthecampfromsomeIndianvillage.
