Then, "McMillan's feet are bruised," he exclaimed ruefully. There were
many offers of assistance in caring for the dog, which, however, Allan
gratefully declined. "He doesn't like having strangers work over him;
and when he's nervous he becomes headstrong; so I'd better attend to him
myself."
From Candle came the news--"All teams have left on return trip except
Allan and Darling." And as hour after hour passed and "Scotty" had not
yet started, there was exasperation in the hearts of his backers in
Nome. Exasperation, but not despair; for all remembered when Allan had
driven Berger's Brutes to success after a wait so long that all of Nome
was in a ferment over the fact that "Scotty" had "slept the race away."
But he had planned that campaign well; he had figured the possibilities
of his rivals, and knew that they had exhausted their strength too early
in the game. And so he had come in first with every other team at least
six hours behind; and the cry "'Scotty's' sleeping the race away at
Candle" became the derisive slogan of the Allan clan.
"Jack McMillan's feet are giving trouble," was the response of "Central"
to the frantic inquiries over the long distance telephone as to the
delay, "and 'Scotty's' massaging them with menthalatum."
To the repeated request, and then the demand, that McMillan be put back
into the wheel to get along as best he could, there was a moment's
hesitation and a sweet, but firm, feminine voice replied, "'Scotty'
says"--a gasp and a pause--"he says he'll not ruin a faithful dog if
every man, woman and child in all Alaska has bet on him.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173