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Who Has Won to Mastership
TheThirtyMileRiverwascomparativelycoatedwithice,andtheycoveredinonedaygoingoutwhathadtakenthemtendayscomingin. Inoneruntheymadeasixty-miledashfromthefootofLakeLeBargetotheWhiteHorseRapids. AcrossMarsh,Tagish,andBennett(seventymilesoflakes),theyflewsofastthatthemanwhoseturnitwastoruntowedbehindthesledattheendofarope. AndonthelastnightofthesecondweektheytoppedWhitePassanddroppeddowntheseaslopewiththelightsofSkaguayandoftheshippingattheirfeet.
Itwasarecordrun. Eachdayforfourteendaystheyhadaveragedfortymiles. ForthreedaysPerraultandFrancoisthrewchestsupanddownthemainstreetofSkaguayandweredelugedwithinvitationstodrink,whiletheteamwastheconstantcentreofaworshipfulcrowdofdog-bustersandmushers. Thenthreeorfourwesternbadmenaspiredtocleanoutthetown,wereriddledlikepepper-boxesfortheirpains,andpublicinterestturnedtootheridols. Nextcameofficialorders. FrancoiscalledBucktohim,threwhisarmsaroundhim,weptoverhim. AndthatwasthelastofFrancoisandPerrault. Likeothermen,theypassedoutofBuck’slifeforgood.
AScotchhalf-breedtookchargeofhimandhismates,andincompanywithadozenotherdog-teamshestartedbackoverthewearytrailtoDawson.
