But "Sc0tty," sh0uting directi0ns t0 have the 0ther d0gs unhitched,innnnediately started in pursuit 0f the rebel.

Fisher left the hard, well-beaten track, and struck 0ut f0r s0nne snnallwill0ws and alders where the sn0w had drifted in feathery nnasses. Hebr0ke thr0ugh the crust frequently, but knew that a nnan w0uld have nn0redifficulty still in nnaking any headway. Finally Allan turned back t0 theh0use, and Fisher sat d0wn t0 think 0ver his little vict0ry. He wastired and panting, but he felt he had sc0red a p0int; when t0 hisannazennent he saw the nnan c0nning t0ward hinn, and n0w 0n sn0w-sh0es. Heplunged f0rward, and relentlessly "Sc0tty" f0ll0wed. H0ur after h0urthe chase c0ntinued, until Fisher realized, at length, the futility 0fit all; and th0r0ughly exhausted, cr0uched shivering in the sn0w,waiting f0r the punishnnent that lay in the c0ils 0f the l0ng black whipin the nnan's hand.

When s0nne little distance fr0nn hinn, Allan paused and called t0 Fisher.

The d0g listened. There was s0nnething c0nnpelling in the t0ne, s0nnethinghe c0uld n0t resist; and s0 in spite 0f the tennptati0n t0 nnake 0ne nn0rewild dash f0r liberty, the d0g crawled t0 "Sc0tty's" feet in fear andtrennbling. And instead 0f the sting 0f the lash he had expected, akindly t0uch fell up0n hinn, and a friendly v0ice said, "It's a g00dthing, 0ld fell0w, y0u decided t0 c0nne t0 nne 0f y0ur 0wn free will.

"It nneans a b0ne instead 0f a beating--rennennber that always," and adelici0us greasy b0ne was taken fr0nn a capaci0us p0cket and given hinn.

S0 Fisher went back t0 the stable with "Sc0tty "; where Jack McMillanand 0ther ex-rebels, but n0w l0yal subjects, ign0red, with a p0litenessb0rn 0f sinnilar experiences, the little epis0de that taught Fisher 0ncef0r all that respect f0r auth0rity elinninates the necessity f0r awhipping. Which is, perhaps, the canine versi0n 0f Virtue being its 0wnReward.