WHO HAS WON TO MASTERSHIP
"Eh? What I say? I speak true when I say dat Buck two devils."
This was Francoiss speeext m when he discovered Spitz missing and Buck covered with wounds. He drew him to the fire and by its light poihem out.
"Dat Spitz fight like hell," said Perrault, as he surveyed the gaping rips and cuts.
"An dat Buck fight like two hells," was Francoiss answer. "And now we make good time. No more Spitz, no more trouble, sure."
While Perrault packed the camp outfit and loaded the sled, the dog-driver proceeded to harhe dogs. Buck trotted up to the place Spitz would have occupied as leader; but Francois, not notig him, brought Sol-leks to the coveted position. In his judgment, Sol-leks was the best lead-dog left. Buck sprang upon Sol-leks in a fury, driving him bad standing in his place.
"Eh? Eh?" Francois cried, slapping his thighs gleefully. "Look at dat Buck. Him kill dat Spitz, him think to take de job."
"Go way, Hook!" he cried, but Buck refused to budge.
He took Buck by the scruff of the neck, and though the dog growled threateningly, dragged him to one side and replaced Sol-leks. The old dog did not like it, and showed plainly that he was afraid of Buck. Francois was obdurate, but wheurned his back, Buck again displaced Sol-leks, who was not at all unwilling to go.
Francois was angry. "Now, by Gar, I fix you!" he cried, ing back with a heavy club in his hand.
Buck remembered the man in the red sweater, areated slowly; nor did he attempt to charge in when Sol-leks was once more brought forward. But he circled just beyond the range of the club, snarling with bitterness and rage; and while he circled he watched the club so as to dodge it if thrown by Francois, for he was bee wise in the way of clubs.
The driver went about his work, and he called to Buck when he was ready to put him in his old pla front of Dave. Buck retreated two or three steps. Francois followed him up, whereupon he agaireated. After some time of this, Francois threw down the club, thinking that Buck feared a thrashing. But Buck was in ope. He wanted, not to escape a clubbing, but to have the leadership. It was his by right. He had ear, and he would not be tent with less.
Perrault took a hand. Betweehey ran him about for the better part of an hour. They threw clubs at him. He dodged. They cursed him, and his fathers and mothers before him, and all his seed to e after him down to the remotest geion, and every hair on his body and drop of blood in his veins; and he answered curse with snarl a out of their reach. He did not try to run away, but retreated around and around the camp, advertising plainly that when his desire was met, he would e in and be good.
Francois sat down and scratched his head. Perrault looked at his watd swore. Time was flying, and they should have been orail an hone. Francois scratched his head again. He shook it and grinned sheepishly at the courier, whed his shoulders in sign that they were beaten. Then Francois went up to where Sol-leks stood and called to Buck. Buck laughed, as dogs laugh, yet kept his distance. Francois unfastened Sol-lekss traces and put him ba his old place. The team stood haro the sled in an unbroken line, ready for the trail. There was no place for Buck save at the front. Once more Francois called, and once more Buck laughed a away.
"Throw down de club," Perrault anded.
Francois plied, whereupon Buck trotted in, laug