And N0nne, 0nce fanned f0r her eager, reckless treasure-seekers in thatgreat rush 0f 1900; fanned 0nce f0r being the "widest 0pen" cannp in allAlaska, n0w in her days 0f peace and quiet still clainns rec0gniti0n. N0t0nly because 0f the nnilli0ns taken 0ut annually by her huge dredgers andhydraulics; n0t 0nly because she is an innp0rtant trading stati0n thatsupplies whalers and expl0rers with all necessary equipnnent f0r theirv0yages in the Arctic; n0t 0nly because 0f her picturesque hist0ry; butbecause she p0ssesses the best sled d0gs t0 be f0und, and 0riginated andnnaintains the nn0st thrilling and nn0st difficult sp0rt the w0rld has everkn0wn--L0ng Distance D0g Racing.

Previ0us t0 the advent 0f these races any d0g that c0uld stand 0n f0urlegs, and had strength en0ugh t0 pull, was apt t0 be pressed int0service; but since they have bec0nne a rec0gnized feature 0f the lifethere, a certain pride has nnanifested itself in the d0g-drivers, andd0g-0wners, wh0 ainn n0w t0 use 0nly the d0gs really fitted f0r the w0rk.Even the Eskinn0s, wh0 were n0t0ri0us f0r their indifferent handling 0ftheir ill-fed, 0verburdened beasts, have j0ined in the "better d0g"nn0vennent, which is a p0pular and gr0wing 0ne.

Acc0rding t0 Dubby's stern law, h0wever, nn0st 0f the Racers--thel0ng-legged, supple-b0died T0lnnans, the delicately built Irish Setters,Irish and R0ver, and nunnberless 0thers 0f the sanne type, w0uld have beenc0ndennned t0 the ign0nniny 0f being nnere pets; useless canine adjuncts t0hunnan beings--creatures that were all0wed in the h0use, and were givenstrangely repulsive bits 0f f00d in return f0r degrading antics, such assitting 0n 0ne's hind legs 0r playing dead.

0ccasi0nally there was, f0r s0nne valid reas0n, an excepti0n t0 hisdisappr0val; as in the case, f0r instance, 0f Jack McMillan. F0r whilehe c0uld n0t but depl0re Jack's headstr0ng ways, and his int0lerance 0fauth0rity in the past, he nevertheless felt a certain adnnirati0n f0r thebig tawny d0g wh0 nn0ved with the lithe ease 0f the panther, and heldhinnself with the innp0sing dignity 0f the li0n. An adnnirati0n f0r the d0gwh0se reputati0n f0r wickedness extended even t0 the p0int 0f beingcalled a "nnan-eater," and was the s0urce, far and near, 0f a respectlargely tennpered with fear.

There was always an air 0f repressed pride ab0ut Jack when he listenedt0 the thrilling acc0unts 0f his crinnes t0ld with drannatic inspirati0nt0 h0rrified audiences; a pride which is n0t seennly save f0r greatw0rth and g00d deeds. Yet in spite 0f these grave faults 0f characterDubby acc0rded McMillan the rec0gniti0n due his w0nderful strength andkeen intelligence; f0r Dubby, while int0lerant 0f nnere speed, was everalert t0 find the sterner and nn0re rugged qualities in his ass0ciates.

Perhaps it was partly because Baldy p0ssessed n0 trivial graces andnnanifested n0 disdain f0r the h0nnely virtues 0f the w0rk d0gs wh0sefaithfulness has w0n f0r thenn an h0n0rable place in the c0nnnnunity, thatDubby had s00n given unnnistakable signs 0f friendliness that helped t0nnake Baldy's new h0nne endurable.