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broad…chested； powerfully muscled； of far more than ordinary size；
and his neck from head to shoulders was a mass of bristling hair
to all appearances a full…blooded wolf。 Leclere was lying asleep
in his furs when Batard deemed the time to be ripe。 He crept upon
him stealthily； head low to earth and lone ear laid back； with a
feline softness of tread。 Batard breathed gently； very gently； and
not till he was close at hand did he raise his head。 He paused for
a moment and looked at the bronzed bull throat； naked and knotty；
and swelling to a deep steady pulse。 The slaver dripped down his
fangs and slid off his tongue at the sight； and in that moment he
remembered his drooping ear； his uncounted blows and prodigious
wrongs； and without a sound sprang on the sleeping man。
Leclere awoke to the pang of the fangs in his throat； and； perfect
animal that he was； he awoke clear…headed and with full
comprehension。 He closed on Batard's windpipe with both his hands；
and rolled out of his furs to get his weight uppermost。 But the
thousands of Batard's ancestors had clung at the throats of
unnumbered moose and caribou and dragged them down； and the wisdom
of those ancestors was his。 When Leclere's weight came on top of
him； he drove his hind legs upwards and in； and clawed down chest
and abdomen； ripping and tearing through skin and muscle。 And when
he felt the man's body wince above him and lift； he worried and
shook at the man's throat。 His team…mates closed around in a
snarling circle； and Batard； with failing breath and fading sense；
knew that their jaws were hungry for him。 But that did not matter…
…it was the man； the man above him； and he ripped and clawed； and
shook and worried； to the last ounce of his strength。 But Leclere
choked him with both his hands； till Batard's chest heaved and
writhed for the air denied； and his eyes glazed and set； and his
jaws slowly loosened； and his tongue protruded black and swollen。
〃Eh？ Bon； you devil！〃 Leclere gurgled mouth and throat clogged
with his own blood； as he shoved the dizzy dog from him。
And then Leclere cursed the other dogs off as they fell upon
Batard。 They drew back into a wider circle； squatting alertly on
their haunches and licking their chops； the hair on every neck
bristling and erect。
Batard recovered quickly； and at sound of Leclere's voice； tottered
to his feet and swayed weakly back and forth。
〃A…h…ah！ You beeg devil！〃 Leclere spluttered。 〃Ah fix you； Ah fix
you plentee； by GAR！〃
Batard； the air biting into his exhausted lungs like wine； flashed
full into the man's face； his jaws missing and coming together with
a metallic clip。 They rolled over and over on the snow； Leclere
striking madly with his fists。 Then they separated； face to face；
and circled back and forth before each other。 Leclere could have
drawn his knife。 His rifle was at his feet。 But the beast in him
was up and raging。 He would do the thing with his handsand his
teeth。 Batard sprang in； but Leclere knocked him over with a blow
of the fist； fell upon him； and buried his teeth to the bone in the
dog's shoulder。
It was a primordial setting and a primordial scene； such as might
have been in the savage youth of the world。 An open space in a
dark forest； a ring of grinning wolf…dogs； and in the centre two
beasts； locked in combat； snapping and snarling raging madly about
panting； sobbing； cursing； straining； wild with passion； in a fury
of murder； ripping and tearing and clawing in elemental
brutishness。
But Leclere caught Batard behind the ear with a blow from his fist；
knocking him over； and； for the instant； stunning him。 Then
Leclere leaped upon him with his feet； and sprang up and down；
striving to grind him into the earth。 Both Batard's hind legs were
broken ere Leclere ceased that he might catch breath。
〃A…a…ah！ A…a…ah！〃 he screamed； incapable of speech； shaking his
fist； through sheer impotence of throat and larynx。
But Batard was indomitable。 He lay there in a helpless welter； his
lip feebly lifting and writhing to the snarl he had not the
strength to utter。 Leclere kicked him； and the tired jaws closed
on the ankle； but could not break the skin。
Then Leclere picked up the whip and proceeded almost to cut him to
pieces； at each stroke of the lash crying： 〃Dis taim Ah break you！
Eh？ By GAR！ Ah break you！〃
In the end； exhausted； fainting from loss of blood； he crumpled up
and fell by his victim； and when the wolf…dogs closed in to take
their vengeance； with his last consciousness dragged his body on
top of Batard to shield him from their fangs。
This occurred not far from Sunrise； and the missionary； opening the
door to Leclere a few hours later； was surprised to note the
absence of Batard from the team。 Nor did his surprise lessen when
Leclere threw back the robes from the sled； gathered Batard into
his arms and staggered across the threshold。 It happened that the
surgeon of McQuestion； who was something of a gadabout； was up on a
gossip； and between them they proceeded to repair Leclere；
〃Merci； non；〃 said he。 〃Do you fix firs' de dog。 To die？ NON。
Eet is not good。 Becos' heem Ah mus' yet break。 Dat fo' w'at he
mus' not die。〃
The surgeon called it a marvel； the missionary a miracle； that
Leclere pulled through at all； and so weakened was he； that in the
spring the fever got him； and he went on his back again。 Batard
had been in even worse plight； but his grip on life prevailed； and
the bones of his hind legs knit； and his organs righted themselves；
during the several weeks he lay strapped to the floor。 And by the
time Leclere； finally convalescent； sallow and shaky； took the sun
by the cabin door； Batard had reasserted his supremacy among his
kind； and brought not only his own team…mates but the missionary's
dogs into subjection。
He moved never a muscle； nor twitched a hair； when； for the first
time； Leclere tottered out on the missionary's arm； and sank down
slowly and with infinite caution on the three…legged stool。
〃BON！〃 he said。 〃BON！ De good sun！〃 And he stretched out his
wasted hands and washed them in the warmth。
Then his gaze fell on the dog； and the old light blazed back in his
eyes。 He touched the missionary lightly on the arm。 〃Mon pere；
dat is one beeg devil； dat Batard。 You will bring me one pistol；
so； dat Ah drink de sun in peace。〃
And thenceforth for many days he sat in the sun before the cabin
door。 He never dozed； and the pistol lay always across his knees。
Batard had a way； the first thing each day； of looking for the
weapon in its wonted place。 At sight of it he would lift his lip
faintly in token that he understood； and Leclere would lift his own
lip in an answering grin。 One day the missionary took note of the
trick。
〃Bless me！〃 he said。 〃I really believe the brute comprehends。〃
Leclere laughed softly。 〃Look you； mon pere。 Dat w'at Ah now
spik； to dat does he lissen。〃
As if in confirmation； Batard just perceptibly wriggled his lone
ear up to catch the sound。
〃Ah say 'keel'。〃
Batard growled deep down in his throat； the hair bristled along his
neck； and every muscle went tense and expectant。
〃Ah lift de gun； so； like dat。〃 And suiting action to word； he
sighted the pistol at Batard。 Batard； with a single leap；
sideways； landed around the corner of the cabin out of sight。
〃Bless me！〃 he repeated at intervals。 Leclere grinned proudly。
〃But why does he not run away？〃
The Frenchman's shoulders went up in the racial shrug that means
all things from total ignorance to infinite understanding。
〃Then why do you not kill him？〃
Again the shoulders went up。
〃Mon pere；〃 he said after a pause； 〃de taim is not yet。 He is one
beeg devil。 Some taim Ah break heem； so an' so； all to leetle
bits。 Hey？ some taim。 BON！〃
A day came when Lecler