I know
better; an' you can be certain that 'Scotty' wouldn't have taken 'em if
they was goin' t' be a drag on such wonders as Irish, Rover and Spot.
Take my word for it, them old Pioneers is goin' t' be the back-bone o'
the hull team when the youngsters has wore themselves out."
A few who did not believe in the sincerity or stability of Jack
McMillan's reformation predicted trouble because of his presence. As a
leader he had twice utterly demoralized teams in previous races, and it
was "not unlikely," declared the prophets of evil, "that he would blow
up on the Trail out of pure cussedness."
"Well, it ain't McMillan, ner Tom, Dick ner Harry that's goin' t' lose
this here race fer the Allan an' Darling team," exclaimed Mart Barclay
with vicious conviction. "It's that there cur leader they got--Baldy.
There's enough Scotch stubbornness in Allan t' try to make a leader
outen a cur jest becus folks said he couldn't. Up in Dawson I heered
once he trained a timber wolf t' lead a team o' McKenzie huskies; but
he'd find that a heap easier 'n puttin' the racin' sperit inter that
low-down Golconda hound; an' I'll bet he'll git all that's comin' t' him
this time fer his pains."
"Ef you're bettin' on that, Mart," quickly interposed Moose Jones, "I've
got some dust from my Golconda claim that's lyin' round loose at the
Miners and Merchants Bank, an' five hundred of it says that
you're--well, seem' as there's ladies present, it says you're _mistaken_
about Baldy's sperit.
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