Henry nodded his head approvingly, They all will be here in the morning.
If one of them disappears, Ill go without my coffee, said Bill.
They just know we have nothing to kill them with, Henry remarked at bed-time, indicating the circle of eyes that surrounded them. If we could put a couple of shots into them, theyd be more respectful. They come closer every night, and then he suddenly whispered: Look at that, Bill.
A doglike animal went stealthily in the firelight. Its attention was fixed on the dogs. One Ear strained the full length of the stick toward the intruder.
That fool One Ear doesnt seem scared, Bill said in a low tone.
Its a she-wolf. Shes dangerous. She draws out the dog and eats him up.
Henry, Im thinking, Bill announced, Im thinking that is the one I hit with the club.
It must be.
And I want to remark, Bill went on, that that animals familiarity with campfires is suspicious and immoral.
It knows more than a self-respecting wolf ought to know, Henry agreed. A wolf that comes at the dogs feeding time has had experience.
If I get a chance, that wolf will be just meat. We cant afford to lose any more animals.
But youve only got three cartridges, Henry objected.
Ill wait for a dead shot.
In the morning Henry renewed the fire and cooked breakfast to the accompaniment of his partners snoring.
You were sleeping just so comfortably, Henry told him, as he called him out for breakfast. I hadnt the heart[6] to wake you.
Bill began to eat sleepily. He noticed that his cup was empty, but the pot was beyond his arms length and beside Henry.
You dont get coffee, Henry announced.
Has it run out?
Nope.
Arent you thinking itll hurt my digestion?
Nope.
Then explain yourself,[7] Bill said angrily.
Spankers gone.
Bill slowly turned his head and counted the dogs.
One Ear, the damned dog! Just because he couldnt free himself, he freed Spanker.
Well, Spankers troubles are over anyway; I guess hes digested by this time, was Henrys epitaph on this, the latest lost dog. Have some coffee, Bill.
No. I said I wouldnt drink it if any dog is missing, and I wont.
And he ate a dry breakfast with curses at One Ear for the trick he had played.
Ill tie them up out of reach of each other tonight, Bill said, as they started off again.
They had travelled little more than a hundred yards, when Henry, who was in front, picked up something from the ground.
Maybe youll need that, he said.
It was all that was left of Spanker the stick with which he had been tied.
They ate him all, Bill announced. Theyre damn hungry, Henry. Im not feeling special enthusiastic.
Youre unwell, thats whats the matter with you, Henry dogmatised. What you need is quinine.
Bill disagreed with the diagnosis, and didnt say anything.
The day was like all the days. It was just after the suns attempt to appear, that Bill took the rifle and said:
You go on, Henry, but Im going to see what I can see.
Youd better go after the sled. Youve only got three cartridges, and nobody knows what might happen.
Whos croaking now?[8]
Henry said nothing, and toiled on alone, though often he looked back. An hour later, Bill arrived.
Ive seen some of them. Theyre very thin. They hadnt had food for weeks, I think, save the meat of Fatty and Frog and Spanker. Theyll be going mad, yet, and then watch out.
A few minutes later, Henry, who was now travelling behind the sled, gave a warning whistle. Bill turned and looked, then stopped the dogs. Behind them trotted a furry form. Its nose was to the trail. When they stopped, it stopped, too, and watched them.
A few minutes later, Henry, who was now travelling behind the sled, gave a warning whistle. Bill turned and looked, then stopped the dogs. Behind them trotted a furry form. Its nose was to the trail. When they stopped, it stopped, too, and watched them.
Its the she-wolf, Bill said.
The animal trotted forward a few steps, and then, after a pause, a few more steps, and then a few more. It looked at them in a strangely wistful way, like a dog; but there was none of the dogs affection. It was hungry and cruel.
It was large for a wolf and had a true wolf-coat. The main colour was grey, with a red dish hue a hue that appeared and disappeared, like an illusion of the vision, now grey, really grey, and then again showing some redness of colour.
Looks like a big husky sled-dog, Bill commented. Hello, you husky! he shouted, Come here, you whatever-your-name-is.
The animal showed no fear. For it they were meat, and it was hungry; and it would like to go in and eat them.
Look here, Henry, Bill said, Weve got three cartridges. But its a dead shot. Couldnt miss it. Its got away with three of our dogs, and we must put a stop to it. What do you say?
Henry nodded. Bill cautiously took the gun. The gun was on the way to his shoulder, but it never got there. For in that instant the she-wolf jumped sidewise from the trail and disappeared.
The two men looked at each other. Henry whistled.
