Perrault knew dogs, and when he looked at Buck he knew that he was one in a thousand--"One in ten t'ousand," he commented mentally.
Buck saw money pass between them, and was not surprised when Curly, a good-natured Newfoundland, and he were led away by the little weazened man.

That was the last he saw of the man in the red sweater, and as Curly and he looked at receding Seattle from the deck of the Narwhal, it was the last he saw of the warm Southland.

Curly and he were taken below by Perrault and turned over to a black-faced giant called Francois.
Perrault was a French-Canadian, and swarthy; but Francois was a French-Canadian half-breed, and twice as swarthy.

They were a new kind of men to Buck (of which he was destined to see many more), and while he developed no affection for them, he none the less grew honestly to respect them.

He speedily learned that Perrault and Francois were fair men, calm and impartial in administering justice, and too wise in the way of dogs to be fooled by dogs.
In the 'tween-decks of the Narwhal, Buck and Curly joined two other dogs.