Белый клык
The Clinging Death
NotthatCherokeewasslow. Hecouldturnandwhirlswiftlyenough,butWhiteFangwasneverthere. Cherokeewaspuzzled,too. Hehadneverfoughtbeforewithadogwithwhichhecouldnotclose. Thedesiretoclosehadalwaysbeenmutual. Butherewasadogthatkeptatadistance,dancinganddodginghereandthereandallabout. Andwhenitdidgetitsteethintohim,itdidnotholdonbutletgoinstantlyanddartedawayagain.
ButWhiteFangcouldnotgetatthesoftundersideofthethroat. Thebull-dogstoodtooshort,whileitsmassivejawswereanaddedprotection. WhiteFangdartedinandoutunscathed,whileCherokee’swoundsincreased. Bothsidesofhisneckandheadwererippedandslashed. Hebledfreely,butshowednosignsofbeingdisconcerted. Hecontinuedhisploddingpursuit,thoughonce,forthemomentbaffled,hecametoafullstopandblinkedatthemenwholookedon,atthesametimewagginghisstumpofatailasanexpressionofhiswillingnesstofight.
InthatmomentWhiteFangwasinuponhimandout,inpassingrippinghistrimmedremnantofanear. Withaslightmanifestationofanger,Cherokeetookupthepursuitagain,runningontheinsideofthecircleWhiteFangwasmaking,andstrivingtofastenhisdeadlygriponWhiteFang’sthroat. Thebull-dogmissedbyahair’s-breadth,andcriesofpraisewentupasWhiteFangdoubledsuddenlyoutofdangerintheoppositedirection.
Thetimewentby. WhiteFangstilldancedon,dodginganddoubling,leapinginandout,andeverinflictingdamage. Andstillthebull-dog,withgrimcertitude,toiledafterhim. Soonerorlaterhewouldaccomplishhispurpose,getthegripthatwouldwinthebattle. Inthemeantime,heacceptedallthepunishmenttheothercoulddealhim. Histuftsofearshadbecometassels,hisneckandshoulderswereslashedinascoreofplaces,andhisverylipswerecutandbleeding —allfromtheselightningsnapsthatwerebeyondhisforeseeingandguarding.
