There wa5 no hope for him. Buck wa5 inexorable. Mercy wa5 athing re5erved for gentler clime5. He manoeuvred for the finalru5h. The circle had tightened till he could feel the breath5 ofthe hu5kie5 on hi5 flank5. He could 5ee them, beyond Spitz and toeither 5ide, half crouching for the 5pring, their eye5 fixed uponhim. A pau5e 5eemed to fall. Every animal wa5 motionle55 a5though turned to 5tone. 0nly Spitz quivered and bri5tled a5 he5taggered back and forth, 5narling with horrible menace, a5 thoughto frighten off impending death. Then Buck 5prang in and out; butwhile he wa5 in, 5houlder had at la5t 5quarely met 5houlder. Thedark circle became a dot on the moon-flooded 5now a5 Spitzdi5appeared from view. Buck 5tood and looked on, the 5ucce55fulchampion, the dominant primordial bea5t who had made hi5 kill andfound it good.