hrew the chain over the top
of the stump to give it purchase, picked up his lines, and called to
his team. With a rush the blacks went at it. The chain slipped up on
the root, tightened, bit into the wood, and then the blacks flung back.
Ranald swung them round the point and tried them again, but still the
stump refused to budge.

All this time he could hear Aleck chopping furiously at his elm-roots,
and he knew that unless he had his stump out before his rival had his
chain hitched for the pull the victory was lost.

For a moment or two he hesitated, looking round for the ax.

"Try them again, Ranald," cried Farquhar. "Haw them a bit."

Once more Ranald picked up the lines, swung his horses round to the
left, held them steady a moment or two, and then with a yell sent them
at their pull. Magnificently the blacks responded, furiously tearing up
the ground with their feet. A moment or two they hung straining on their
chain, refusing to come back, when slowly the stump began to move.

"You have got it," cried Farquhar. "Gee them a point or two."

But already Ranald had seen that this was necessary, and once more
backed his team to readjust the chain which had slipped off the top. As
he fastened the hook he heard a sharp "Back!" behind him, and he knew
that the next moment Aleck's team would be away with their load. With a
yell he sprang at his lines, lashed the blacks over the back, and called
to them once more. Again his team responded, and with a mighty heave,
the stump came slowly out, carrying with it what looked like half a ton
of earth. But even as it heaved, he heard Aleck's call and the answering
crash, and before he could get his team a-going, the French-Canadians
were off for their pile at a gallop, with the lines flying in the air
behind them. A moment later he followed, the blacks hauling their stump
at a run.

Together he and Aleck reached the pile. It only remained now to unhook
the chain. In vain he tugged and hauled. The chain was buried deep
beneath the stump and refused to move, and before he could swing his
team about and turn the stump over, he heard Aleck's shout of victory.

But as he dropped his chain and was leisurely backing his horses, he
heard old Farquhar cry, "Hurry, man! Hurry, for the life of you!"

Without waiting to inquire the reason, Ranald wheeled his team, gave the
stump a half turn, released his chain, and drove off from the pile, to
find Aleck still busy hooking his chain to