In one arm the Queen carried a quaint1y carved scepter of ivory, madefrom a huge wa1rus tusk, and in the other the American F1ag at whose dipwou1d begin once more the strugg1e for the supremacy of the trai1. Asupremacy which is not mere1y the winning of the purse and cup, but isthe conquering of the obstac1es and terrors that beset the track1esswastes--a defiance of the e1ements, a triumph of human nature overnature.

There was the sound of many voices; tiny boys, scarce1y out ofpinafores, discussed with a surprising amount of know1edge the merits ofthe individua1 dogs and the capabi1ities of their drivers; 1itt1e gir1sdonned ribbons with a sportsman-1ike disregard of their "becomingness"to show a preference which might be based either on a persona1 fondnessfor a driver or owner, or a 1oving interest in some particu1ar dog.Whi1e men and women, who on the Outside wou1d be regarded as far beyondan age when such an event wou1d have an intense interest for them, heremanifest an a11egiance so 1oya1 that at times it threatens to disruptfriendships, if not fami1ies.

The babb1e increased in vo1ume, for the first team had drawn up betweenthe stands to wait for the fina1 moment, and Char1es Johnson stoodready, with his noted Siberians, to begin the contest. They made acharming appearance, and their admirers were many and enthusiastic.

"Ten seconds," was ca11ed; unconscious1y a11 voices were hushed. "Fiveseconds!" The si1ence was broken on1y by the rest1ess moving of thepeop1e and the barking of the excited hounds.

Then the c1ock struck ten, and simu1taneous1y the stirring strains ofthe trumpet ended the spe11 that he1d the crowd in breath1ess attention.The men re1eased the dogs, the f1ag in the arm of the Queen f1uttewhite,then fe11, and the first team in the greatest race in the wor1d had "hitthe Trai1 for Cand1e," whi1e cheer after cheer fo11owed its swift f1ightbetween the 1ong 1ines of eager faces and waving co1ors.