leader unless he's a wonder at managin' all
the rest, an' young dogs ain't generally had the trainin' for it. After
a dog has showed he can find the trail, an' keep it, an' set the pace,
an' make the others mind him, bein' a loose leader's kind of an honor
he's promoted to; like bein' a General in the army. He don't have t' be
hitched up to the tow-line any more, an' pull; he just has t' think, an'
keep the team out o' trouble."

"It's too bad that dogs aren't driven with lines instead of spoken
orders--then there wouldn't be all of the bother about a leader every
time." Both George and Danny looked at her for a moment with a contempt
they barely succeeded in concealing. Even Ben Edwards was unpleasantly
surprised, and he was not given to regarding her vagaries with
unfriendly criticism.

Drive with lines! Bother about a leader! Why, if dogs were driven with
lines there would be no more interest in driving a dog team than there
is in driving a delivery wagon, or running an automobile. All of the
fascination of having your dogs answer to your will, voluntarily and
intelligently, would be lost in the mechanical response to the jerk and
the pull of the reins.

She was utterly hopeless. There was no use of a further waste of words
with her on such matters.

George turned to Danny and Ben. They were discerning, and capable of
grasping a dog man's point of view. "Then there's Queen, for one
wheeler. You know we're only allowed three dogs, an' we got t' be mighty
careful."

"I expect it's pretty near 's important t' git the right wheel dogs as
'tis a leader, ain't it, George? Bein' next t' the sled an' so close t'
the driver an' load, they allers seem t' kinda manage the business end
o' things."

"That's right, Ben. That's why we got t' be sure o' gettin' good
wheelers. In racin' there's no load, but it takes some managin' just the
same t' keep the sled right on side hills an' goin' down steep slopes.
O' course in a short race I wouldn't get into the sled at all, an' on
the runners at the back I can get my feet on the brake easy. But Father
an' Matt say that you want your wheelers t' know just what their duties
is if the brake gets out o' order, or any thin' goes wrong."

"Wheelers have to be clever, and strong and tractable then--rather a
big order," murmured the Woman somewhat meekly, as one seeking
information.

"Yes, ma'am," replied Danny politely, "all o' that, an' I was just
wonderin' if Queen 'ud do for the