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1TothenorthBuckdidnotreadthenewspapers．HedidnotknowthattroublewascomingforeverybigdoginCalifornia．MenhadfoundgoldintheYukon，andthesemenwantedbig，strongdogstoworkinthecoldandsnowofthenorth．BucklivedinMrMiller'sbighouseinthesunnySantaClaravalleyTherewerelargegardensandfieldsoffruittreesaroundthehouse，andarivernearby．Inabigplacelikethis，ofcourse，thereweremanydogsTherewerehousedogsandfarmdogs，buttheywerenotimportant．Buckwaschiefdog；hewasbornhere，andthiswashisplace．Hewasfouryearsoldandweighedsixtykilos．HewentswimmingwithMrMiller'ssons，andwalkingwithhisdaughters．Hecarriedthegrandchildrenonhisback，andhesatatMrMiller'sfeetinfrontofthefireinwinter．Butthiswas1897，andBuckdidnotknowthatmenanddogswerehurryingtonorth-westCanadatolookforgold．AndhedidnotknowthatManuel，oneofMrMiller'sgarden－ers，neededmoneyforhislargefamily．Oneday，whenMrMillerwasout，ManuelandBuckleftthegardentogether．Itwasjustaneveningwalk，Buckthought．Noonesawthemgo，andonlyonemansawthemarriveattherailwaystation．ThismantalkedtoManuel，andgavehimsomemoney．ThenhetiedapieceofropearoundBuck'sneck．Buckgrowled，andwassurprisedwhentheropewaspulledhardaroundhisneck．Hejumpedattheman．ThemancaughthimandsuddenlyBuckwasonhisbackwithhistongueoutofhismouth．Forafewmomentshewasunabletomove，anditwaseasyforthetwomentoputhimintothetrain．WhenBuckwokeup，thetrainwasstillmoving．Themanwassittingandwatchinghim，butBuckwastooquickforhimandhebittheman'shandhard．ThentheropewaspulledagainandBuckhadtoletgo．Thatevening，themantookBucktothebackroomofabarinSanFrancisco．Thebarmanlookedattheman'shandandtrouserscoveredinblood．‘Howmucharetheypayingyouforthis？’heasked．‘Ionlygetfiftydollars．’‘Andthemanwhostolehim—howmuchdidheget？’askedthebarman．‘Ahundred．Hewouldn'ttakeless．’‘Thatmakesahundredandfifty．It'sagoodpriceforadoglikehim．Here，helpmetogethimintothis．’TheytookoffBuck'sropeandpushedhimintoawoodenbox．Hespentthenightintheboxinthebackroomofthebar．Hisneckstillachedwithpainfromtherope，andhecouldnotunderstandwhatitallmeant．Whatdidtheywantwithhim，thesestrangemen？AndwherewasMrMiller？ThenextdayBuckwascarriedintheboxtotherailwaystationandputonatraintothenorth．Fortwodaysandnightsthetraintravellednorth，andfortwodaysandnightsBuckneitheratenordrank．Menonthetrainlaughedathimandpushedsticksathimthroughtheholesinthebox．FortwodaysandnightsBuckgotangrierandhungrierandthirsti-er．Hiseyesgrewredandhebitanythingthatmoved．InSeattlefourmentookBucktoasmall，high－walledbackgarden，whereafatmaninanoldredcoatwaswaiting．Buckwasnowveryangryindeedandhejumpedandbitatthesidesofhisbox．Thefatmansmiledandwenttogetanaxeandaclub．‘Areyougoingtotakehimoutnow？’askedoneofthemen．‘Ofcourse，’answeredthefatman，andhebegantobreaktheboxwithhisaxe．Immediatelythefourothermenclimbedupontothewalltowatchfromasafeplace．Asthefatmanhittheboxwithhisaxe，Buckjumpedatthesides，growlingandbiting，pullingwithhisteethatthepiecesofbrokenwood．AfterafewminutestherewasaholebigenoughforBucktogetout．‘Now，comehere，redeyes，’saidthefatman，droppinghisaxeandtakingtheclubinhisrighthand．Buckjumpedattheman，sixtykilosofanger，hismouthwideopenreadytobitetheman'sneck．Justbeforehisteethtouchedtheskin，themanhithimwiththeclub．Buckfelltotheground．Itwasthefirsttimeanyonehadhithimwithaclubandhedidnotunderstand．Hestoodup，andjumpedagain．Againtheclubhithimandhecrashedtotheground．Tentimeshejumpedattheman，andtentimestheclubhithim．Slowlyhegottohisfeet，nowonlyjustabletostand．Therewasbloodonhisnoseandmouthandears．Thenthefatmanwalkedupandhithimagain，veryhard，onthenose．Thepainwasterrible．Again，Buckjumpedatthemanandagainhewashittotheground．Alasttimehejumped，andthistime，whenthemanknockedhimdown，Buckdidnotmove．‘Heknowshowtoteachadogalesson，’saidoneofthemenonthewall．Thenthefourmenjumpeddownandwentbacktothestation．‘HisnameisBuck，’saidthefatmantohimself，readingtheletterthathadcomewiththebox．‘Well，Buck，myby，’hesaidinafriendlyvoice，‘we'vearguedalittle，andIthinkthebestthingtodonowistostop．Beagooddogandwe'llbefriends．Butifyou'reabaddog，I'llhavetousemyclubagain．Understand？’Ashespoke，hetouchedBuck’shead，andalthoughBuckwasangryinside，hedidnotmove．Whenthemanbroughthimwaterandmeat，Buckdrankandthenatethemeat，piecebypiece，fromtheman'shand．Buckwasbeaten（heknewthat）buthewasnotbroken．Hehadlearntthatamanwithaclubwasstrongerthanhim．Everydayhesawmoredogsarrive，andeachdogwasbeatenbythefatman．Buckunderstoodthatamanwithaclubmustbeobeyed，althoughhedidnothavetobeafriend．Mencametoseethefatmanandtolookatthedogs．Some-timestheypaidmoneyandleftwithoneormoreofthedogs．Onedayashort，darkmancameandlookedatBuck．‘That'sagooddog！’hecried．‘Howmuchdoyouwantforhim？’‘Threehundreddollars．It'sagoodprice，Perrault，’saidthefatman．Perraultsmiledandagreedthatitwasagoodprice．Heknewdogs，andheknewthatBuckwasanexcellentdog．‘Oneintenthousand，’Perraultsaidtohimself．Bucksawmoneyputintothefatman’shand，andhewasnotsurprisedwhenheandanotherdogcalledCurlyweretakenawaybyPerrault．Hetookthemtoaship，andlaterthatdayBuckandCurlystoodandwatchedthecoastgetfurtherandfurtheraway．Theyhadseenthewarmsouthforthelasttime．PerraulttookBuckandCurlydowntothebottomoftheship．Theret