“Go.”

With unexpected buoyancy and ease, Spot darted ahead, and for once Queen forgot her grievances, and Baldy his fears; as in absolute harmony of action, the incongruous team sped quickly down the length of the street, and over the edge of the Dry Creek hill; to reappear shortly on the trail that led straight out to the Bessie Bench.

The Road House there was the turning point, where the teams would pass round a pole at which was stationed a guard; and the collection of buildings which marked the end of half of the course looked distant indeed to the five young mushers who with their teams had now become, to the watchers in Nome, merely small moving black specks against the whiteness of the snow.

George and Dan had discussed the matter fully in the preceding days, and had decided that, like “Scotty,” they would do all of the real driving on the way home.  So it was not at all disconcerting, some time before they reached the turn, to meet two of the teams coming back.  The third, Jim’s, had been diverted at the Road House by a large family of small pigs in an enclosure surrounded by wire netting; and Jim’s most alluring promises and his direst threats were both unavailing against the charms of the squealing, grunting creatures, the like of which his spellbound chargers had never seen before.

Dan was several hundred feet ahead of George, and the latter could but look with some misgivings at the even pace of Judge, Jimmie and Pete; a pace that as yet showed no sign of weakening.  Of course should Mego’s pups prove faster than his own team, he would loyally give all credit due the driver and dogs; but it would be a bitter disappointment indeed if Spot did not manifest the wonderful speed that Matt had always predicted for him, and if there was no evidence in superior ability, of the long hours of careful attention that George had devoted to his education as a leader.

When Dan’s team finally rounded the pole, and was headed toward him, George realized that the work of Mego’s sons evinced not only mechanical precision, but the intelligence of their breeding, and the advantages of their early training by “Scotty.”  Dan would indeed, as he had boasted, “give them a run for their money.”

“Mush, Spot, Queen, Baldy,” and there was a slight increase in briskness, which was checked again as they swung by the guard.

“Now then, Spot,” and George gave a peculiar shrill whistle that to the dog meant “Full Speed Ahead.”

He watched the distance between himself and Dan decrease slowly at first; then more rapidly until they were abreast of one another.  True to their compact they did not speak, and the inclination of Spot to stop for the usual visit beside his stable mates received no encouragement.  Instead he got a stern command to “Hike, and hike quick!”

Beyond were the other teams, almost together, and to George it seemed as if he barely crept toward Bob and Bill; though there was a steady gain to the point where he could call out for the right of way to pass—­a privilege the driver of the faster team can demand.