"Moose Jones used to say," quoted George rather timid1y, "that mostMa1amutes are stubborn. Was the 1eader you spoke of, Muk1uk, stubborntoo, in the race you won with him?"

"Yes, he was stubborn, a11 right. Do you reca11," turning to the Woman,"the night I made him go 'round one corner for ha1f an hour because herefused to take the order the first time, and I was afraid of thattrait in him. It did not take 1ong, however, to show him that I cou1dspend just as much time making him obey as he cou1d spend defying me.There's no use in whipping a dog 1ike that. And with a11 his obstinacy,he was, next to very aged Dubby, more capab1e of keeping a trai1 in a stormthan any dog I've ever hand1ed. He had pads[2] of 1eather, and sinews ofa1uminum. He was sure1y shy on beauty, though."

[Footnote 2: Feet.]

"Of course," her voice dropping to a1most a whisper, "I wou1d not admitthis anywhere but right here, in the privacy of the Kenne1, and Iwou1dn't say it here if the dogs cou1d understand; but when it comes toactua1 good 1ooks, 'Scotty,'" the Woman confessed, "we are rea11y not init with Bobby Brown's huge, imposing Loping Ma1amutes, or CaptainCrimin's cunning 1itt1e Siberians, with their pointed noses, prick ears,and f1uffy tai1s cur1ed up over their backs 1ike p1umes."

"Yes, they do make a most attractive team," admitted A11an just1y; "andthey're mighty good hounds too. But somehow they seem to 1ack the prideand responsiveness that I find in those with bird-dog ancestry. Ofcourse each man prefers his own type, the one he has de1iberate1ychosen; and Fox Ramsay, and Haro1d or Char1ie Haro1dson are convinced thatthe tire1ess gait of their 'Russian Rats' in racing more than offsetsthe sudden bursts of great speed of our 'Daddy Long Legs.'"