smoke bellew-第10部分

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VI。

Day　by　day　they　floated　down　the　swift　river；　and　day　by　day　the　shore…ice　extended　farther　out。　　When　they　made　camp　at　nightfall；　they　chopped　a　space　in　the　ice　in　which　to　lay　the　boat；　and　carried　the　camp　outfit　hundreds　of　feet　to　shore。　　In　the　morning；　they　chopped　the　boat　out　through　the　new　ice　and　caught　the　current。　　Shorty　set　up　the　sheet…iron　stove　in　the　boat；　and　over　this　Stine　and　Sprague　hung　through　the　long；　drifting　hours。　　They　had　surrendered；　no　longer　gave　orders；　and　their　one　desire　was　to　gain　Dawson。　　Shorty；　pessimistic；　indefatigable；　and　joyous；　at　frequent　intervals　roared　out　the　three　lines　of　the　first　four…line　stanza　of　a　song　he　had　forgotten。　　The　colder　it　got　the　oftener　he　sang：

　　　　　〃Like　Argus　of　the　ancient　times；　　　　　　　　We　leave　this　Modern　Greece；　　　　　　　Tum…tum；　tum…tum；　tum…tum；　tum…tum；　　　　　　　　To　shear　the　Golden　Fleece。〃

As　they　passed　the　mouths　of　the　Hootalinqua　and　the　Big　and　Little　Salmon；　they　found　these　streams　throwing　mush…ice　into　the　main　Yukon。　　This　gathered　about　the　boat　and　attached　itself；　and　at　night　they　found　themselves　compelled　to　chop　the　boat　out　of　the　current。　　In　the　morning　they　chopped　the　boat　back　into　the　current。

The　last　night　ashore　was　spent　between　the　mouths　of　the　White　River　and　the　Stewart。　　At　daylight　they　found　the　Yukon；　half　a　mile　wide；　running　white　from　ice…rimmed　bank　to　ice…rimmed　bank。　Shorty　cursed　the　universe　with　less　geniality　than　usual；　and　looked　at　Kit。

〃We'll　be　the　last　boat　this　year　to　make　Dawson；〃　Kit　said。

〃But　they　ain't　no　water；　Smoke。〃

〃Then　we'll　ride　the　ice　down。　　Come　on。〃

Futilely　protesting；　Sprague　and　Stine　were　bundled　on　board。　　For　half　an　hour；　with　axes；　Kit　and　Shorty　struggled　to　cut　a　way　into　the　swift　but　solid　stream。　　When　they　did　succeed　in　clearing　the　shore…ice；　the　floating　ice　forced　the　boat　along　the　edge　for　a　hundred　yards；　tearing　away　half　of　one　gunwale　and　making　a　partial　wreck　of　it。　　Then　they　caught　the　current　at　the　lower　end　of　the　bend　that　flung　off…shore。　　They　proceeded　to　work　farther　toward　the　middle。　　The　stream　was　no　longer　composed　of　mush…ice　but　of　hard　cakes。　　In　between　the　cakes　only　was　mush…ice；　that　froze　solidly　as　they　looked　at　it。　　Shoving　with　the　oars　against　the　cakes；　sometimes　climbing　out　on　the　cakes　in　order　to　force　the　boat　along；　after　an　hour　they　gained　the　middle。　　Five　minutes　after　they　ceased　their　exertions；　the　boat　was　frozen　in。　　The　whole　river　was　coagulating　as　it　ran。　　Cake　froze　to　cake；　until　at　last　the　boat　was　the　centre　of　a　cake　seventy…five　feet　in　diameter。　　Sometimes　they　floated　sidewise；　sometimes　stern…first；　while　gravity　tore　asunder　the　forming　fetters　in　the　moving　mass；　only　to　be　manacled　by　faster…forming　ones。　　While　the　hours　passed；　Shorty　stoked　the　stove；　cooked　meals；　and　chanted　his　war　song。

Night　came；　and　after　many　efforts；　they　gave　up　the　attempt　to　force　the　boat　to　shore；　and　through　the　darkness　they　swept　helplessly　onward。

