The scene often came back to Buck to trouble him in his sleep. So that was the way. No fair play. Once down, that was the end of you. Well, he would see to it that he never went down. Spitz ran out his tongue and laughed again, and from that moment Buck hated him with a bitter and undying hatred.
Before he had recovered from the shock of Curly's death, he received another shock. Francois fastened an arrangement of straps and buckles on his back. It was a harness, such as he had seen the grooms put on the horses at home. And as he had seen horses work, so he was set to work, hauling Francois on a sled to the forest that circled the valley, and returning with a load of firewood. Though his dignity was hurt by thus being made a work animal, he was too wise to rebel. He buckled down with a will and did his best, even though it was all new and strange. Francois was the stem of the group, demanding instant obedience. And with the crack of his whip, he received that obedience. @Dave, on the other hand, was an experienced wheeler, and he nipped Buck's hind quarters whenever he did something wrong.
