Chapter 22 The Chicken Coop.
His life with Gray Beaver had taught White Fang that he should protect his master's property, so he was very surprised when Whedon punished him for attacking an intruder.
He only gave the man a small bite in the hand, but Whedon was furious.
Even the collie barked and snapped at him.
White Fang knew nothing about grooms or farmhands.
When he saw a strange man walk into the barn and take something, he thought he was a thief.
Poor boy, who had only come to do his job and rake out the barn, let out a terrified cry when White Fang ran at him.
The collie was first on the scene.
She bit at the wolf's heels.
She barked and nipped at the wolf until he left the groom alone.
Thankfully, White Fang had only bitten his arm as a warning.
There was no damage done, except for the fact that the groom was too scared to come back to the Scots farm.
Life on the farm was like nothing White Fang had ever experienced.
For the first while, he expected something terrible, a famine, a beating, or an attack of some kind.
Nothing happened, though.
He was allowed to run about the property in everyone's kind.
It was never easy with the other dogs, especially the collie, but there were never serious fights.
They watched each other closely but kept their distance.
The children were another matter.
His experiences in the Indian camp or Fort Yukon had not been good.
Those children had taunted and teased and White Fang had learned to mistrust them.
Whedon's children, though, were gentler.
Also, the wolf knew that they belonged to his master so he could do them no harm.
Eventually he learned to tolerate their hands on his fur and even learned to like their soft words.
White Fang did not understand that some people kept animals on a farm.
When he saw a chicken coop full of so many chickens, he did not realize they were not for him.
As soon as he found the door open, White Fang ran in and killed two of the chickens.
Whedon's parents, however, did not take it so lightly.
Your wolf broke into the chicken coop.
Mrs. Scott was furious.
She walked out onto the front porch to confront her son.
Whedon apologized to his mother.
He said it would never happen again as he set off to find White Fang.
Never again, his father laughed.
You're trying to tell me you can stop a wolf, a wild animal, from hunting our chickens?
I'm saying just that, Whedon challenged.
You don't believe me?
Sorry, son.
His father shook his head.
But a wolf is a wolf.
Then we'll have to prove you wrong.
Whedon started to walk away but stopped.
Let's have a friendly bet.
After I teach White Fang the error of his ways, I'll bet he can sit in the chicken coop for an entire afternoon without killing a single bird.
His father laughed.
That, my dear boy, is the easiest bet I've ever made.
And for every ten minutes he is in the coop and doesn't kill a bird, Whedon added.
You will have to say, White Fang, you are smarter than I thought.
Judge Scott agreed to the terms.
Whedon could not punish White Fang just yet.
He had to catch him in the act.
When he found the wolf with a dead bird, he talked harshly, his voice angry and severe.
He held White Fang's nose down to slain hens and cuffed him soundly.
His master never hit him, so White Fang knew this was serious.
So when he found himself inside the coop for many hours, he waited calmly for his release.
He knew that he could not touch the chickens.
He knew they were off-limits.
The part that confused him was sitting on the front porch afterward.
The old man sat beside him, repeating the same words over and over.
Everyone around him was laughing.
White Fang knew that this laughter was not directed at him.
It was not mean-spirited or cruel.
At long last he was learning to like the sound of laughter and White Fang never raided a chicken roost again.
