down an' out before we reached Powell's
dredge on Bourbon Creek. Most of 'em don't know any more 'bout dogs 'n I
do 'bout--'bout--"

"'Rithmetic," suggested Danny promptly.

"Well, anyway, we got t' run our own race. Dad says there ain't any cut
an' dried rules for dog racin' beyond knowin' your dogs, an' usin'
common sense. Each time it's different, 'cordin' t' the dogs, the
distance, the trail an' the weather. An' you have t' know just what it's
best t' do whatever happens, even if it never happened before."

"Gee," sighed Danny heavily, "winnin' automobile races an' horse races
is takin' candy from babies besides this here dog racin'. I hadn't any
idea how much there was to it till we begun t' train the dogs, an' talk
it over with your father. I was awful nervous last night, I don't
believe I slept hardly any, worryin' about the things that can go wrong,
no matter how careful you are."

"I didn't sleep any, either. I got t' thinkin' about Queen hatin'
Eskimos, an' chasin' 'em every time she gets a chance. It 'ud be a
terrible thing if she saw one out on the tundra, an' left the trail t'
try and ketch him; or if she smelled some of 'em in the crowd an' made a
break for 'em just when she ought t' be ready t' start. An' you know
there's bound t' be loads of Eskimos, 'cause they'd rather see a dog
race than eat a seal-blubber banquet."

"That's so; but Spot is good friends with all the natives 'round town,
an' he's stronger'n Queen, an' wouldn't leave the trail for anything but
snowbirds or rabbits, so he'd hold 'er down. An' I guess Baldy'd be
kinda neutral, 'cause he don't pay attention t' Eskimos or anything when
he's workin'. I never saw a dog mind his own business like Baldy. That's
worth somethin' in a race." The inactivity was becoming unbearable.
"George, if you and Ben'll get the dogs into harness, I'll go an' see
what's doin' with some of the others. It'll sort o' fill in time."

Ben and George hitched the dogs to the respective sleds after Spot, in
the exuberant joy of a prospective run, had dashed madly about, barking
boisterously, a thing absolutely prohibited in that well-ordered
household. "Scotty" and Matt refrained from all criticism of George's
leader, knowing that both the boy and dog were unduly excited by the
noisy, laughing groups surrounding them. Queen, while she waited with
very scant patience for the strange situation, diverted herself by
nipping viciously at any one who went past, and Ba