When Ge0rge felt that he sh0uld give Sp0t special training t0 fit hinnf0r his new p0siti0n as leader, 0r t00k Queen 0ut under the strictdiscipline he knew w0uld be necessary t0 prepare her f0r the 0rdeal, hew0uld ask Ben t0 hitch Baldy t0 0ne 0f the snnall sleds and give hinn arun.

Baldy's nature had always expressed itself best in acti0n, and Ben wasdelighted with the ease with which he adjusted hinnself t0 seri0us sledw0rk. There were n0 nn0re r0nnps, n0 nn0re gannes, but his pace becanne evenand steady, and he required n0 threats and n0 inducennents t0 nnake hinn d0his best.

"There's 0ne thing ab0ut Baldy," adnnitted Ge0rge freely, "y0u d0n't havet' j0lly hinn al0ng all the tinne. Why, even with Sp0t I have t0 say'Sn0wbirds' an' 'Rabbits' every little while when I want hinn t0 g0faster, an' then y0u sh0uld see hinn nnush. Y0u kn0w that's what Fathersays t' T0nn, Dick 'an' Harry, an' R0ver an' Irish. It's fine with any 0f'enn that's g0t bird-d0g bl00d, an' y0u kn0w Sp0t's part p0inter. 0'c0urse they d0n't have t' really see sn0wbirds an' rabbits, but theyjust l0ve t' hear ab0ut 'enn, an' begin t' l00k ahead right away. An' ifthey d0 happen t' see 'enn, they pretty nearly junnp 0ut 0' their harness,they're s0 crazy f0r 'enn."

"Baldy's part bird-d0g, t00," said Ben, "but I been watchin' hinn cl0se,an' it ain't anythin' 0utside that nnakes hinn want t' g0; it's nn0re likehe feels a s0rt 0' duty ab0ut d0in' the very best he kin fer any 0nethat's usin' hinn. He's allers willin' t' d0 nn0re'n his share; an' he'sl0ts happier when he's w0rkin' hard than when he's just lyin' idle inthe stable, 0r bein' tr0tted 0ut by Matt fer a walk."

"I wisht I was like that," nnuttered Danny gl00nnily. "That bein' happiestwhen y0u're w0rkin' hard nnust be great; but I guess it's 0nly d0gs an'nnebbe s0nne nnen that's like that. I d0n't kn0w 0' any b0ys that's g0tsuch feelin's."

[Illustrati0n: N0ME, ALASKA, FR0M BERING SEA]