Белый клык
The Outcast
Notpermittedhimselftorunwiththepack,thecuriousstateofaffairsobtainedthatnomemberofthepackcouldrunoutsidethepack. WhiteFangwouldnotpermitit. Whatofhisbushwhackingandwaylayingtactics,theyoungdogswereafraidtorunbythemselves. WiththeexceptionofLip-lip,theywerecompelledtohunchtogetherformutualprotectionagainsttheterribleenemytheyhadmade. Apuppyalonebytheriverbankmeantapuppydeadorapuppythatarousedthecampwithitsshrillpainandterrorasitfledbackfromthewolf-cubthathadwaylaidit.
ButWhiteFang’sreprisalsdidnotcease,evenwhentheyoungdogshadlearnedthoroughlythattheymuststaytogether. Heattackedthemwhenhecaughtthemalone,andtheyattackedhimwhentheywerebunched. Thesightofhimwassufficienttostartthemrushingafterhim,atwhichtimeshisswiftnessusuallycarriedhimintosafety. Butwoethedogthatoutranhisfellowsinsuchpursuit! WhiteFanghadlearnedtoturnsuddenlyuponthepursuerthatwasaheadofthepackandthoroughlytoriphimupbeforethepackcouldarrive. Thisoccurredwithgreatfrequency,for,onceinfullcry,thedogswerepronetoforgetthemselvesintheexcitementofthechase,whileWhiteFangneverforgothimself. Stealingbackwardglancesasheran,hewasalwaysreadytowhirlaroundanddowntheoverzealouspursuerthatoutranhisfellows.
Youngdogsareboundtoplay,andoutoftheexigenciesofthesituationtheyrealisedtheirplayinthismimicwarfare. ThusitwasthatthehuntofWhiteFangbecametheirchiefgame—adeadlygame,withal,andatalltimesaseriousgame. He,ontheotherhand,beingthefastest-footed,wasunafraidtoventureanywhere. Duringtheperiodthathewaitedvainlyforhismothertocomeback,heledthepackmanyawildchasethroughtheadjacentwoods.
