Inthesummerthereisonevisitortothatvalley:alarge,golden-brownwolf,largerthananyotherwolf.Hewalksaloneonthelakewheretheyellowgoldshinesinthewater,andhowls.Butheisnotalwaysalone.Inthelongwinternights,herunsattheheadofthewolfpackthroughthemoonlight,callingintothenightwiththem,singingasongofayoungerworld.Thedayspassedveryhappily,andforthefirsttime,Bucklearnedtolove.Hehadneverlovedamanbefore.HeandMrMillerintheSantaClaravalleyhadbeenverygoodfriends,butBuckhadnotlovedhim.JohnThorntonhadsavedhislife,buthewasalsoamanwhowasnaturallykindtoanimals.Hetookverygoodcareofhisdogs,notbecauseitwassensibletodothat,butbecausehefelttheywerehischildren.HewasalwaystalkingtoBuck,holdinghisheadandshakingitlovingly.Inanswer,BucklikedtotakeThornton'shandgentlyinhismouth.BuckwashappytolieonthegroundalldayandwatchThornton.AndwhenThorntonspoketohimortouchhim,Buckwentwildwithhappiness.Atfirst,hewasafraidthatThorntonwasgoingtodisappear,likePerraultandFrancois,andatnighthesometimeswokeupandwenttothetenttomakesurethathewasstillthere.