d be ever ready and
waiting to use them when they come. Now shake hands."

As a concession to the Woman's fondness for Jemima, rather than to her
training, "Scotty" decided to let her go with them; and to her great
delight, and to Baldy's unbarkable dismay, for Baldy had but little
regard for ambitious females, she was placed in the wheel with him.

And so, with Kid in the lead, Baldy and Jemima in the wheel, Tom, Dick,
Harry and the others arranged to the best advantage; with the Woman
covered to the eyes in furs, and surrounded by bags, rugs, and carriage
heaters, and Ben comfortably tucked away in the midst; and with "Scotty"
Allan at the handle-bars, they were finally ready for the start to the
Springs.

Mrs. Edwards and Moose Jones had joined the Allan girls, George, Dan and
Matt at the Kennel, to wish the travelers a pleasant journey; and as he
waved a last farewell to them before the team dropped over the brow of
the hill, Ben observed gaily, "Well, I guess Ben Hur and all o' them old
chariot racers didn't have nothing much on Alaska racin' dog teams when
it comes t' style an' speed an' excitement."

[Illustration]

VII

The Dawn of a To-morrow

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VII

THE DAWN OF A TO-MORROW

Once out of the streets where there is danger of upsetting the unwary or
absent-minded pedestrian, the Allan and Darling Team headed down the
trail with real pleasure in the prospect of a long run.

They almost seemed to feel that this jaunt might be in the nature of a
"try-out" for racing material; or at the very least it might offer
something worth while in the way of adventure.

As a matter of fact it did, in the end, prove an eventful trip.
Particularly for Baldy, who gained recognition in an unexpected manner;
for the Woman, whose experiences nearly quenched her ardor for
exploration; and for Jemima, who learned that masculine human nature
respects feminine ambition up to a certain point only, and then
considers it a form of mania to be restrained.

Just behind was Pete Bernard, a sturdy French Canadian, trying to hold
his uncontrollable, half-wild huskies, who were jumping and making
sudden lunges toward any stranger--man or dog--that wandered near; and
especially toward the Yellow Peril, who was a free lance in the
expedition, and as such was particularly irritating to those in harness.
They were a perfect contrast to "Scotty's" dogs, who had been taught to
step