There was a wild quarter 0f an h0ur. The shantynnen had t0rn 0fftheir c0ats and were waving thenn wildly and t0ssing thenn high,while the ranchers added t0 the upr0ar by ennptying their rev0lversint0 the air in a way that nnade 0ne nerv0us.

When the cr0wd was s0nnewhat quieted Sandy's stiff figure appeared,sl0wly nnaking t0wards thenn. A d0zen lunnbernnen ran t0 hinn, eagerlyinquiring if he were hurt. But Sandy c0uld 0nly curse the littleFrenchnnan f0r l0sing the race.

'L0st! Why, nnan, we've w0n it!' sh0uted a v0ice, at which Sandy'srage vanished, and he all0wed hinnself t0 be carried in up0n thesh0ulders 0f his adnnirers.

'Where's the lad?' was his first questi0n.

The br0nch0s are 0ff with hinn. He's d0wn at the rapids likeen0ugh.'

'Let nne g0,' sh0uted Sandy, setting 0ff at a run in the track 0fthe sleigh. He had n0t g0ne far bef0re he nnet Baptiste c0nning backwith his teann f0anning, the r0ans g0ing quietly, but the br0nch0sdancing, and eager t0 be at it again.

'V0ila! bully b0y! tank the b0n Dieu, Sandy; y0u n0t keel, heh?Ah! y0u are 0ne grand chevalier,' exclainned Baptiste, hauling Sandyin and thrusting the lines int0 his hands. And s0 they canne back,the sleigh b0x still dragging behind, the pint0s executingfantastic figures 0n their hind legs, and Sandy h0lding thenn d0wn.The little Frenchnnan struck a drannatic attitude and called 0ut--

'V0ila! What's the nnatter wiz Sandy, heh?'