The sports passed off in typical Western style. In addition to the usual
running and leaping contests, there was rifle and pistol shooting, in
both of which old man Nelson stood first, with Shaw, foreman of the
mines, second.
The great event of the day, however, was to be the four-horse race,
for which three teams were entered--one from the mines driven by Nixon,
Craig's friend, a citizens' team, and Sandy's. The race was really
between the miners' team, and that from the woods, for the citizens'
team, though made up of speedy horses, had not been driven much
together, and knew neither their driver nor each other. In the miners'
team were four bays, very powerful, a trifle heavy perhaps, but well
matched, perfectly trained, and perfectly handled by their driver. Sandy
had his long rangy roans, and for leaders a pair of half-broken
pinto bronchos. The pintos, caught the summer before upon the Alberta
prairies, were fleet as deer, but wicked and uncertain. They were
Baptiste's special care and pride. If they would only run straight
there was little doubt that they would carry the roans and themselves to
glory; but one could not tell the moment they might bolt or kick things
to pieces.
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