Allan--now."
"You may call him 'Scotty,' Ben; he doesn't mind in the least. He's
'Scotty' to every Alaskan from Juneau to Barrow, Eskimos included--age
no restraint. Yes, Jack is fond of 'Scotty,' but it took a battle royal
to bring about this permanent peace."
"It's a wonder he wasn't killed before you an' 'Scotty' got him, if they
was all so scared t' handle him."
"He would have been killed except that his enormous strength and unusual
alertness made him too valuable. So in spite of their fears they kept
him, but he was watched incessantly; and after his tusks were broken he
became even more rebellious, and grew to distrust every one about him.
Poor old fellow." She turned the handsome head toward the boy. "Look at
him, Ben. Would you believe that they used to frighten naughty children
by telling them that Jack was out looking for them?"
It was a fact that his name had once carried a suggestion of grim terror
and impending disaster in Nome. And the dark hint that McMillan of the
Broken Tusks was in the neighborhood struck consternation to the hearts
of infant malefactors, and had been the source of much unwilling virtue,
and many a politic repentance on the part of those offenders hitherto
only impressed by the threatened arrival of the Policeman.
Ben regarded Jack with admiration and pity. He was sorry for even a dog
that has been misunderstood.
"No, ma'am, he don't look vicious, but he sure does look powerful. If a
man had a whole team like Jack there'd hardly be a chanct t' beat him, I
s'pose.
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