River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-02-04

such a killing pace and kept up with
fresh dogs-no team save this one.
Nevertheless the pace was killing 1t,
! and as they began to round the bluff
at Klondike City be could feel the
pitch of strength going out of his ami
mails Almost imperceptibly they lag
gcd and foot Ly foot Big Olaf drew
away until be led by d score Of yards
A great cheer went up from the pop
ulal1on Of Klondike CITY assembled on
the ice Here the KIondike entered
the Yukon and half mile away.
! across the kIondike. on the nOTtl
bank, stood Dawson An outburst Of
madden cheering arose. and Smoke
caught Il glimpse Of sled shooting
ont to him He recognized the splen
did animals that drew it. They were
Joy Gastpll's. and Joy Gastell drove
them Mittens had been discarded
and with bare hands she chung to whip
and sled
Jump she cried as her leader
snarled at Smokes.
Smoke struck the sled behind her
It rocked violently from the impact of
his body. but she was full up on her
knees and swinging the whip
Hi. You. Mush on, ChoOk. Chookr
she was crying. and the dogs whined
and yelped In eagerness Of desire and
effort to oyertnke Big Olaf.
And then as the lead dog caught the
tail Of Big Olaf's sled and yard by
yard drew UP abreast the great crowd
on the Dawson bank went mad.
When you're in the lead I'm going
TO drop off, JOY cried out over her
shoulder And watch out for the dip
curve halfway up the bank" she
warned
Dog BY dog. separated by half a
dozen feet, the two teams were run
ming abreast Big Olaf with whip and
voice. held his own for r mute. Then
slowly. An inch at time, joys leader
began to forge past
Get ready" she cried to Smoke
TN going to leave you in minute
Get the whip"
And as be shifted his hand to clutch
the whip they heard Big Olaf roar
warning. but too late His lead dog,
incenSed at being passed. swerved in
to The attack His fangs struck Joys
leader on the flank The rival teams
few at one another's throats. The
seds overran the fighting brutes ana
capsized Smoke struggled to his feet
aid tried to lift Joy up But she thrust
him from her, crying:
to-
On foot. already fifty feet in ad-
vance. was Big Olaf, still intent on
finishing the race Smoke Obeyed. and
when the two men reached the foot
Of the Dawson bank he was at the 9th
er's heels But up the bank Big Olaf
lifted his body hugely, regaining a dOz
en- feet.
Five blocks down the main street
was the god recorders Office. Not SO
ensily this tine did Smoke gain to his
giant rival and when he did he was
unable to pass Side by side they ran
along the narrow aisle between the
solid wallis of cheering men. Now one,
now the other. with great convulsive
jerks, gained an inch or so. only to
lose il Immediately after
If the pace had been a killing one for
their dogs. the one they now set them
selves was no less SO But they were
racing for S1.OOO.O0O and the greatest
honor I'll the Yukon country.
Smoke felt himself involuntarily lag,
and Big Olaf sprang a full stride in
the lead To Smoke it seemed that his
heart would burst, while he had lost
all consciousness of his legs. He knew
they were flying under him. but he
did not know how he continued to
make them fly nor how be put even
greater pressure of will upon them and
compelled them again to carry him to
his giant competitors side.
The open door of the recorders Of
flee appeared ahead Of them. Both
men made final, futile squirt Neither
could draw away from the other and
side by side they hit the doorway.
collided violently, and fell headlong on
the Office floor
They sat up. but were too exhausted
to rise. Big Olaf, the sweat pouring
from him. breathing with tremendous.
painful gasps, paved the air and vain
" tried to speak. Then he reached out
his hand with unmistakabe meaning;
Smoke extended his, and they shook
Its q dead heat" Smoke could hear
the recorder saying. but 1t was as If
in a dream And all can say is
that you both win You'll have to di
vide the claim between you. You're
partners /"
Biz Olaf nodded his head with great
emphasis and spluttered, AT last be
cot it out
You d-n chekako." was what he
said. but in the saying of 1t was nd
mirati0n: Il don't know how you done
it, but you did,
Smoke and Big Olaf essayed to rise.
and each helped the other to his feet
Smoke found his legs weak under him
and staggered drunkenly Big Olaf
tot1nred toward him
I'm sorry my dogs jumped yours"