limitations.

[Illustration: The Woman]

One of the events already assured was a race for boys under nine years
of age. "It's too bad you're too old for it, Ben," George had exclaimed
sympathetically. "Father's told Danny and me we can use some of his
dogs; and he'd 'a' been glad t' do the same for you. When I want t'
drive fast dogs, and go t' the Moving Pictures at night, and drink
coffee, I wish I was old too; but now I can see that gettin' old's
pretty tough on a feller sometimes."

"Mebbe there'll be a race fer the older boys later," replied Ben
hopefully. "I dunno as I could do much myself, but I sure would like t'
try Baldy out. He minds so quick I think he'd be a fine leader; an' it
looks like he'd be fast from the way he chases rabbits and squirrels
out on the tundra."

"You can't allers tell about that," observed Dan pessimistically. "I got
a dog that's a corker when he's just chasin' things; but when I put a
harness on him he ain't fit for a High School Girl's Racin' Team, an'
you know what girls is for gettin' speed out of a dog. 'You poor tired
little doggie, you can stop right here an' rest if you want to; I don't
care if they do get ahead of us,'" and Danny finished his remarks in the
high falsetto and mincing inflection he attributed to the youthful
members of a sex that in his opinion, as well as in George's, has no
right to engage in the masculine occupation of Dog Mushing.

"Of course," said George, looking thoughtfully at Baldy, who was lying
contentedly at Ben's feet, and giving voice to the wisdom of "Scotty" or