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white fang(白牙)-第3部分

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toiling dogs; throwing them into short…lived panics。 

     At the conclusion of one such panic; when he and Henry had got the 

dogs back in the traces; Bill said: 

     〃I   wisht   they'd   strike   game   somewheres;   an'   go   away   an'   leave   us 

alone。〃 

     〃They do get on the nerves horrible;〃 Henry sympathised。 

     They spoke no more until camp was made。 

     Henry was bending over and adding ice to the babbling pot of beans 

when he was startled by the sound of a blow; an exclamation from Bill; 

and a sharp snarling 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 Bill; standing amid the dogs; half triumphant; half 

crestfallen; in one hand a stout club; in the other the tail and part of the 

body of a sun…cured salmon。 

     〃It got half of it;〃 he announced; 〃but I got a whack at it jes' the same。 

D'ye hear it squeal?〃 

     〃What'd it look like?〃 Henry asked。 

     〃Couldn't see。 But it had four legs an' a mouth an' hair an' looked like 

any dog。〃 



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     〃Must be a tame wolf; I reckon。〃 

     〃It's   damned   tame;   whatever   it   is;   comin'   in   here   at   feedin'   time   an' 

gettin' its whack of fish。〃 

     That night; when supper was finished and they sat on the oblong box 

and pulled at their pipes; the circle of gleaming eyes drew in even closer 

than before。 

     〃I wisht they'd spring up a bunch of moose or something; an' go away 

an' leave us alone;〃 Bill said。 

     Henry grunted with an intonation that was not all sympathy; and for a 

quarter of an hour they sat on in silence; Henry staring at the fire; and Bill 

at the circle of eyes that burned in the darkness just beyond the firelight。 

     〃I wisht we was pullin' into McGurry right now;〃 he began again。 

     〃Shut   up   your   wishin'   and   your   croakin';〃   Henry   burst   out   angrily。 

〃Your stomach's sour。 That's what's ailin' you。 Swallow a spoonful of sody; 

an' you'll sweeten up wonderful an' be more pleasant company。〃 

     In the morning Henry was aroused by fervid blasphemy that proceeded 

from the mouth of Bill。 Henry propped himself up on an elbow and looked 

to see his comrade standing among the dogs beside the replenished   fire; 

his arms raised in objurgation; his face distorted with passion。 

     〃Hello!〃 Henry called。 〃What's up now?〃 

     〃Frog's gone;〃 came the answer。 

     〃No。〃 

     〃I tell you yes。〃 

     Henry   leaped   out   of   the   blankets   and   to   the   dogs。   He   counted   them 

with care; and then joined his partner in cursing the power of the Wild that 

had robbed them of another dog。 

     〃Frog was the strongest dog of the bunch;〃 Bill pronounced finally。 

     〃An' he was no fool dog neither;〃 Henry added。 

     And so was recorded the second epitaph in two days。 

     A   gloomy   breakfast   was   eaten;   and   the   four   remaining   dogs   were 

harnessed to the sled。 The day was a repetition of the days that had gone 

before。 The men toiled without speech across the face of the frozen world。 

The silence was unbroken save by the cries of their pursuers; that; unseen; 

hung upon their rear。 With the coming of night in the mid…afternoon; the 



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cries sounded closer as the pursuers drew in according to their custom; and 

the   dogs    grew    excited   and   frightened;    and   were   guilty   of   panics   that 

tangled the traces and further depressed the two men。 

     〃There;   that'll   fix   you   fool   critters;〃   Bill   said   with   satisfaction   that 

night; standing erect at completion of his task。 

     Henry left the cooking to come and see。 Not only had his partner tied 

the  dogs   up;   but   he   had   tied   them;   after   the   Indian   fashion;   with   sticks。 

About the neck of each dog he had fastened a leather thong。 To this; and so 

close to the neck that the dog could not get his teeth to it; he had tied a 

stout stick four or five feet in length。 The other end of the stick; in turn; 

was made fast to a stake in the ground by means of a leather thong。 The 

dog was unable to gnaw through the leather at his own end of the stick。 

The stick prevented him from getting at the leather that fastened the other 

end。 

     Henry nodded his head approvingly。 

     〃It's the only contraption that'll ever hold One Ear;〃 he said。 〃He can 

gnaw through leather as clean as a knife an' jes' about half as quick。 They 

all'll be here in the mornin' hunkydory。〃 

     〃You jes' bet they will;〃 Bill affirmed。 〃If one of em' turns up missin'; 

