Buck growled, and was surprised when the rope was pulled hard around his neck. He jumped at the man. The man caught him and suddenly Buck was on his back with his tongue out of his mouth. For a few moments he was unable to move , and it was easy for the two men to not him into the train.
When Buck woke up ,the train was still moving. The man was sitting and watching him, but Buck was too quick for him and he bit the man's hand hard. Then the rope was pulled again and Buck had to let go.
That evening , the man took Buck to the back room of a bar in San Francisco. The barman looked at the man's hand and trousers covered in blood.
' How much are they paying you for this? ' he asked.
' I only get fifty dollars. '
' And the man who stole him - how much did he get? ' asked the barman.
' A hundred. He wouldn't take less. '
' That makes a hundred and fifty. It's a good price for a dog like him. Here, help me to get into this. '
They took off Buck's rope and pushed him into a wooden box. He spent the night in the box in the back room of the bar. His neck still ached with pain from the rope, and he could not understand what it all meant. What did they want with him, these strange men? And where was Mr. Miller?