White Fang Part 1, Chapter 2: The She-Wolf

At the end of the next day, as they set up camp, Bill manages to get a whack at the extra dog that keeps infiltrating the team, but doesn't really get a good look. They eat supper, and afterwards sit on the coffin smoking their pipes. They go to bed, and wake up the next morning to a disturbing surprise. Another one of their dogs, Frog, is missing. They both agree that Frog was the strongest of all the dogs, and not a fool. Not lingering long on the subject, the two men eat breakfast and set out with the four dogs that are left.

That night, as they set up camp, Bill ties up the dogs individually; using sticks so they can't reach the ties to chew their way through them. As night continues, the dogs try frantically to get free. Bill and Henry can see a doglike shape moving around the remaining dogs. They realize it is a she-wolf who is acting as a decoy to lure the dogs away from camp so that they can be eaten by the wolf pack. After watching the she-wolf and how close she gets to the fire, Bill and Henry decide that she must be a dog who has become wild and joined the pack, otherwise she would not be so comfortable around the camp. "I reckon you've called the turn, Bill. That wolf's a dog, an' it's eaten fish many's the time from the hand of man." Part 1, Chapter 2, pg. 13

Topic Tracking: Environment 1

In the morning, Bill finds out that one of the dogs, Spanker, managed to get loose. It seems that One Ear chewed through Spanker's ties. The two men pack up camp and leave, and soon they find all that is left of Spanker: the stick Bill used to tie him up. The wolves were so hungry they ate the whole dog, including hide and hair, as well as the leather ties on the stick. The men continue on, and Henry remarks on how unhappy Bill seems.

In the afternoon, Bill decides to scout out the wolves, taking the rifle with him. He returns, and tells Henry how the wolves seem sure that they are going to eventually overcome the men, as they are looking for other food at the same time and not totally concentrating on the hunt. He also remarks how thin the wolves look; they are desperately hungry, and won't let anything stop them from getting food.

Soon after Bill's return, the she-wolf begins to visibly follow behind them, no longer trying to hide her pursuit. She is a large animal, with a normal gray wolf coat that had a strange reddish tinge to it. With her in plain sight, Bill has a clear shot. However, the minute he brings the gun out, she jumps out of sight. Bill swears he's going to get her eventually. As the men camp, Bill ties up the dogs again, this time out of chewing distance from each other.