# ■ 1 To the north

Buck did not read the newspapers． He did not know that trouble was coming for every big dog in California． Men had found gold in the Yukon， and these men wanted big， strong dogs to work in the cold and snow of the north．

Buck lived in Mr Miller's big house in the sunny Santa Clara valley There were large gardens and fields of fruit trees around the house， and a river nearby． In a big place like this，of course， there were many dogs There were house dogs and farm dogs， but they were not important．Buck was chief dog；he was born here， and this was his place.He was four years old and weighed sixty kilos.He went swimming with Mr Miller's sons，and walking with his daughters.He carried the grandchildren on his back， and he sat at Mr Miller's feet in front of the fire in winter．

But this was 1897， and Buck did not know that men and dogs were hurrying to north-west Canada to look for gold．And he did not know that Manuel， one of Mr Miller's garden－ers， needed money for his large family． One day，when Mr Miller was out， Manuel and Buck left the garden together．It was just an evening walk， Buck thought．No one saw them go， and only one man saw them arrive at the railway station．This man talked to Manuel， and gave him some money.Then he tied a piece of rope around Buck's neck．

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 put 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 him 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？

The next day Buck was carried in the box to the railway station and put on a train

to the north．

For two days and nights the train travelled north， and for two days and nights Buck neither ate nor drank． Men on the train laughed at him and pushed sticks at him through the holes in the box． For two days and nights Buck got angrier and hungrier and thirsti-er． His eyes grew red and he bit anything that moved．

In Seattle four men took Buck to a small， high－walled back garden， where a fat man in an old red coat was waiting． Buck was now very angry indeed and hejumped and bit at the sides of his box． The fat man smiled and went to get an axe and a club．

‘Are you going to take him out now？’ asked one of the men． ‘Of course，’ answered the fat man， and he began to break the box with his axe．

Immediately the four other men climbed up onto the wall to watch from a safe place．

As the fat man hit the box with his axe， Buck jumped at the sides， growling and biting， pulling with his teeth at the pieces of broken wood． After a few minutes there was a hole big enough for Buck to get out． ‘ Now， come here， red eyes，’ said the fat man， dropping his axe and taking the club in his right hand．

Buck jumped at the man， sixty kilos of anger， his mouth wide open ready to bite the man's neck． Just before his teeth touched the skin， the man hit him with the club． Buck fell to the ground． It was the first time anyone had hit him with a club and he did not understand． He stood up， and jumped again． Again the club hit him and he crashed to the ground．Ten times he jumped at the man， and ten times the club hit him． Slowly he got to his feet， now only just able to stand．There was blood on his nose and mouth and ears． Then the fat man walked up and hit him again， very hard， on the nose．The pain was terrible． Again， Buck jumped at the man and again he was hit to the ground．A last time he jumped， and this time， when the man knocked him down， Buck did not move．

‘He knows how to teach a dog a lesson，’ said one of the men on the wall． Then the four men jumped down and went back to the station．

‘His name is Buck，’said the fat man to himself， reading the letter that had come with the box．‘Well， Buck， my by，’he said in a friendly voice，‘we've argued a little， and I think the best thing to do now is to stop． Be a good dog and we'll be friends． But if you're a bad dog， I'll have to use my club again．Understand？’

As he spoke， he touched Buck’ s head， and although Buck was angry inside， he did not move． When the man brought him water and meat， Buck drank and then ate the meat， piece by piece， from the man's hand．

Buck was beaten（he knew that） but he was not broken． He had learnt that a man with a club was stronger than him．Every day he saw more dogs arrive， and each dog was beaten by the fat man． Buck understood that a man with a club must be obeyed， although he did not have to be a friend．

Men came to see the fat man and to look at the dogs． Some-times they paid money and left with one or more of the dogs．One day a short， dark man came and looked at Buck．

‘That's a good dog！’ he cried．‘How much do you want for him？’

‘Three hundred dollars． It's a good price， Perrault，’said the fat man．

Perrault smiled and agreed that it was a good price． He knew dogs， and he knew that Buck was an excellent dog．

‘One in ten thousand，’ Perrault said to himself．

Buck saw money put into the fat man’ s hand， and he was not surprised when he and another dog called Curly were taken away by Perrault． He took them to a ship， and later that day Buck and Curly stood and watched the coast get further and further away．They had seen the warm south for the last time．

Perrault took Buck and Curly down to the bottom of the ship． There they met another man， Francois． Perrault was a French－Canadian， but Francois was half－Indian，tall and dark．Buck learnt quickly that Perrault and Francois were fair men，calm and honest． And they knew everything about dogs．

