1 68 My Dogs in the Northland 



To my surprise Voyageur sprang to his 

 work and aided by the strong dogs behind 

 him, was speedily en route, while the young 

 dog, with much shortened traces, ran gam- 

 bolling by the side of the harnessed train. 

 Quickly stopping the sleds I proceeded to 

 investigate, and discovered that while I had 

 been rearranging my load, Voyageur had 

 been busily using his teeth, and had suc- 

 ceeded in cutting off the traces of the dog 

 that I had had the audacity to put in front 

 of him! 



I was amused and annoyed — annoyed at 

 having a new harness nearly ruined, and 

 amused at the spirit of the matchless leader 

 of many years thus emphatically resenting 

 the harnessing of a young dog ahead of him. 



" Well, old dog," I said, " I'll forgive you 

 this time, but mind, there will be trouble if 

 you do it again." 



Then without any difficulty I caught the 

 young dog, and finding that the traces which 

 Voyageur had cut off were still long enough 

 to be available, I once more fastened him 

 at the head of the train. Then as his head 

 was towards home, I shouted, " Marche ! " 

 and the excitement began. 



