Белый клык
The Enemy of His Kind
Buthisfellowsgrewwiseintheirownway;andinthisWhiteFanggrewwisewiththem. Theylearnedthatitwaswhenasteamerfirsttiedtothebankthattheyhadtheirfun. Afterthefirsttwoorthreestrangedogshadbeendownedanddestroyed, thewhitemenhustledtheirownanimalsbackonboardandwreckedsavagevengeanceontheoffenders. Onewhiteman,havingseenhisdog,asetter,torntopiecesbeforehiseyes,drewarevolver. Hefiredrapidly,sixtimes,andsixofthepacklaydeadordying —anothermanifestationofpowerthatsankdeepintoWhiteFang’sconsciousness.
WhiteFangenjoyeditall. Hedidnotlovehiskind,andhewasshrewdenoughtoescapehurthimself. Atfirst,thekillingofthewhitemen’sdogshadbeenadiversion.Afteratimeitbecamehisoccupation. Therewasnoworkforhimtodo. GreyBeaverwasbusytradingandgettingwealthy. SoWhiteFanghungaroundthelandingwiththedisreputablegangofIndiandogs,waitingforsteamers. Withthearrivalofasteamerthefunbegan. Afterafewminutes,bythetimethewhitemenhadgotovertheirsurprise,thegangscattered.Thefunwasoveruntilthenextsteamershouldarrive.
ButitcanscarcelybesaidthatWhiteFangwasamemberofthegang. Hedidnotminglewithit,butremainedaloof,alwayshimself,andwasevenfearedbyit. Itistrue,heworkedwithit. Hepickedthequarrelwiththestrangedogwhilethegangwaited. Andwhenhehadoverthrownthestrangedogthegangwentintofinishit. Butitisequallytruethathethenwithdrew,leavingthegangtoreceivethepunishmentoftheoutragedgods.
Itdidnotrequiremuchexertiontopickthesequarrels. Allhehadtodo,whenthestrangedogscameashore,wastoshowhimself.Whentheysawhimtheyrushedforhim. Itwastheirinstinct.
