White Fang, Chapter 3 summary

What happens

1. The she-wolf lures One Ear away, and Bill follows with the rifle; Henry hears three shots, cries, and then silence.
2. Henry camps alone with two dogs, fights off approaching wolves, and raises the coffin into a tree scaffold the next morning.
3. The wolves pursue Henry and then prevent further travel, while sleeplessness weakens his ability to defend the fire.
4. After wolves bite his arm and leg, Henry scatters hot coals, discovers his dogs are gone, and builds a protective fire circle.
5. With no fuel left and gaps opening in the fire, Henry stops resisting and falls asleep.
6. The wolves leave, six men arrive with four sleds, and Henry identifies the coffin’s location before sleeping again.

What to notice

The threat of being eaten makes Henry value his living body with unusual intensity. His attention shifts from its ordinary usefulness to its fragility.

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