the third if the other
two are determined to stop him at all hazards.

If there was one thing more than another in which Alec had carefully
trained his dogs it was for them to respond to his voice, and quickly
move to the right or left, as he spoke to them. Like some other
drivers, he had them so well-trained that no horse responds to the pull
on the reins more promptly than did his dogs to his voice. As Alec
rapidly gained on these trains he observed that they were running about
parallel to each other, and that the width of the ice was about the same
between them and each shore. This so equally divided the ice that it
made it difficult to decide whether to try and pass between them, or on
one side or the other. Alec's first wish was to see if they were really
working together against him, and so he shouted to his dogs as though he
would clash in between them. At once they began to close up from each
side to block his way. Quickly checking his dogs before there was a
collision, he then tried the call to the right hand, and here the same
plan was again pursued. It was evident, seeing that they would both be
beaten in a fair race, they were resolved, by sacrificing one train,
that the other should win at any cost from this white lad. Their dogs
were large and fierce, and at one word from their master, if a collision
occurred, would fasten on the lighter and younger dogs of Alec, with
disastrous results. So Alec, who saw the plan, resolved that there
should be no collision with his train if he could help it. All this
time the speed was fairly kept up, and alert and watchful was each
driver, although not a word was spoken among them. After a little more
manoeuvring from side to side Alec observed that his dogs were quicker
to respond to his voice than were theirs, and so he resolved to try and
confuse them and throw them off their guard. In this he at length
succeeded. When, with a great show, it appeared that he was going to
dash between them he suddenly checked his dogs just as the other two
trains closed in to block his way. Quickly they saw their danger, and
tried to avert it, but they were too late. Their own fierce, excited
dogs sprang at each other as they met, and ere their masters could
separate them Alec had skillfully veered to the right and was by them.
The coast was clear now, but fleet trains were close behind. The
blocking of the way had necessarily somewhat lessened the speed, and
swift train