第5章 Love of Life（第2页）

&afireandwarmedhimselfanddraer。Hisblaanddhisaillpainful，buthisworstsufferinghishuosleep，buthedreamedoffoodandmanygoodthi。

Heawokedsick。Therewasnosun。Theairabouthimgrehilehemadeafireandboiledsomeetsnow，halfrain，andtheflakesmeltedquidputouthisfire。

Bythistimehehadbeehunger-mad。Hefeltthroughthesnoulledupsomegrassroots。Hechewedtherootsbuttheyweretastelessorbitter。

Hehadnightbecausehep;apos;tfindanydrywood，sohederhisblaosleepthebrokensleepofhuuroa。Hefeltitohenight。

&mthesuhroughthegraymist。Thenthemanrealizedhewaslost。HeturhwardtocorrecthisctofindtheriverahehadhappeoBill。

Thoughhishungerpainswerenoworse，herealizedhewasgettingweaker。Hehadtostopfrequeodryandlarge，andhismouthhadabittertaste。Hisheartgavehimagreatdealoftrouble。Hecouldfeelitsthump，thump，thump;andthepaisandmadehimfeelfaint。

Inthemiddleofthedayheallfishinapoolbyusinghispail。Heatethefishraw，butthehungerpainwasnowdullaomaetosleep。

Inthemhecaughtthreemoresmallfish，eatingtwoofthemandsavingoneforhisbreakfast。Apassed。Inthemhetiedmorestripsoftheblaarouheringofthemoose-hidepouitsopenmouthpouredayellowstreamolddustas。Heklightenhisload。Hehardlyhadthestrengthtocarrythelastremaini。Heroughlydividedthegoldintohalves。Hepouredhalfofthegoldintoapieketaoasmallpackage，whichhehidinarockledge。

Thenhewalkedooplaefootaheadoftheother。

Hefaotherdayofcoldfog。Halfofhislastblahadgoohisfeet。Heeaktocarryhissmallpahedividedthegold，thistimebyspillinghalfofitonthegrouerherestofitaway。Thereremaihehalfblainpail，hiskherifle。

Hepushedonforanhourbeforehefellintoafaint。Arousedbyanoise，heotbelievehiseyes。Beforehimstoodahorse。Ahhiseyes，hesuddenlyrealizedhewaslookingatagreatbro>

Themanbroughthisgunhalfwaytohisshoulderbeforeheremembereditwasnotloaded。Helowereditanddrewhishuntingkhebearwouldattadrewhimselfuptohisfullheight，staredatthebearahebearadvaepsaopped。Themankhebearwouldruhallhismightthemanswungtheknifeandgrowledlikeananimal。Thebeardidhemysteriouscreatureahemanpulledhimselftogetheraon，afraidnoay。Thereandagainthewolves，inpacksoftwoandthree，crossedhispath。Theystayedan，foritwaseasiertohuntthecaribou。

Iernoohebonesofacariboucalf。Hesatonthemossahebooaheap，ahemwithhisbareteeth，tryihfuloftherawmeat。Thenhepouweehemintoapulpandswallowedit。Inhishastehealmostbrokesomeofhisfihedidnotmi。

Thefuldaysofsnowandraiolivecarriedhimon。Itwasthelifeinhim，unwillidrovehimon。Bythistimehehadbebtopain。Halfalive，hewalked，hestumbled，hetilhecametoariver。HisdullseoldhimitwasnotthesameriverwhereheandBillhadlefttheiroe。Hefollowedthecourseoftheriverdownstream。Hedidn'tknoas-itdidn'tmattermuyway。Buthestillhadthewilltolive，andhepushedon。

Heawoke，lyingonhisbaarockyledge。Inapai，herolledoveronhisside。Belowhimhecouldseethattheriverflowedouttothesea。Hewashatfadthenhesawsomethingthathewassurewasatriierall，itlyingatanchor。Heclosedhiseyesandtheheshipwasstillthere。Themanotbelieveit。

&hemanheardanoisebehindhim-ahalf-ggasph。Hecouldseehand。Agairalitherotyfeetawaywasthegrayheadofawolf。Theanimalhadbloodshoteyes。Itseemedsick。Itwasohuntwiththepacks。Itevesownkind，butnowitstalkedtheman，waitingforhimtodie。

Themaowardthesea。Hedecidedtheshipwasreal。Itwasatleastfivemilesaway，butthemaolive。Hehehunger。Hislastblawasgotherifle。

Thoughextremelyweak，hepedoffhispahekneesandbouohisfeet。Hismovemehewasdetermiillhadsomematdthetinpail。Hewarmedsomewateranddrankit。lybetter，andhewasabletostaowardtheshipuntilhisweaknessovercamehim。Thenheallfourslikeananimal。

Iernoonhesatymoose-hidesacklikehis。Hereizeditaos;s。Ahundredyardsfartherwerethebonesofahumahemandidoguess。Billhadalmostmadeit!

Finallythemaiwoorthreetimesdurihesickwolfhadeaeeth，andsniffedihemanflunghisarmsoutahe>

&raysofdaylightbroughtthemantolife。Hewasostaocrawltowardtheship。Hecouldseeitnow-lyihebreakers。Hiskneesandarmswererawathemamoving，afootatatime，uhebeach，wherehelayquietly-uomoveafootfarther。Hedreamedoffood，g，andwarmsuheain。

TheshipwastheBedford，onceawhalingvessel。Ohemembersofastificexpeditiohememberssawastragaloowardthewater。Theywereuifytheobjedbeiifi，theytoaship'sboataashoretosee。Andtheysawsomethingthatwashardlyaliveandcouldhardlybecalledahumamovedalongthegroundlikeawormaperhapstweanhour。

ThemanwasbroughtaboardtheBedfivenfood，andcaredforbyadoctor。

Inafewdayshewasabletositupinhisbureamingdowoldhowhehadalmostlosthislifeihealkstrangelyofhisfamilyinsunnysouthernia，andofahomeametreesandtheflowers。