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London, Jack

"The Son Of The Wolf"

'

'Oh, the juice of the forbidden fruit,'



? ? ? ? roared out the bacchanalian chorus,



'Oh, the juice of the forbidden fruit;

? ? ? ? But you bet all the same,

? ? ? ? If it had its right name,

It's the juice of the forbidden fruit.'



? ? ? ? Malemute Kid's frightful concoction did its work; the men of the camps and trails unbent in its genial glow, and jest and song and tales of past adventure went round the board. Aliens from a dozen lands, they toasted each and all. It was the Englishman, Prince, who pledged 'Uncle Sam, the precocious infant of the New World'; the Yankee, Bettles, who drank to 'The Queen, God bless her'; and together, Savoy and Meyers, the German trader, clanged their cups to Alsace and Lorraine.


? ? ? ? Then Malemute Kid arose, cup in hand, and glanced at the greased-paper window, where the frost stood full three inches thick. 'A health to the man on trail this night; may his grub hold out; may his dogs keep their legs; may his matches never miss fire.'


? ? ? ? Crack! Crack! heard the familiar music of the dog whip, the whining howl of the Malemutes, and the crunch of a sled as it drew up to the cabin.


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