Белый клык
The Reign of Hate
Hisearlytraining,whenhefoughtwithLip-lipandthewholepuppy-pack,stoodhimingoodstead. Therewasthetenacitywithwhichheclungtotheearth. Nodogcouldmakehimlosehisfooting. Thiswasthefavouritetrickofthewolfbreeds —torushinuponhim,eitherdirectlyorwithanunexpectedswerve,inthehopeofstrikinghisshoulderandoverthrowinghim. Mackenziehounds,EskimoandLabradordogs,huskiesandMalemutes—alltrieditonhim,andallfailed. Hewasneverknowntolosehisfooting. Mentoldthistooneanother,andlookedeachtimetoseeithappen;butWhiteFangalwaysdisappointedthem.
Thentherewashislightningquickness. Itgavehimatremendousadvantageoverhisantagonists. Nomatterwhattheirfightingexperience,theyhadneverencounteredadogthatmovedsoswiftlyashe. Alsotobereckonedwith,wastheimmediatenessofhisattack. Theaveragedogwasaccustomedtothepreliminariesofsnarlingandbristlingandgrowling,andtheaveragedogwasknockedoffhisfeetandfinishedbeforehehadbeguntofightorrecoveredfromhissurprise. Sooftendidthishappen,thatitbecamethecustomtoholdWhiteFanguntiltheotherdogwentthroughitspreliminaries,wasgoodandready,andevenmadethefirstattack.
ButgreatestofalltheadvantagesinWhiteFang’sfavour,washisexperience. Heknewmoreaboutfightingthandidanyofthedogsthatfacedhim. Hehadfoughtmorefights,knewhowtomeetmoretricksandmethods,andhadmoretrickshimself,whilehisownmethodwasscarcelytobeimprovedupon.
Asthetimewentby,hehadfewerandfewerfights. Mendespairedofmatchinghimwithanequal,andBeautySmithwascompelledtopitwolvesagainsthim. TheseweretrappedbytheIndiansforthepurpose,andafightbetweenWhiteFangandawolfwasalwayssuretodrawacrowd.
