For the Love of a Man

           WhenJohnThorntonfrozehisfeetinthepreviousDecemberhispartnershadmadehimcomfortableandlefthimtogetwell,goingonthemselvesuptherivertogetoutaraftofsaw-logsforDawson. HewasstilllimpingslightlyatthetimeherescuedBuck,butwiththecontinuedwarmweathereventheslightlimplefthim. Andhere,lyingbytheriverbankthroughthelongspringdays,watchingtherunningwater,listeninglazilytothesongsofbirdsandthehumofnature,Buckslowlywonbackhisstrength. 

           Arestcomesverygoodafteronehastravelledthreethousandmiles,anditmustbeconfessedthatBuckwaxedlazyashiswoundshealed,hismusclesswelledout,andthefleshcamebacktocoverhisbones. Forthatmatter,theywereallloafing—Buck,JohnThornton,andSkeetandNig—waitingfortherafttocomethatwastocarrythemdowntoDawson. SkeetwasalittleIrishsetterwhoearlymadefriendswithBuck,who,inadyingcondition,wasunabletoresentherfirstadvances. Shehadthedoctortraitwhichsomedogspossess;andasamothercatwashesherkittens,soshewashedandcleansedBuck’swounds. Regularly,eachmorningafterhehadfinishedhisbreakfast,sheperformedherself-appointedtask,tillhecametolookforherministrationsasmuchashedidforThornton’s. Nig,equallyfriendly,thoughlessdemonstrative,wasahugeblackdog,halfbloodhoundandhalfdeerhound,witheyesthatlaughedandaboundlessgoodnature. 

           ToBuck’ssurprisethesedogsmanifestednojealousytowardhim.