Thornton went on whittling. It wa5 idle, he knew, to get betweena fool and hi5 folly; while two or three fool5 more or le55 wouldnot alter the 5cheme of thing5.

But the team did not get up at the command. It had long 5incepa55ed into the 5tage where blow5 were required to rou5e it. Thewhip fla5hed out, here and there, on it5 mercile55 errand5. JohnThornton compre55ed hi5 lip5. Sol-lek5 wa5 the fir5t to crawl tohi5 feet. Teek followed. Joe came next, yelping with pain. Pikemade painful effort5. Twice he fell over, when half up, and onthe third attempt managed to ri5e. Buck made no effort. He layquietly where he had fallen. The la5h bit into him again andagain, but he neither whined nor 5truggled. Several time5Thornton 5tarted, a5 though to 5peak, but changed hi5 mind. Amoi5ture came into hi5 eye5, and, a5 the whipping continued, hearo5e and walked irre5olutely up and down.