There were two other dogs on the ship．One was a big dog called Spitz， as white as snow． He was friendly to Buck at first， always smiling． He was smiling when he tried to steal Buck’ s food at the first meal． Francois was quick and hit Spitz before Buck had time to move． Buck decided that this was fair， and began to like Francois a little．

Dave， the other dog， was not friendly． He wanted to be alone all the time． He ate and slept and was interested in nothing．

One day was very like another， but Buck noticed that the weather was getting colder． One morning， the ship's engines stopped， and there was a feeling of excitement in the ship．Francois leashed the dogs and took them outside． At the first step Buck's feet went into something soft and white． He jumped back in surprise． The soft， white thing was also falling through the air， and it fell onto him． He tried to smell it， and then caught some on his tongue． It bit like fire， and then dis appeared． He tried again and the same thing happened． People were watching him and laughing， and Buck felt ashamed，although he did not know why． It was his first snow．

■ 1 北部之旅

巴克不曾讀過報紙，他不知道人們需要高大強壯能夠在北方的嚴寒和冰雪中工作的狗。人們在育空河發現了金礦，因此對加利福尼亞的每一條大狗來說都在劫難逃。

在陽光明媚的桑塔·克拉拉山谷中，巴克的家就在米勒先生的大房子裡。房子的周圍是開闊的莊園和種滿了果樹的田野。一條小河從附近流過。這樣一個遼闊的地方，是狗的樂園。諸如看門狗和牧羊犬，但他們是無足輕重的。真正的狗的首領是巴克；他生於斯長於斯，這兒簡直就是他的天下。他4歲，體重60公斤。他同米勒先生的兒子一起游泳，也陪著他的女兒們一起去散步，有時他還會給米勒先生的孫兒們當馬騎。冬天到了，他就偎著爐火蹲坐在米勒先生的腳邊。

然而到了1897年，巴克不知道這一年人們都帶著狗蜂湧到加拿大西北部尋找金礦。他更不知道，米勒先生的一個園丁曼紐埃勒需要錢養活他的一大家子。有一天，米勒先生出去了，曼紐埃勒帶著巴克離開了莊園。對於巴克來說，他還以為這只是傍晚的散步。沒有人看到他們，只有一個人看見他們到了火車站。這個人同曼紐埃勒說了什麼，然後塞給他一些錢，隨後他將一條繩子繫到巴克的脖子上。

巴克咆哮起來，卻吃驚地發現脖子上的繩索勒得緊緊的。他跳起來直撲向那個人。那人一把抓住了巴克，突然巴克就被仰面朝天摔在地上，舌頭也被拽了出來。過了好一會兒他都動彈不得，於是兩個人輕而易舉地把他送上了火車。

當巴克醒過來的時候，火車仍然在開。那人坐在那兒注視著他，然而巴克卻更加迅疾，狠狠地咬住了那人的手。但脖子上的繩索又一次勒住了他，巴克不得不鬆了口。

那天晚上，那個人把巴克帶到舊金山一間酒吧的後屋裡。酒吧老闆看了看那人血跡斑斑的手和長褲。

“他們付你多少錢？”他問。

“我只掙50美元。”

“那麼那個偷狗的人——他又賺多少？”酒吧老闆問道。

“100美元。他不肯少一個子兒。”

“也就是說150美元。對於這樣一條狗可真是個好價錢。這邊來，幫我把他弄到這裡去。”

他們解開巴克的繩索然後把他推進一隻木箱。他在酒吧的後屋裡在那個木箱中過了一夜。他的脖子仍然因為繩子勒過而疼痛不已，而且他對於所有的一切都如墜五里雲中。這些陌生人他們想讓他做什麼呢？米勒先生又在哪裡呢？

第二天巴克被關在木箱裡運到火車站，送上了北去的列車。火車向北開了兩天兩夜。這兩天兩夜，巴克忍飢挨餓，滴水未進。火車上的人們嘲笑他，把木棍從箱子上的洞中伸進去捅他。這兩天兩夜，巴克越來越怒火中燒，也越來越飢渴難忍。他紅著眼睛，撕咬所有移動的東西。

在西雅圖，四個人把巴克抬進一座小小的但卻有高高院牆的莊園裡。一個身著舊紅外套的肥胖男人等在那裡。這當口兒巴克已經憤怒到了極點。他跳著，咬著木箱的邊緣。那胖子微微一笑，拿來一把斧子和一根木棍。

