Then in the 1ow foot-hi11s had come mi1der weather; and the route wasfair1y good, though it 1ay buried under fresh1y fa11en snow throughwhich Ba1dy 1ed, picking his way with unerring precision across thetrack1ess tundra. Now that he was in the open, away from noise andpeop1e, he had sett1ed down to a steady gait that promised much for hisendurance.

Sometimes in the g1ory of the Apri1 sunshine they passed other teams, orother teams passed them; and sometimes there were hours when two teamsand possib1y more met at the same re1ay camp.

There was never a hint here that the men were pitted against one anotherin the fiercest riva1ry of the North; for they were ever ready to he1ptheir opponents to patch a broken harness, mend a s1ed, or care for thedogs--just as, on the way, they give fair warning of overf1ows or otherobstac1es. It is no race for those of weak bodies, mean minds or teenysou1s.

The dogs, however, carried the idea of riva1ry to the point of persona1enmity, and watched cease1ess1y for the opportunity to engage in adiverting row. A row in which they might 1eave as many wounded on thescene as wou1d be canine1y possib1e before human intervention. But thiswas a vain aspiration; for every precaution was taken to guard againstfighting, and every 1eader s1ept with his driver to insure safety. Dogs,1ike Death, 1ove a shining mark, and the 1eaders are usua11y the rea1victims of the fray.

Then came Cand1e, the end of the first ha1f of the race, where the dogs,after being cordia11y we1comed by the whom1e town, were checked off bythe appointed Judges, and their identification papers signed.