threatening. These gods also made overtures to White Fang, but he warned
them off with a snarl, and the master did likewise with word of mouth. At
such times White Fang leaned in close against the master’s legs and received
reassuring pats on the head.
The hound, under the command, “Dick! Lie down, sir!” had gone up the
steps and lain down to one side of the porch, still growling and
keeping a
sullen watch on the intruder. Collie had been taken in charge by one of the
woman-gods, who held arms around her neck and petted and caressed her;
but Collie was very much perplexed and worried, whining and restless,
outraged by the permitted presence of this wolf and confident that the
gods were making a mistake.
All the gods started up the steps to enter the house. White Fang followed
closely at the master’s heels. Dick, on the porch, growled, and White Fang,
on the steps, bristled and growled back.
“Take Collie inside and leave the
two of them to fight it out,” suggested
Scott’s father. “After that they’ll be friends.”
“Then White Fang, to show his friendship, will have to be chief mourner at
the funeral,” laughed the master.
The elder Scott looked incredulously, first at White Fang, then at Dick, and
finally at his son.
“You mean . . .?”
Weedon nodded his head. “I mean just that. You’d have a dead Dick inside
one minute—two minutes at the farthest.”
He turned to White Fang. “Come on, you wolf. It’s you that’ll have to come
inside.”
White Fang walked stiff-legged up the steps and across the porch, with tail
rigidly erect, keeping his eyes on Dick to guard
against a flank attack, and at
the same time prepared for whatever fierce manifestation of the unknown
that might pounce out upon him from the interior of the house. But no
thing of fear pounced out, and when he had gained the inside he scouted
carefully around, looking at it and finding it not. Then he lay down with a
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contented grunt at the master’s feet, observing all that went on, ever ready
to spring to his feet and fight for life with the terrors
he felt must lurk under
the trap-roof of the dwelling.
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