They closed in upon her, snarling and yelping, and she was buried, screaming with agony, beneath the bristling mass of bodies.
So sudden was it, and so unexpected, that Buck was taken aback.

He saw Spitz run out his scarlet tongue in a way he had of laughing; and he saw Francois, swinging an axe, spring into the mess of dogs.

Three men with clubs were helping him to scatter them.

It did not take long.

Two minutes from the time Curly went down, the last of her assailants were clubbed off.