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London, Jack

"The Son Of The Wolf"

' The door swung open. Something staggered in. Prince caught one square look and sprang to his feet. The horror in his eyes caused Malemute Kid to whirl about; and he, too, was startled, though he had seen bad things before. The thing tottered blindly toward them. Prince edged away till he reached the nail from which hung his Smith & Wesson.


? ? ? ? 'My God! what is it?' he whispered to Malemute Kid.


? ? ? ? 'Don't know. Looks like a case of freezing and no grub,' replied the Kid, sliding away in the opposite direction. 'Watch out! It may be mad,' he warned, coming back from closing the door.


? ? ? ? The thing advanced to the table. The bright flame of the slush lamp caught its eye. It was amused, and gave voice to eldritch cackles which betokened mirth. Then, suddenly, he- for it was a man- swayed back, with a hitch to his skin trousers, and began to sing a chantey, such as men lift when they swing around the capstan circle and the sea snorts in their ears:



Yan-kee ship come down de ri-ib-er,

? ? ? ? Pull! my bully boys! Pull!

D'yeh want- to know de captain ru-uns her?

? ? ? ? Pull! my bully boys! Pull!

? ? ? ? Jon-a-than Jones ob South Caho-li-in-a,

Pull! my bully-



? ? ? ? He broke off abruptly, tottered with a wolfish snarl to the meat shelf, and before they could intercept was tearing with his teeth at a chunk of raw bacon.


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