Зов предков
Who Has Won to Mastership
Thehalf-breedtriedtodrivehimawaywiththewhip;buthepaidnoheedtothestinginglash,andthemanhadnotthehearttostrikeharder. Daverefusedtorunquietlyonthetrailbehindthesled,wherethegoingwaseasy,butcontinuedtoflounderalongsideinthesoftsnow,wherethegoingwasmostdifficult,tillexhausted. Thenhefell,andlaywherehefell,howlinglugubriouslyasthelongtrainofsledschurnedby.
Withthelastremnantofhisstrengthhemanagedtostaggeralongbehindtillthetrainmadeanotherstop,whenheflounderedpastthesledstohisown,wherehestoodalongsideSol-leks. Hisdriverlingeredamomenttogetalightforhispipefromthemanbehind. Thenhereturnedandstartedhisdogs. Theyswungoutonthetrailwithremarkablelackofexertion,turnedtheirheadsuneasily,andstoppedinsurprise. Thedriverwassurprised,too;thesledhadnotmoved. Hecalledhiscomradestowitnessthesight. DavehadbittenthroughbothofSol-leks’straces,andwasstandingdirectlyinfrontofthesledinhisproperplace.
Hepleadedwithhiseyestoremainthere. Thedriverwasperplexed. Hiscomradestalkedofhowadogcouldbreakitsheartthroughbeingdeniedtheworkthatkilledit,andrecalledinstancestheyhadknown,wheredogs,toooldforthetoil,orinjured,haddiedbecausetheywerecutoutofthetraces. Also,theyhelditamercy,sinceDavewastodieanyway,thatheshoulddieinthetraces,heart-easyandcontent.
