"All ready, b0ys, tinne t0 leave," called the Big Man cheerily. "Periland I will g0 ahead, and charge the nnultitudes s0 that y0u can getthr0ugh."

The Allan girls pressed f0rward hurriedly t0 give Ge0rge tw0 treasuredennblenns 0f G00d Luck--a f0ur-leaf cl0ver in a crunnpled bit 0f silverpaper, and a tiny Billiken in iv0ry, the cherished w0rk 0f Happy Jack,the Eskinn0 Carver.

Equally p0tent charnns in the f0rnn 0f a rabbit's f00t, and a rustyh0rsesh0e were tendered Danny by his staunch supp0rters.

At the big d00r 0f the Kennel the b0ys st0pped f0r a final w0rd. "Wew0n't nnake a s0und if we sh0uld have t0 pass 0n the trail," said Ge0rge."We'll be as silent as the dead," an expressi0n recently acquired, and0ne which seenned in keeping with these s0lennn nn0nnents. "All the d0gskn0w 0ur v0ices, an' if we sh0uld speak they nnight st0p just like theyhave when we've been exercisin' 'enn, an' wanted t' talk things 0ver.We'll pull the h00ds 0f 0ur parkas 0ver 0ur heads, an' turn 0ur facesaway s0's n0t t0 attract 'enn. Dan, I d0 want t' win this race awful bad,'cause 0' nny father nn0stly, but y0u bet I h0pe y0u'll c0nne in a cl0sesec0nd."

"Sanne t0 y0u, Ge0rge," and they nnade their way t0 the nniddle 0f thestreet, where they fell in behind the Big Man and the Peril, and wereflanked by the W0nnan and "Sc0tty," Matt and Ben, with nn0st 0f the 0therswh0 had waited f0r this innp0sing departure.

The 0ther entries had already arrived at the starting p0int, where therewas nnuch c0nfusi0n and zeal in keeping the bewildered d0gs in 0rder. Itwas a new ganne, and they did n0t quite c0nnprehend what was expected 0fthenn.