cross the brule to remonstrate with
Ranald, and if necessary, rescue his team from peril.

But Don saw him coming, and knowing that every moment was precious, and
dreading lest the old man would snatch from Ranald the victory which
seemed to be at least possible for him, he arrested Farquhar with a call
for assistance with a big log, and then engaged him in conversation upon
the merits of his splendid team.

"And look," cried he, admiringly, "how Ranald is handling them! Did you
ever see the likes of that?"

The old man stood watching for a few moments, doubtfully enough, while
Don continued pouring forth the praises of his horses, and the latter,
as he noticed Farquhar's eyes glisten with pride, ventured to hint that
before the day was done "he would make Aleck McRae and his team look
sick. And without a hurt to the blacks, too," he put in, diplomatically,
"for Ranald is not the man to hurt a team." And as Farquhar stood and
watched Ranald at his work, and noted with surprise how briskly and
cleverly the blacks swung into their places, and detected also with
his experienced eye that Aleck was beginning to show signs of hurry, he
entered into the spirit of the contest, and determined to allow his team
to win victory for themselves and their driver if they could.

The ax men had finished their "stent." It wanted still an hour of
supper-time, and surely if slowly, Ranald was making toward first place.
The other teams were left far behind with their work, and the whole
field began to center attention upon the two that were now confessedly
engaged in desperate conflict at the front. One by one the ax men drew
toward the end of the field, where Ranald and Aleck were fighting out
their fight, all pretense of deliberation on the part of the drivers
having by this time been dropped. They no longer walked as they hitched
their chains about the logs or stumps, but sprang with eager haste to
their work. One by one the other teamsters abandoned their teams and
moved across the field to join the crowd already gathered about the
contestants. Among them came Macdonald Bhain, who had been working at
the farthest corner of the brule. As soon as he arrived upon the scene,
and understood what was going on, he cried to Ranald: "That will do now,
Ranald; it will be time to quit."

Ranald was about to stop, and indeed had checked his horses, when Aleck,
whose blood was up, called out tauntingly, "Aye, it would be better for
him and his