They were in his Cessna 185, hauling 10 dogs back to Anchorage from one of the checkpoints, when a commotion in the back among the dogs got out of hand.
Pilots usually take the time to cable the dogs in place before a flight.
On this trip, Bill learned why. A big black male, known to have a mean streak, was taking out his meanness on one of the other dogs. Usually a growl or two is all that happens between dogs on a flight. If they do get a bit rambunctious, a forward push on the yoke, to float them in the air a bit, settles them right down. This time though, from the sound of things, blood was going to be drawn.