Two days later she took the trail for Candle with Johnson’s map stowed safely in her pocket. Old Man Gordon had grudgingly given his consent to the trip, although insisting that it was all foolishness, and again warning her that she most emphatically was not going to drive the race. Careful to take no issue with him on that point, she reiterated her contention that the dogs, especially Skookum, would be able to clip hours from the time if they knew the trail, and so won the old man’s grudging consent. It was with growing apprehension that the girl swung the dogs onto the trail. For she realized that with all Nome talking dog race, her father could not forget the big event even though there had been ten times as many boilers to inspect. With the race still more than two weeks off, everyone was thinking dogs, and talking dogs--and nothing else. And as the time approached the girl racked her brains for some maneuver that would allow her to drive the great race. In vain she racked her brain for a solution of her problem as her sled slipped smoothly over the hard trail. “I’ll just have to hire someone to kidnap him,” she muttered, “And then he’ll never forgive me. I don’t see why he can’t listen to reason!” Just before she drew into Soloman, an event happened that drove all thought of her father out of her head and gave her fresh cause for worry. A dog team came into view and as it approached, the actions of Skookum caused the girl to stare at him in amazement. The great leader had stopped dead in his tracks, and stood, half crouched, with muscles tensed, and the hair of his back standing bristlingly erect. From his throat issued a low, menacing growl, and stepping quickly to his side the girl saw that his amber eyes were fixed upon the driver of the approaching team. Suddenly the team halted and the girl found herself staring into the face of Jake Dalzene! Only for a moment the man stood facing her in the trail. But in that moment his face registered intense surprise, followed instantly by an abysmal fear, as his glance centered on the menacing figure of Skookum. Then, swiftly he swung his dogs clear of the trail, and urging them on gave wide margin on the frozen crust. As he passed his eyes met the girl’s in a gleam of sullen hate. The next moment he was gone, and Lou started her own dogs and continued on to Soloman.