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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