nace, that's what he is."

"I'd hate to be that Indian," Doc Watson remarked.

"He'll kill'm, he'll kill'm sure," Bettles chanted exultantly. "I know.
I've ben with Daylight on trail. That man ain't never ben tired in his
life. Don't know what it means. I seen him travel all day with wet
socks at forty-five below. There ain't another man living can do that."

While this talk went on, Daylight was saying good-by to those that
clustered around him. The Virgin wanted to kiss him, and, fuddled
slightly though he was with the whiskey, he saw his way out without
compromising with the apron-string. He kissed the Virgin, but he
kissed the other three women with equal partiality. He pulled on his
long mittens, roused the dogs to their feet, and took his Place at the
gee-pole.[4]

"Mush, you beauties!" he cried.

The animals threw their weights against their breastbands on the
instant, crouching low to the snow, and digging in their claws. They
whined eagerly, and before the sled had gone half a dozen lengths both
Daylight and Kama (in the rear) were running to keep up. And so,
running, man and dogs dipped over the bank and down to the frozen bed
of the Yukon, and in the gray light were gone.

[1] Tenderfeet.

[2] Old-timers.

[3] Muc-luc: a water-tight, Eskimo boot, made from walrus-hide and
trimmed with fur.

[4] A gee-pole: stout pole projecting forward from one side of the
front end of the sled, by which the sled is steered.

CHAPTER IV

On the river, where was a packed trail and where snowshoes were
unnecessary, the dogs averaged six miles an hour. To keep up with
them, the two men were compelled to run. Daylight and Kama relieved
each other regularly at the gee-pole, for here was the hard work of
steering the flying sled and of keeping in advance of it. The man
relieved dropped behind the sled, occasionally leaping upon it and
resting.

It was severe work, but of the sort that was exhilarating.

They were flying, getting over the ground, making the most of the
packed trail. Later on they would come to the unbroken trail, where
three miles an hour would constitute good going. Then there would be
no riding and resting, and no running. Then the gee-pole would be the
easier task, and a man would come back to it to rest after having
completed his spell to the fore, breaking trail with the snowshoes for
the dogs. Such work was far from exhilarating also, they must expect
places where for mil