Ten minutes later Gordon halted the team at his daughter’s side: “They done fine!” he cried, “They’ll win! Never I seen such runnin’ as they done.” “They ran, all right,” admitted the girl, “But I think we can get a little more out of them at the start and the finish. We’ll see. Try again, now. Only, this time let me start them. And when you come in on the return, I’ll stand here and see if I can’t get an extra spurt out of them at the finish.” Once more the team was headed down river, and the girl gave the command to start. The get away was smoother and faster than before, and on the return, as soon as the dogs were within earshot, she advanced a little distance, and giving a shrill whistle, turned and ran. At the familiar sound the dogs redoubled their efforts, and a few moments later the great ten team was at her side. “Better yet?” cried the old man, “’Tis the way we’ll work it in the race.” “Why don’t you leave the whip behind?” asked the girl, “I think you will do much better without it because, really, you don’t need it to get speed out of them, and a little whipping, at the wrong time, may lose the race.” “Losh, lass! Who ever heard of drivin’ dogs wi’out a whip? I’ll take the whip, but I’ll mind what ye’ve said, an’ I’ll be sparin’ of it. But, there’s times when the sting of the lash is gude meat for any dog.” The dogs settled their bellies onto the snow, and father and daughter seated themselves upon the sled. Overhead the stars glittered, their brilliance not yet paled by any hint of dawn. Voices came from the direction of the camp, and presently the forms of men could be seen making their way through the Arctic gloom. More forms appeared. Nolan was assembling for the start. Enright drew near with Lou’s six dogs harnessed to a clumsy sled. He greeted the two with a grin, and seating himself on his sled, made a great show of limbering up his dogs. The Gordons soon found themselves the centre of a close standing group of men, who eyed the dogs appraisingly, and conversed among themselves in undertones. From beyond the encircling crowd a gruff voice called loudly. “Hello, Enright! Takin’ the kinks out of them freight hounds? What’s the excitement over yender?” A moment later Dalzene forced his way through the crowd, and stared open-mouthed astonishment at the great ten team that lay strung out on the snow at his feet. One by one he scrutinized the dogs, his eyes resting for what seemed a full minute upon Skookum. In the crowd someone snickered: “What’s the matter, Dalzene? Froze yer tongue?” The taunting words goaded the man to sudden fury: “What the hell’s comin’ off here?” he roared, facing the men of Nolan with blazing eyes, “Whose dogs is them? Where’d they come from? They don’t git in on this race! My money’s up agin Koyukuk dogs! You don’t run in no ringers on me! Who the hell do you think I am? I wasn’t made in a minute!”