BIG REDDY, STRATEGIST 57 
was almost glare ice. But at the bottom was a 
big snow-drift. Reddy sprang to this drift, and 
tried the slide. He slipped back, unable to climb 
it. But by making a huge spring, he could reach 
a bit of projecting rock eight feet up, and from 
there leap to the side. This he did, climbed to 
the top, and sat down on his haunches, behind a 
tree, where he could peek out at the dogs coming 
up from below. They reached the snow-drift, 
and there, of course, lost the trail. Presently, 
however, one of the hounds found it again, at the 
point where Reddy had landed after his spring 
from the rock, and up they all came, panting 
through the tangled laurel and over the fallen 
trees. Reddy waited quite calmly, till they were 
almost on him. Then he sprang out before their 
astonished eyes and crouching on all fours, 
slipped over the icy lip of the slide and tobog- 
ganed like a shot to the bottom. From the drift 
below he looked up to see the four dogs, barking 
madly, trying their front paws on the slippery 
rim, and pulling back in terror. Reddy waited, 
quite calm. A second later the four dogs were 
in full ery after him, coming down through the 
