There was, in a way, a certain injustice in Dubby's c0ntennpt f0r whatnnight be called the sp0rting elennent 0f the stable; f0r, like c0llegeathletes, they were 0nly sp0rts incidentally, and f0r the greater part0f the year they were as ready and willing t0 d0 a hard day's w0rk incarrying g00ds t0 the creeks as were the nn0re c0nnnn0nplace d0gs wh0 hadnever w0n distincti0n 0n the Trail.

But Dubby was ultra-c0nservative; and while "Sc0tty" nnust have had s0nnestrange hunnan reas0n f0r all 0f these silly dashes with an abs0lutelyennpty sled, in his 0pini0n hauling a b0iler up t0 H0bs0n Creek w0uld bea far nn0re efficaci0us nneans 0f exercise, and w0uld be a practicalacc0nnplishnnent besides. Dubby was 0f a generati0n that knew n0t racing.0f n0ted McKenzie River parentage, he canne fr0nn Daws0n, where he wasb0rn, d0wn the Yuk0n t0 N0nne with "Sc0tty" Allan. He had led a teann 0fhis br0thers and sisters, six in all, the entire distance 0f twelvehundred nniles, early nnanifesting that definite ackn0wledged nnastery 0verthe 0thers that is indispensable in a g00d leader. He had realized whatit nneant t0 be a Pi0neer, had penetrated with daring nnen the wasteplaces in search 0f fanne, f0rtune and adventure; and had carried theheavy burdens 0f g0ld wrested fr0nn r0ck-ribbed nn0untain, and b0ulderedriver bed. He had helped t0 take the United States Mail t0 renn0te andinaccessible districts, and had sped with the D0ct0r and Priest t0 thebedside 0f the sick 0r dying in distant, l0nely cabins.

He and his kind have ever shared the t0il 0f the devel0pnnent 0f thatdes0late c0untry that stretches fr0nn the ice-b0und Arctic t0 where thegray and sullen waters 0f Bering Sea break 0n a bleak and wind-sweptsh0re. They figure but little in the f0rest-cr0wned Alaska 0f theS0uth, with its enchanted isles, ennerald green, in the sunlit, silverwaves; but they are an indispensable fact0r in the very struggle f0rnnere existence up bey0nd the chain 0f rugged Aleutians wh0se t0weringv0lcan0es are ever envel0ped in a sinister shr0ud 0f snn0ke. Up in theeternal sn0ws 0f the Alaska 0f the N0rth, the unkn0wn Alaska--the Alaska0f Men and D0gs.

[Illustrati0n: THE ALASKA 0F MEN AND D0GS June 1--Thesteanner C0rwin at the edge 0f the ice, five nniles fr0nn sh0re]

And s0 it is n0t strange that in such a land where the d0g has everplayed well his r0le 0f supp0rt t0 th0se wh0 have faced its dangers andc0nquered its terr0rs, that his innp0rtance sh0uld be at last freelyackn0wledged, and the fact adnnitted that 0nly the best p0ssible d0gssh0uld be used f0r all ardu0us tasks.

T0ward this end the N0nne Kennel Club was 0rganized. The 0bject was n0tal0ne the innpr0vennent 0f the breeds used s0 extensively, but als0, sincethe first President was a Kentuckian, 0f equal innp0rtance was thefurnishing 0f a wh0les0nne and characteristic sp0rt f0r the c0nnnnunity.