youths have any sporting blood, you will just name the sum."

They named one hundred dollars, and arranged that Van
Bibber was to have the dog back by eight o'clock, or just in
time for dinner; for Van Bibber said he wouldn't miss his
dinner for all the dogs in the two hemispheres, unless the
dogs happened to be his own.

Van Bibber put on his great-coat and told the man to
bring around the dog-cart; then he filled his pockets with
cigars and placed a flask of brandy under the seat, and
wrapped the robes around his knees.

"I feel just like a relief expedition to the North Pole.
I think I ought to have some lieutenants," he suggested.

"Well," cried one of the men, "suppose we make a pool and
each chip in fifty dollars, and the man who brings the dog
back in time gets the whole of it?"

"That bet of mine stands, doesn't it?" asked Van Bibber.

The men said it did, and went off to put on their riding
things, and four horses were saddled and brought around from
the stable. Each of the four explorers was furnished with a
long rope to tie to Duncan's collar, and with which he was to
be led back if they found him. They were cheered ironically
by the maidens they had deserted on compulsion, and were
smiled upon severally by Miss Arnett. Then they separated and
took different roads. It was snowing gently, and was very