214 THE UPPER YUKON 



now plying their willow whips and shouting 

 to their horses with all their might. 



Once more the mule, now still cool and col- 

 lected, drew up along side of Charley, who 

 was in a lather of sweat, and panting very 

 hard. He, being nearer to me, was the only 

 one I could take note of, although no doubt 

 Mac was in equally as bad a condition. For 

 a second time the two horses spurted, and once 

 more we went to the rear, Billie cantering eas- 

 ily along with his glossy skin free from any 

 sign of perspiration. The race having now 

 covered over two miles, the horses were show- 

 ing distress. Watching them carefully with 

 those searching eyes of his, Billie evidently 

 made up his mind that the time was ripe to 

 show them how quickly he could put them 

 "out of the running." I had no need to en- 

 courage or shout at him ; he let himself out — 

 it was just that and nothing more. With a 

 stately and dignified pace he drew up to them, 

 and easily passing them he sped on ahead, as 

 if to show them what a simple thing it was for 

 him to run them to a standstill. I was guid- 

 ing and holding him with my left hand only, 

 and we were at any rate ten yards ahead of the 

 horses when Billie stumbled. His left front 

 foot had gone down into a gopher hole. For- 



