the wild animal was strong in Buck, and as he travelled across the snow, it grew stronger and stronger. And as Buck grew stronger, he hated Spitz more and more, although he was careful never to start a fight But Spitz was always showing his teeth to Buck, trying start a fight. And Buck knew that if he and Spitz fought, one of them would die.
The fight almost happened one night when they stopped by Lake Laberge. There was heavy snow and it was very cold. The lake was frozen and Francois, Perrault, an d the dogs had to spend the night on the ice, under a big rock Buck had made a warm hole in the snow and was sorry leave it to get his piece of fish. But when he had eaten, and tried not returned to his hole, he found Spitz in it. Buck had tried not to fight Spitz before, but this was too much. He attacked him angrily. Spitz was surprised. He knew Buck was big, but he didn't know he was so wild. Francois was surprised too, and guessed why Buck was angry.
Go on Buck!' he shouted. Fight him, the dirty thief! Spitz was also ready to fight, and the two dogs circled one another, looking for the chance to jump in. But suddenly there was a shout from Perrault, and they saw eighty or a hundred dogs around the sledge. The dogs came from an Indian village, and they were searching for the food that they could smell on the sledge. Perrault and Francois tried to fight them off with their clubs, but the dogs, made crazy by the smell of the food, showed their teeth and fought back
Buck had never seen dogs like these. They were all skin and bone, but hunger made them fight like wild things. Three of them attacked Buck and in seconds his head and legs were badly bitten. Dave and Sol-leks stood side by side, covered in blood, fighting bravely. Joe and Pike jumped on one dog, and Pike broke its neck with one bite. Buck caught another dog by the neck and tasted blood. He threw himselfon the next and then felt teeth in his own neck. one, was Spitz, attacking him from the side.
Perrault and Francois came to help with clubs, but then they had to run back to save the food. It was safer for the nine sledge ogs to run away across the lake. Several of them were badly hurt, and they spent an unhappy night hiding among the trees.