But White Fang's reprisals did not cease, even when the young dogshad learned thoroughly that they must stay together. He attacked themwhen he caught them alone, and they attacked him when they werebunched. The sight of him was sufficient to start them rushing after him, atwhich times his swiftness usually carried him into safety. But woe the dogthat outran his fellows in such pursuit! White Fang had learned to turnsuddenly upon the pursuer that was ahead of the pack and thoroughly torip him up before the pack could arrive. This occurred with greatfrequency, for, once in full cry, the dogs were prone to forget themselvesin the excitement of the chase, while White Fang never forgot himself.
Stealing backward glances as he ran, he was always ready to whirl aroundand down the overzealous pursuer that outran his fellows.
Young dogs are bound to play, and out of the exigencies of thesituation they realised their play in this mimic warfare. Thus it was that thehunt of White Fang became their chief game - a deadly game, withal, andat all times a serious evening wedding dress He, on the other hand, being the fastest-footed,was unafraid to venture anywhere. During the period that he waited vainlyfor his mother to come back, he led the pack many a wild chase throughthe adjacent woods. But the pack invariably lost him. Its noise and outcrywarned him of its presence, while he ran alone, velvet-footed, silently, amoving shadow among the trees after the manner of his father and motherbefore him. Further he was more directly connected with the Wild thanthey; and he knew more of its secrets and stratagems. A favourite trick ofhis was to lose his trail in running water and then lie quietly in a near-bythicket while their baffled cries arose around him.
Hated by his kind and by mankind, indomitable, perpetually warredupon and himself waging perpetual war, his development was rapid andone-sided. This was no soil for kindliness and affection to blossom in. Ofsuch things he had not the faintest glimmering. The code he learned was toobey the strong and to oppress the weak. Grey Beaver was a god, andstrong. Therefore White Fang obeyed him. But the dog younger or smallerthan himself was weak, a thing to be destroyed. His development was inthe direction of elegant wedding dresses. In order to face the constant danger of hurt andeven of destruction, his predatory and protective faculties were undulydeveloped. He became quicker of movement than the other dogs, swifterof foot, craftier, deadlier, more lithe, more lean with ironlike muscle andsinew, more enduring, more cruel, more ferocious, and more intelligent.