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do the punchin'！〃
What happened in the next half hour Smoke never distinctly
remembered。 At the end he emerged exhausted； sobbing for breath； his
jaw sore from a first…blow； his shoulder aching from the bruise of a club；
the blood running warmly down one leg from the rip of a dog's fangs； and
both sleeves of his parka torn to shreds。 As in a dream； while the battle
still raged behind； he helped Shorty reharness the dogs。 One； dying； they
cut from the traces； and in the darkness they felt their way to the repair of
the disrupted harnesses。
〃Now you lie down an' get your wind back；〃 Shorty commanded。
And through the darkness the dogs sped； with unabated strength； down
Mono Creek； across the long cut…off； and to the Yukon。 Here； at the
junction with the main river…trail； somebody had lighted a fire； and here
Shorty said good bye。 By the light of the fire； as the sled leaped behind
the flying dogs； Smoke caught another of the unforgettable pictures of the
North Land。 It was of Shorty； swaying and sinking down limply in the
snow； yelling his parting encouragement； one eye blackened and closed；
knuckles bruised and broken； and one arm； ripped and fang…torn； gushing
forth a steady stream of blood。
V。
〃How many ahead？〃 Smoke asked； as he dropped his tired Hudson
Bays and sprang on the waiting sled at the first relay station。
〃I counted eleven；〃 the man called after him； for he was already away
behind the leaping dogs。
Fifteen miles they were to carry him on the next stage； which would
fetch him to the mouth of White River。 There were nine of them； but
they composed his weakest team。 The twenty…five miles between White
River and Sixty Mile he had broken into two stages because of ice… jams；
and here two of his heaviest； toughest teams were stationed。
He lay on the sled at full length； face…down； holding on with both
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hands。 Whenever the dogs slacked from topmost speed he rose to his
knees； and； yelling and urging； clinging precariously with one hand； threw
his whip into them。 Poor team that it was； he passed two sleds before
White River was reached。 Here； at the freeze…up； a jam had piled a
barrier allowing the open water； that formed for half a mile below； to
freeze smoothly。 This smooth stretch enabled the racers to make flying
exchanges of sleds； and down all the course they had placed their relays
below the jams。
Over the jam and out on to the smooth； Smoke tore along； calling
loudly； 〃Billy！ Billy！〃
Billy heard and answered； and by the light of the many fires on the ice；
Smoke saw a sled swing in from the side and come abreast。 Its dogs
were fresh and overhauled his。 As the sleds swerved toward each other
he leaped across and Billy promptly rolled off。
〃Where's Big Olaf？〃 Smoke cried。
〃Leading！〃 Billy's voice answered； and the fires were left behind and
Smoke was again flying through the wall of blackness。
In the jams of that relay； where the way led across a chaos of up…
ended ice…cakes； and where Smoke slipped off the forward end of the sled
and with a haul…rope toiled behind the wheel…dog； he passed three sleds。
Accidents had happened； and he could hear the men cutting out dogs and
mending harnesses。
Among the jams of the next short relay into Sixty Mile； he passed two
more teams。 And that he might know adequately what had happened to
them； one of his own dogs wrenched a shoulder； was unable to keep up；
and was dragged in the harness。 Its team…mates； angered； fell upon it
with their fangs； and Smoke was forced to club them off with the heavy
butt of his whip。 As he cut the injured animal out； he heard the whining
cries of dogs behind him and the voice of a man that was familiar。 It was
Von Schroeder。 Smoke called a warning to prevent a rear…end collision；
and the Baron； hawing his animals and swinging on the gee…pole； went by
a dozen feet to the side。 Yet so impenetrable was the blackness that
Smoke heard him pass but never saw him。
On the smooth stretch of ice beside the trading post at Sixty Mile；
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Smoke overtook two more sleds。 All had just changed teams； and for
five minutes they ran abreast； each man on his knees and pouring whip
and voice into the maddened dogs。 But Smoke had studied out that
portion of the trail； and now marked the tall pine on the bank that showed
faintly in the light of the many fires。 Below that pine was not merely
darkness； but an abrupt cessation of the smooth stretch。 There the trail；
he knew； narrowed to a single sled…width。 Leaning out ahead； he caught
the haul…rope and drew his leaping sled up to the wheel…dog。 He caught
the animal by the hind…legs and threw it。 With a snarl of rage it tried to
slash him with its fangs； but was dragged on by the rest of the team。 Its
body proved an efficient brake； and the two other teams； still abreast；
dashed ahead into the darkness for the narrow way。
Smoke heard the crash and uproar of their collision； released his
wheeler； sprang to the gee…pole； and urged his team to the right into the
soft snow where the straining animals wallowed to their necks。 It was
exhausting work； but he won by the tangled teams and gained the hard…
packed trail beyond。
VI。
On the relay out of Sixty Mile； Smoke had next to his poorest team；
and though the going was good； he had set it a short fifteen miles。 Two
more teams would bring him in to Dawson and to the Gold… Recorder's
office； and Smoke had selected his best animals for the last two stretches。
Sitka Charley himself waited with the eight Malemutes that would jerk
Smoke along for twenty miles； and for the finish； with a fifteen…mile run；
was his own teamthe team he had had all winter and which had been
wit