boys, and while he was pleased with their pluck, he was too wise to
allow them to injure themselves; so, taking the matter into his own
hands, he so arranged the sticks of fish on their sleds that, with the
aid of the buffalo skins, he made for each a comfortable seat. It is
not surprising that the boys were willing to accept of the situation,
and, while on the remainder of the trip they rode a good deal, they
often sprang off and, by the vigorous exercises of keeping up with the
Indians on their famous jog trot, kept themselves warm, and also put in
a good deal of training to fit them for longer journeys.

On future trips to the fisheries, as long as the ice kept free of snow,
they carried with them their skates, and not only on the home trip with
loaded sleds, but even on the outward journey, did they have some
capital sport. Alec especially was a splendid skater. Coming from
Scotland, where they had so much more ice than there was in England or
Ireland, he had had greater opportunities for becoming an adept in this
exhilarating sport. He was very much amused at the temper and annoyance
of his dogs when, on a fine stretch of smooth ice, he would dash away
from them at a rate which it was impossible for them to keep up. They
would make the most desperate efforts to travel as fast as he did. When
they realised the impossibility of doing this, hampered as they were by
their heavy load, they would at times set up a most dismal cry that was
a cross between a bark and a howl. At other times some of the dogs
would think that one of the train was shirking his work, and then they
would unmercifully pile on him and give him a sound thrashing.

Well was it for Alec that he had these splendid skating trips;
unconsciously was he preparing for a race for his life.

On one of these home trips Frank, while sitting on his load, wrapped up
in his buffalo robe, went to sleep. He was all right while the sled was
going along in a straight trail, but at one place the road turned at a
sharp angle, and here he had a sudden awakening. The ice was firm and
the dogs were going at a good speed. When they reached the sharp turn
the sled slid around at a great rate, and poor Frank, who like the other
boys had when awake securely hung on to the straps on other trips, was
now so fast asleep that when the sled flew around he was sent in the air
at a tangent, and then went sprawling on the ice quite a number of yards
away. He was well shak