“你打算現在就把他放出來嗎？”其中一人問道。

“當然。”胖子說。他開始用斧子劈開木箱。

立即，另外4個人爬到院牆上去，從安全的地方觀望著。

當那個胖子用斧頭劈開木箱時巴克在邊緣處跳著，咆哮著、撕咬著，用牙齒扯著碎木片。一會兒，就有一個洞，大到足可以讓巴克鑽出來。

“現在，過來，你這急紅了眼的。”那胖子說著扔下斧頭，右手抄起木棍。

巴克60公斤的憤怒之軀撲向那人，他大張著嘴準備一口咬住那人的脖子。就在他的牙齒剛剛碰到皮膚的時候，那人用棍子給了他一下，巴克摔倒在地。這還是頭一次有人用棍子打他，他不知所措。他站起來，再次猛撲過去，木棍再次擊中了他使他癱倒在地。他撲了10次，木棍就打他10次。他慢慢地站起來，現在他僅能勉強站住。鮮血從他的口鼻和耳朵中湧出來。然後那人走上前又打了他，狠狠地擊中了他的鼻子。劇痛襲來，巴克再一次撲向那人，但他又被打倒在地。最後一次他撲上去，而這一次，當那人把他打倒時，巴克再也沒有動彈一下。

“他可知道如何把狗製得服服帖帖的，”牆上的一個人說。然後這4個人跳下來，回車站去了。

“他的名字叫巴克。”那胖子自言自語道，讀著寫在木箱上的字母。“咳，巴克，我的孩子，”他用友好的語氣說道。“我們有個小小的爭鬥，現在我想我們最好停戰。做一隻好狗，我們會成為朋友的。但是你若使壞，我就不得不用棍子對付你了，明白嗎？”

他一邊說，一邊撫摸著巴克的頭。雖然巴克憤恨難平，他卻沒有再反抗。當那人給他拿來水和肉時，巴克喝了水，又從那人的手上一片又一片地吃著肉。

巴克捱了打（他現在知道怎麼回事了），但他並未就此垮掉。他知道那個拿棍子的男人比他強大。每一天他都看見許多狗被送進來。每條狗都被那胖子痛打過。巴克明白他雖然不必成為那人的朋友，卻必須聽從他。

人們來找胖子看狗。有時他們付了錢牽走一隻或更多的狗。一天一個黑矮的人來了，他看見了巴克。

“那可是條好狗！”他叫道。“你賣多少錢？”

“300美元。這是個好價錢，佩諾特，”那胖子說。

佩諾特笑了，他知道這價錢合適。他是狗的行家裡手，他明白巴克是一條優秀的狗。“千里挑一”，佩諾特心裡說。

巴克看見那胖子收了錢，並且當他和另一條叫科莉的狗被佩諾特帶走時他對此已經不足為奇了。他把他們帶上船，那天不久巴克和科莉站在那兒看著越來越遠的海岸，這是他們最後一次看見溫暖的南方了。

佩諾特把巴克和科莉帶到船尾，在那裡他們見到另一個人，弗朗索瓦斯。佩諾特是法國與加拿大的混血兒，弗朗索瓦斯則有一半印第安人的血統，又黑又高。巴克很快就瞭解佩諾特和費朗索瓦斯為人不錯，沉穩可靠。他們對於狗的習性可謂瞭如指掌。

船上還有兩隻別的狗。其中有一隻大狗叫斯皮茲，渾身雪白。他起初對巴克倒挺友好，時時衝他微笑致意。但吃第一頓飯時，他就企圖偷吃巴克的食物，而臉上居然微笑著。在巴克還來不及採取任何行動之前，弗朗索瓦斯就迅速給了斯皮茲一下。巴克覺得這事處理得挺公道，他對弗朗索瓦斯有了一點兒好感。

另一隻狗戴夫並不友善。他喜歡獨自呆著。他除了吃就是睡，對一切都漠不關心。

有一天一切如常，但巴克留意到天氣漸漸地在變冷。一個早晨，船的馬達終於停止了，船上有一種令人興奮的氣氛。弗朗索瓦斯用繩子拴出狗，把他們帶出船艙。巴克一邁腳就陷進一種輕軟潔白的東西里，他驚恐地跳了回去。那輕軟潔白的東西也正從空中飄下來，落在他的身上。他嘗試著嗅嗅它，然後又用舌頭舔舔它，那東西嚼起來像火一樣灼燒，但轉瞬就無影無蹤了。他又試了試，還是同樣的結果。人們看著他笑了起來。雖然巴克不知道為什麼，但他害了羞。這畢竟是他第一次接觸到雪。