istraceswerefastehesledbrokenout,andwithbothmenrunningtheydashedoutontotherivertrail.

    Highlyasthedog-driverhadforevaluedBuck,withhistwodevils,hefound,whilethedaywasyetyoung,thathehadundervalued.AtaboundBucktookupthedutiesofleadership;andwherejudgmentwasrequired,andquickthinkingandquickag,heshowedhimselfthesuperiorevenofSpitz,ofwhomFrancoishadneverseenanequal.

    Butitwasingivingthelawandmakinghismatesliveuptoit,thatBuckexcelled.DaveandSol-leksdidnotmindthegeinleadership.Itwasheirbusiheirbusinesswastotoil,andtoilmightily,iraces.Solongasthatwasnotinterferedwith,theydidnotcarepened.Billee,thegood-natured,couldleadforalltheycared,solongashekeptorder.Therestoftheteam,however,hadgrownunrulyduridaysofSpitz,andtheirsurprisewasgreatnowthatBuckproceededtolickthemintoshape.

    Pike,whopulledatBucksheels,andwhoanouncemoreofhisweightagainstthebreastbandthanhewaspelledtodo,wasswiftlyaedlyshakenforloafing;ahefirstdaywasdoneheullingmorethaneverbeforeinhislife.Thefirstnightincamp,Joe,thesourone,unishedsoundly--athingthatSpitzhadneversucceededindoing.Bucksimplysmotheredhimbyvirtueofsuperiht,andcuthimuptillheceasedsnappingaowhineformercy.

    Thegeoheteampickedupimmediately.Itrecovereditsold-timesolidarity,andoncemorethedogsleapedasonedogiraces.AttheRinkRapidstwonativehuskies,TeekandKoona,wereadded;andtheceleritywithwhichBuckbrokethemintookawayFrancoissbreath.

    "NeversuchadogasdatBuck!"hecried."No,never!Himworthohousanddollair,byGar!Eh?Whatyousay,Perrault?