I'll go without my coffee。〃 

     〃They 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   a 

couple   of   shots   into   'em;   they'd   be   more   respectful。   They   come   closer 

every night。 Get the firelight out of your eyes an' look hard … there! Did 

you see that one?〃 

     For   some   time   the   two   men   amused   themselves   with   watching   the 

movement of vague forms on the edge of the firelight。 By looking closely 

and steadily at where a pair of eyes burned in the darkness; the form of the 

animal would slowly take shape。 They could even see these forms move at 

times。 

     A  sound   among   the   dogs   attracted   the   men's   attention。   One   Ear   was 

uttering quick; eager whines; lunging at the length of his stick toward the 

darkness; and desisting now and again in order to make frantic attacks on 

the stick with his teeth。 



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     〃Look at that; Bill;〃 Henry whispered。 

     Full   into   the   firelight;   with   a   stealthy;   sidelong   movement;   glided   a 

doglike animal。 It moved with commingled mistrust and daring; cautiously 

observing   the  men;  its   attention   fixed   on the dogs。  One  Ear  strained   the 

full length of the stick toward the intruder and whined with eagerness。 

     〃That fool One Ear don't seem scairt much;〃 Bill said in a low tone。 

     〃It's   a  she…wolf;〃   Henry  whispered back;  〃an'  that   accounts   for   Fatty 

an' Frog。 She's the decoy for the pack。 She draws out the dog an' then all 

the rest pitches in an' eats 'm up。〃 

     The fire crackled。 A log fell apart with a loud spluttering noise。 At the 

sound of it the strange animal leaped back into the darkness。 

     〃Henry; I'm a…thinkin';〃 Bill announced。 

     〃Thinkin' what?〃 

     〃I'm a…thinkin' that was the one I lambasted with the club。〃 

     〃Ain't the slightest doubt in the world;〃 was Henry's response。 

     〃An'   right   here   I   want   to   remark;〃   Bill   went   on;   〃that   that   animal's 

familyarity with campfires is suspicious an' immoral。〃 

     〃It   knows   for   certain   more'n   a   self…respectin'   wolf   ought   to   know;〃 

Henry   agreed。   〃A  wolf   that   knows   enough   to   come   in   with   the   dogs   at 

feedin' time has had experiences。〃 

     〃Ol'    Villan   had   a   dog   once    that  run   away    with    the  wolves;〃     Bill 

cogitates   aloud。   〃I   ought   to   know。   I   shot   it   out   of   the   pack   in   a   moose 

pasture over 'on Little Stick。 An' Ol' Villan cried like a baby。 Hadn't seen it 

for three years; he said。 Ben with the wolves all that time。〃 

     〃I reckon you've called the turn; Bill。 That wolf's a dog; an' it's eaten 

fish many's the time from the hand of man。〃 

     〃An if I get a chance at it; that wolf that's a dog'll be jes' meat;〃 Bill 

declared。 〃We can't afford to lose no more animals。〃 

     〃But you've only got three cartridges;〃 Henry objected。 

     〃I'll wait for a dead sure shot;〃 was the reply。 

     In   the   morning   Henry   renewed   the   fire   and   cooked   breakfast   to   the 

accompaniment of his partner's snoring。 

     〃You was sleepin' jes' too comfortable for anything;〃 Henry told him; 

as he routed him out for breakfast。 〃I hadn't the heart to rouse you。〃 



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     Bill   began   to   eat   sleepily。   He   noticed   that   his   cup   was   empty   and 

started   to   reach   for   the   pot。   But   the   pot   was   beyond   arm's   length   and 

beside Henry。 

     〃Say; Henry;〃 he chided gently; 〃ain't you forgot somethin'?〃 

     Henry   looked   about   with   great   carefulness   and   shook   his   head。   Bill 

held up the empty cup。 

     〃You don't get no coffee;〃 Henry announc
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