[00:01.18]Chapter 11
[00:03.38]Love.
[00:07.03]White Fang was wary.
[00:09.45]He was still waiting for his punishment.
[00:13.96]He watched the men.
[00:16.53]At first, they put some meat near him in the snow.
[00:21.81]He went up to it, expecting a trick.
[00:27.14]But nothing happened.
[00:30.25]He ate the meat.
[00:35.12]Then one of the men came near with more meat in his hand.
[00:40.50]White Fang stared at it.
[00:43.45]Was this the trick?
[00:48.27]Bit by bit, he went up to the man, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on him.
[00:58.63]Finally, he took the meat and growled to show he wasn't to be tricked.
[01:06.61]The man started talking to him in a soft voice.
[01:11.99]It gave White Fang a strange feeling, as if an empty space inside him was being filled.
[01:19.61]Then the hand came again.
[01:23.21]Immediately he was wary.
[01:27.08]Now it was coming, the punishment.
[01:34.66]But the man went on talking in that soft tone.
[01:39.86]White Fang was torn.
[01:42.51]The voice made him feel calm, but the hand was a threat.
[01:49.44]He snarled and flattened his ears.
[01:55.33]Nearer and nearer, the hand came, and then it touched his fur.
[02:04.85]He shrank down.
[02:08.39]It followed him, stroking and patting him, and rubbing his ears.
[02:18.09]Well, I never, said Matt, scratching his head puzzled.
[02:28.17]White Fang snarled at the sound of Matt's voice.
[02:33.39]But he did not leap away from the hand that was stroking him.
[02:39.91]This was the beginning of a new life for White Fang.
[02:45.32]For Scott, it meant hours of hard work and patience.
[02:52.95]For White Fang, it was the end of a life of hate.
[03:05.12]But things do not happen in a day.
[03:09.82]Scott was determined to use kindness to awaken White Fang's need to love and be loved.
[03:18.40]Once, White Fang had known this with his mother, but a life of hardship and cruelty had made him unloving and unlovable.
[03:33.30]Every day, Scott spent time, stroking and patting him.
[03:40.58]White Fang still had his ferocious growl, but Scott noticed a new note, a purr of content.
[03:53.56]Slowly, White Fang came to trust Scott.
[03:59.26]He took it upon himself to guard his master's things, and while he was there, no man would dare to steal from his cabin.
[04:10.91]And when he was ready to work again, White Fang took leadership over the sled pack.
[04:19.97]Then, something terrible happened.
[04:25.54]His master disappeared.
[04:30.92]He had noticed him packing his bags, but he had not understood what it meant.
[04:41.67]That night, he stayed awake waiting in vain for his master to return.
[04:49.37]He wasn't to know that Scott had gone south to see his family.
[04:56.45]Days came and went, and still Scott didn't come back.
[05:03.98]White Fang became sick, so sick that Matt had to bring him inside the cabin.
[05:15.62]In the end, Matt wrote to Scott.
[05:20.66]That old wolf won't work, won't eat, ain't got no life left in him.
[05:29.43]Wants to know where you are, reckon he'll pine away and die.
[05:41.24]One night, Matt was reading when he was startled by a low whine from White Fang.
[05:50.67]The dog stood up and stared at the door.
[05:57.47]A few moments later, there was a footstep.
[06:04.58]The door opened, and Scott stepped in.
[06:13.07]Where's the wolf? he said.
[06:17.71]Then he saw him standing near the stove.
[06:24.37]He had not run forward, but stood watching and waiting.
[06:32.75]Well, I never, cried Matt.
[06:36.60]Look, he's wagging his tail.
[06:44.89]Scott strode across the room, calling to his dog.
[06:49.36]White Fang came to him.
[06:53.85]He was awkward and shy, but as he drew closer, his eyes looked full of light.
[07:05.46]Scott squatted on his heels.
[07:11.31]Face to face with his dog, he petted him, rubbing his ears and stroking his back.
[07:20.87]White Fang responded with a funny purring growl.
[07:29.50]But that was not all.
[07:33.00]He suddenly thrust his head forward and nudged his way between his master's arm and body.
[07:43.50]Here, all but his ears hidden from view, he nestled and snuggled.
[07:52.74]The two men looked at each other.
[07:56.89]Scott's eyes were shining.
[08:00.29]Do you see that? said Scott.
[08:06.11]Lucky I could get back for a couple of months.
[08:13.39]With the return of his beloved master, White Fang got well quickly.
[08:20.71]He bounded out to meet the other sled dogs.
[08:25.36]Now he was king again.