The Call of the Wild
by Jack London
Table of Contents
Chapter 4 to Chapter 6
Chapter Four
In the morning, Francois and Perrault discover that Spitz is missing, and from Buck’s injuries, they assume that Buck has defeated him. Because Spitz was a bully, neither man is very upset about what has occurred; Francois even praises Buck. Francois chooses Sol-leks to lead the team because he is a very experienced sled dog, but Buck chases Sol-leks back to his old position. Buck stands at the front of the line, waiting to be harnessed. Francois attempts to place Sol-leks at the front again, only to have Buck repeat his behavior. Francois goes for his club, but Buck, having learned his lesson about clubs, stays out of reach. Francois tries to harness Buck, but Buck refuses to go near him, even after he puts down the club. Perrault and Francois both attempt to capture Buck, but he evades them for more than an hour. Finally, they allow Buck his place at the front of the line, and once Francois has dropped his club, Buck runs to his place as the leader.
Buck is not a very experienced sled dog, but he proves to be an excellent leader. Buck punishes dogs that do not perform well, particularly the lazy Pike. This causes the team to run more efficiently, which elicits praise from Francois and Perrault; once again the men remark upon Buck’s unusual character. The team manages to travel an average of 40 miles per pay, which is a remarkable rate. They stop in Skaguay, Alaska, where Perrault and Francois receive new orders from the Canadian government and no longer need their sled team. They give their sled team to the care of an unnamed fellow mailman, who is traveling in a caravan to Dawson City. The dogs work as mail dogs, pulling heavy loads back and forth between Dawson City and Skaguay. Buck grows increasingly bored with the monotonous routine, and his inner musings reveal a growing desire to live in the wild. One of the things that make Buck distinct is his vivid internal life. While sitting by the fire at night, Buck...
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