y listen
even to "Scotty" when she was near--the moment he heard her footsteps
howling insistently till she ignored all of the others and came directly
to him. It became a matter of pride with her to take him into the
streets where people would still look askance at the erstwhile
"man-eater," and comment on her courage in handling the "brute." While
she and the "brute" had the little joke between them, which she later
confided to Ben, that Jack McMillan's misdemeanors were merely the
result of an undisciplined nature handled unsympathetically, and that at
heart he was the gentlest dog in Nome.

"Jack minds all right now," ventured Ben. "I seen him the other day with
Mr. Allan, an' he minded as good as any of 'em--even Kid."

"Well, none of them could do better than that. 'Scotty' says that Kid
has every admirable quality that a dog could possibly possess, and that
without a doubt he is the most promising racing leader in Alaska. But of
course Jack would have to mind or he would not be here. The first thing
a new dog must realize is that 'Scotty' is the sole authority, and that
obedience is the first law of the Kennel. Even with his first racing
driver I believe it was more a case of misunderstanding on both sides
than wilful disobedience. But it grew to a point where it became almost
a matter of life or death for one or the other."

"Moose Jones said they had t' break his tusks t' use him at all, an'
that it took three men t' hold him away from his driver sometimes; an'
that 'Scotty' was the only man in the whole North that could git the
best of him without breakin' his spirit. An' he seems terrible fond o'
'Scotty'--I mean Mr. Allan--now."

"You may call him 'Scotty,' Ben; he doesn't mind in the least. He's
'Scotty' to every Alaskan from Juneau to Barrow, Eskimos included--age
no restraint. Yes, Jack is fond of 'Scotty,' but it took a battle royal
to bring about this permanent peace."

"It's a wonder he wasn't killed before you an' 'Scotty' got him, if they
was all so scared t' handle him."

"He would have been killed except that his enormous strength and unusual
alertness made him too valuable. So in spite of their fears they kept
him, but he was watched incessantly; and after his tusks were broken he
became even more rebellious, and grew to distrust every one about him.
Poor old fellow." She turned the handsome head toward the boy. "Look at
him, Ben. Would you believe that they used to frighten naughty children