I might have known it, Bill said as he replaced the gun. Of course a wolf that knows enough to come with the dogs at feeding time, would know all about guns. I tell you, Henry, that creatures the cause of all our trouble. We would have six dogs instead of three, if it wasnt because of her. And, Henry, Im going to get her. Shes too smart to be shot in the open. But Ill get her as sure as my name is Bill.
They camped early that night. Three dogs could not go so fast nor for so long hours as could six, and they were showing unmistakable signs of weariness. And the men went early to bed, after Bill had made sure that the dogs were tied out of reach of one another.
But the wolves were growing bolder, and the men woke more than once from their sleep. So near did the wolves approach, that the dogs became mad with terror, and it was necessary to keep the fire burning.
Theyre going to get us, Henry, Bill remarked.
Youre half eaten when youre saying such things, Bill, so shut up your croaking.
Henry rolled over angrily on his side, but Bill said nothing. Usually he was easily angered by sharp words. Henry thought long over it before he went to sleep: Theres no doubt Bills not well. Ill have to cheer him up tomorrow.
Chapter III. The Hunger Cry
They had lost no dogs during the night, and Bill seemed to have forgotten his troubles when, at midday, they came to a bad piece of trail. It was an awkward mix-up. The sled was upside down and stuck between a tree-trunk and a huge rock, and they had to unharness the dogs. The two men were bent over the sled and trying to right it, when Henry observed One Ear going away.
Here, you, One Ear! he cried.
But One Ear was already running across the snow. And there, on their back track, was the she-wolf waiting for him.
At first One Ear was cautious and dubious. She seemed to smile at him, showing her teeth in a welcoming rather than a menacing way. She moved toward him a few steps and stopped. One Ear came nearer, his tail and ears in the air, his head high. He tried to sniff noses[9] with her, but she retreated playfully. Every advance on his part was accompanied by a corresponding retreat on her part. Step by step she was leading him away from the security of his human companionship. Once he turned his head and looked back at the sled, at his team-mates, and at the two men who were calling to him, but the she-wolf sniffed noses with him for an instant, and then continued her playful retreat.
In the meantime, Bill remembered of the rifle. But it was stuck beneath the overturned sled, and by the time Henry had helped him to right the load, One Ear and the she-wolf were too close together and the distance too great to risk a shot.
Too late One Ear realized his mistake. Suddenly, the two men saw him turn and start to run back toward them. Then they saw a dozen wolves around. The she-wolfs playfulness disappeared. With a snarl she sprang upon One Ear. His retreat was cut off, so he changed his course, trying to circle around. More wolves were appearing every moment and joining the chase. The she-wolf was one leap behind One Ear.
Where are you going? Henry asked Bill and tried to stop him.
I wont stand it. They wont get any more of our dogs.
Henry remained behind after Bill had gone. He judged One Ears case to be hopeless. He could not break the circle of his pursuers.
Henry sat on the sled. And too quickly, far more quickly than he had expected, it happened. He heard a shot, then two more shots, and he knew that Bills ammunition was gone. Then he heard a great outcry of snarls. He recognised One Ears yell of pain and terror, and he heard a wolf-cry of an injured animal. And that was all. The snarls ceased. Silence fell down again on the lonely land.
He sat for a long while upon the sled. There was no need for him to go and see what had happened. He knew it as though it had taken place before his eyes. Once, he roused with a start[10] and quickly got the axe out from the sled. But for some time longer he sat and brooded, the two remaining dogs crouching and trembling at his feet.
At last he arose wearily, as though all the determination had gone out of his body, and fastened the dogs to the sled. He passed a rope over his shoulder, and pulled with the dogs. He did not go far. At the first hint of darkness he made a camp and prepared a generous supply of firewood. He fed the dogs, cooked and ate his supper, and made his bed close to the fire.
But he could not enjoy that bed. The wolves were around him and the fire, in a narrow circle, and he saw them plainly: lying down, sitting up, crawling forward on their bellies, or going around. They even slept. Here and there he could see one curled up in the snow like a dog, taking the sleep that he could not now afford.
He kept the fire blazing, because he knew that it alone was between the flesh of his body and their hungry fangs. His two dogs stayed close by him, one on either side, whimpering and snarling desperately. Bit by bit, an inch[11] at a time, with here a wolf bellying forward, and there a wolf bellying forward, the circle narrowed until the man started taking brands from the fire and throwing them into the brutes.
Morning found him tired and worn. He cooked breakfast in the darkness, and at nine oclock, when the wolves drew back, he started doing what he had planned through the night. He made a wooden scaffold and fixed it high up to the trunks of trees. With the use of a rope, and with the aid of the dogs, he put the coffin to the top of the scaffold.