immovable, was braced against the efforts
of the other two.

Spot's ungainly feet pawed the snow impatiently, as he strained in his
collar stretching the tow-line so taut that George feared it might snap.
Equally unavailing were Queen's sudden leaps and frantic plunges. The
more they struggled, the more firmly Baldy held to the trail.

At last George's stern reproofs, and a certain reasonableness in Spot
that prompted him to accept the inevitable gracefully, combined to end
the disturbance. Besides, the birds did not run nor fly, so they were
not much fun anyway.

Not for Queen, however, was any such placid acceptance of defeat. Balked
of her expected prey, she turned fiercely against her wheel-mate, whom
she rightly considered responsible for her inability to bolt; and after
one or two efforts, she fastened her teeth in his ear, leaving a small
wound from which the blood trickled, staining his collar and shoulder.
George expected Baldy to retaliate, but instead the dog ignored the
attack and still held his ground with a determination that even Queen
recognized, and to which she finally submitted unwillingly.

But in the time it took to adjust their difficulties, Dan caught up with
them, and together the two teams dashed down the trail, neck and neck.

Dan longed to shout some facetious criticisms of the behavior he had
just witnessed, but a certain sympathy for his rival, who was also his
friend, restrained him; as well as the desire to conserve every atom of
energy he possessed, even to saving his breath.

For a few hundred yards there was no perceptible difference in their
positions; then gradually the Mego Pups pulled away and took the lead by
a small margin.

Nose to the back of Dan's sled came Spot, and so they sped on and on
till the bridge and high bank of Dry Creek came into view, as well as
the moving dark objects that the boys knew to be the crowds awaiting
their return.

George, desperately anxious to try the signal that would urge his
leader to his utmost, waited till they reached the top of a slight
incline. Then the whistle sounded low, but clear. Spot leaped forward,
and Queen and Baldy were no laggards in his wake.

Once more they were abreast of the "houn' dogs," and once more the tried
and untried of the same Kennel raced side by side, with even chances of
victory.

Then again came the Luck of the Trail; and Fate that had sent dead birds
as a temptation now sent a live cat as an inspirati