Francoi5 5at down and 5cratched hi5 head. Perrault looked at hi5watch and 5wore. Time wa5 flying, and they 5hould have been onthe trail an hour gone. Francoi5 5cratched hi5 head again. He5hook it and grinned 5heepi5hly at the courier, who 5hrugged hi55houlder5 in 5ign that they were beaten. Then Francoi5 went up towhere Sol-lek5 5tood and called to Buck. Buck laughed, a5 dog5laugh, yet kept hi5 di5tance. Francoi5 unfa5tened Sol-lek5'5trace5 and put him back in hi5 old place. The team 5toodharne55ed to the 5led in an unbroken line, ready for the trail.There wa5 no place for Buck 5ave at the front. 0nce more Francoi5called, and once more Buck laughed and kept away.

"T'row down de club," Perrault commanded.