White Fang

e cheery fire and launched out into the darkness. At once began to rise the cries that were f

of the earth intervened between the meridian sun and the northern world. But the rose- colour swiftly faded. The grey light of day th

r drew closer - so close that more than once they sent surges of f

nic, when he and Henry had got the

n' go away an' leave us alone.""They do get

no more until

rling cry of pain from among the dogs. He straightened up in time to see a dim form disappearing across the snow into the shelter of the dark. Then he saw

announced; "but I got a

al?""What'd it look

damned tame, whatever it is, comin' in here at feedin' time an' gettin' its whack of fish."That night, when supper was fin

h of moose or something, an' go aw

rter of an hour they sat on in silence, Henry staring at the fire, and Bill

in' into McGurry right

' and your croakin',"

."In the morning Henry was aroused by fervid blasphemy that proceeded from the mouth of Bill. Henry propped himself up on an elbow and loo

"What's up now?""Frog's

he dogs. He counted them with care, and then joined his partner i

st dog of the bunch," B

fool dog neithe

rded the second e

sed to the sled. The day was a repetition of the days that had gonebef

of night in the mid-afternoon, thecries sounded closer as the pursuers drew in according to their custom; andthe do

" Bill said with satisfaction thatnight,

ly had his partner tiedthe dogs up, but he had t

is teeth to it, he had tied astout stick four or five feet in length. The other end of the stick, in turn,was made fast to

rom getting at the leather

ed his head

ey jes' know we ain't loaded to kill," Henry remarked at bed- time,indicating the gleaming circle that hemmed them in. "If we could put acouple of shots into 'em, they'd be more respectful. They come closerevery night. Get the firelight out of your eyes an' look hard - there! Didyou see that

k, eager whines, lunging at the length of his stick toward thedarkness, and desi

at, Bill," He

with commingled mistrust and daring, cautiouslyobserving the men, its attention fixed on the d

n't seem scairt much,"

pack. She draws out the dog an' then allthe rest pitches in an' eats 'm up."The fire crackled. A log fell

a-thinkin'," B

one I lambasted with the club.""Ain't the sligh

ces.""Ol' Villan had a dog once that run away with the wolves," Billcogitates aloud. "I ought to know. I shot it out of the pack in a moosepasture over 'on Little Stick. An' Ol' Villan cried like a baby. Hadn't seen itfor three years, he said. Ben with the wolves all that time.""I recko

a dead sure sho

fire and cooked breakfast to theacc

breakfast. "I hadn't the heart to rouse you."Bill began to eat sleepily. He noticed that his cup

t somethin'?"Henry looked about with great careful

t no coffee," H

out?" Bill as

rt my digestion?""Nope."A flush o

nxious I am to be hearin' yo

s gone," He

igned to misfortune Bill turnedhis head,

ppen?" he aske

int of theanger that was raging within. "Jes' because he couldn't chew himself loose,he chews Spanker loose.""Well, Spanker's troubles is over anyway; I guess he's digested by thi

ry pleaded, el

I do. I said Iwouldn't if ary dog turned up missin', an'

y breakfast washed down withmumbled curs

h of each other to-night," Bil

omething with which hissnowshoe had collided. It was dark, and he could not see it, but herecognised it by th

ed that in your bu

as all that was left of Spanker - t

y'll have you an' me guessin' before this trip's over."Henry laughed defiantly. "I ain't been trailed this way by wolvesbefore, but I've gone through a whol

e pull into McGurry.""I ain't feelin'

ake McGurry."Bill grunted his disagreement with the diagnosis, and lapsed intosilence. The day was like all the days. Light came at nine o'clock. Attwe

ort to appear, that Bill slipped therifl

by the sled," his partner protested. "You've only gotthree cartridges, an' there

es back into the grey solitude where his partner haddisappeared. An hour later

e. You see, they're sure of us, only theyknow they've got to wait to get us. In the meantime they're willin' t

y're pretty thin. Theyain't had a bite in weeks I

that that didn't go far

t, an' then watch out."A few minutes later, Henry, who was now travelling behind the sled,emitted a low, warning whistle. Bill turned and looked, then qui

essgait. When they halted, it halted, throwing up its head and regarding them

she-wolf," B

r in the sled. Together they watched the strange animal that hadpursued them fo

lose by a clump of spruce trees, and with sight and scent studiedthe outfit of the watching men. It looked at them in a strangely wistful way,after the manner of

rame advertising the lines of ananimal

fore. Looks almost cinnamon to me."The animal was certainly not cinnamon-coloured. Its coat was the truewolf-coat. The dominant colour was grey, and yet there was to it a faintreddish hue - a hue that was baffling,

t be s'prised to see it wag its tail.""Hello, you husky!" he called. "Come

nge in it that they could notice wasan accession of alertness. It still regarded them with the mercilesswi

. It's got away with three of our dogs, an' weoughter put a stop to it. What d'ye say?"Henry nodded his consent. Bill cautiously slipped the gun from underthe sled-lashing.

ach other. Henry whistled

tell you right now, Henry, I'mgoin' to get her. She's too smart to be shot in the open. But I'm goin' to layfor her. I'll bushwhack her as sure as my name is Bill.""You needn't stray off too far in doin' it," his partner admonished. "Ifthat pack ever starts to jump you, them three cartridges'd be wuth nomore'n three whoops in hell. Them animal

o near did the wolves approach, that the dogsbecame frantic with terror, and it was necessary to

ship," Bill remarked, as hecrawled back into the

ir business better'n wedo, an' they ain't a-holdin

hat," Henry retortedsharply. "A man's half licked when he says he is. An' you're half eatenfrom t

y of temper. This was not Bill's way, for he was easilyangered by sharp words. Henry thought long over it before he went tosleep, and as his eyelid