Белый клык
The Trail of the Meat
Nordidhespeaktillhehadtakenhisseatonthecoffinandbeguntoeat.
"Theyknowwheretheirhidesissafe,"hesaid. "They’dsoonereatgrubthanbegrub. They’reprettywise,themdogs."
Billshookhishead. "Oh,Idon’tknow."
Hiscomradelookedathimcuriously. "FirsttimeIeverheardyousayanythingabouttheirnotbein’wise."
"Henry,"saidtheother,munchingwithdeliberationthebeanshewaseating,"didyouhappentonoticethewaythemdogskickedupwhenIwasa-feedin’’em?"
"Theydidcutupmore’nusual,"Henryacknowledged.
"Howmanydogs‘vewegot,Henry?"
"Six."
"Well,Henry..."Billstoppedforamoment,inorderthathiswordsmightgaingreatersignificance. "AsIwassayin’,Henry,we’vegotsixdogs. Itooksixfishoutofthebag.Igaveonefishtoeachdog,an’,Henry,Iwasonefishshort."
"Youcountedwrong."
"We’vegotsixdogs,"theotherreiterateddispassionately. "Itookoutsixfish. OneEardidn’tgetnofish. Icamebacktothebagafterwardan’got‘mhisfish."
"We’veonlygotsixdogs,"Henrysaid.