〃What　if　we　pass　Dawson？〃　Shorty　queried。

〃We'll　walk　back；〃　Kit　answered；　〃if　we're　not　crushed　in　a　jam。〃

The　sky　was　clear；　and　in　the　light　of　the　cold　leaping　stars　they　caught　occasional　glimpses　of　the　loom　of　mountains　on　either　hand。　At　eleven　o'clock；　from　below；　came　a　dull；　grinding　roar。　　Their　speed　began　to　diminish；　and　cakes　of　ice　to　up…end　and　crash　and　smash　about　them。　　The　river　was　jamming。　　One　cake；　forced　upward；　slid　across　their　cake　and　carried　one　side　of　the　boat　away。　　It　did　not　sink；　for　its　own　cake　still　upbore　it；　but　in　a　whirl　they　saw　dark　water　show　for　an　instant　within　a　foot　of　them。　　Then　all　movement　ceased。　　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour　the　whole　river　picked　itself　up　and　began　to　move。　　This　continued　for　an　hour；　when　again　it　was　brought　to　rest　by　a　jam。　　Once　again　it　started；　running　swiftly　and　savagely；　with　a　great　grinding。　　Then　they　saw　lights　ashore；　and；　when　abreast；　gravity　and　the　Yukon　surrendered；　and　the　river　ceased　for　six　months。

On　the　shore　at　Dawson；　curious　ones　gathered　to　watch　the　river　freeze；　heard　from　out　of　the　darkness　the　war…song　of　Shorty：

　　　　　〃Like　Argus　of　the　ancient　times；　　　　　　　　We　leave　this　Modern　Greece；　　　　　　　Tum…tum；　tum…tum；　tum…tum；　tum…tum；　　　　　　　　To　shear　the　Golden　Fleece。〃



VII。

For　three　days　Kit　and　Shorty　laboured；　carrying　the　ton　and　a　half　of　outfit　from　the　middle　of　the　river　to　the　log…cabin　Stine　and　Sprague　had　bought　on　the　hill　overlooking　Dawson。　　This　work　finished；　in　the　warm　cabin；　as　twilight　was　falling；　Sprague　motioned　Kit　to　him。　　Outside　the　thermometer　registered　sixty…five　below　zero。

〃Your　full　month　isn't　up；　Smoke；〃　Sprague　said。　　〃But　here　it　is　in　full。　　I　wish　you　luck。〃

〃How　about　the　agreement？〃　Kit　asked。　　〃You　know　there's　a　famine　here。　　A　man　can't　get　work　in　the　mines　even；　unless　he　has　his　own　grub。　　You　agreed〃

〃I　know　of　no　agreement；〃　Sprague　interrupted。　　〃Do　you；　Stine？　　We　engaged　you　by　the　month。　　There's　your　pay。　　Will　you　sign　the　receipt？〃

Kit's　hands　clenched；　and　for　the　moment　he　saw　red。　　Both　men　shrank　away　from　him。　　He　had　never　struck　a　man　in　anger　in　his　life；　and　he　felt　so　certain　of　his　ability　to　thrash　Sprague　that　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　do　it。

Shorty　saw　his　trouble　and　interposed。

〃Look　here；　Smoke；　I　ain't　travelin'　no　more　with　a　ornery　outfit　like　this。　　Right　here's　where　I　sure　jump　it。　　You　an'　me　stick　together。　　Savve？　　Now；　you　take　your　blankets　an'　hike　down　to　the　Elkhorn。　　Wait　for　me。　　I'll　settle　up；　collect　what's　comin'；　an'　give　them　what's　comin'。　　I　ain't　no　good　on　the　water；　but　my　feet's　on　terry…fermy　now　an'　I'm　sure　goin'　to　make　smoke。〃

　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。

Half　an　hour　afterwards　Shorty　appeared　at　the　Elkhorn。　　From　his　bleeding　knuckles　and　the　skin　off　one　cheek；　it　was　evident　that　he　had　given　Stine　and　Sprague　what　was　coming。

〃You　ought　to　see　that　cabin；〃　he　chuckled；　as　they　stood　at　the　bar。　　〃Rough…house　ain't　no　name　for　it。　　Dollars　to　doughnuts　nary　one　of　'em　shows　up　on　the　street　for　a　week。　　An'　now　it's　all　figgered　out　for　you　an'　me。　　Grub's　a　dollar　an'　a　half　a　pound。　They　ain't　no　work　for　wages　without　you　have　your　own　grub。　　Moose…　meat's　sellin'　for　two　dollars　a　pound　an'　they　ain't　none。　　We　got　enough　money　for　a　month's　grub　an'　ammunition；　an'　we　hike　up　the　Klondike　to　the　back　country。　　If　they　ain't　no　moose；　we　go　an'　live　with　the　Indians。　　But　if　we　ain't　got　five　thousand　pounds　of　meat　six　weeks　from　now；　I'llI'll　sure　go　back　an'　apologize　to　our　bosses。　　Is　it　a　go？〃

Kit's　hand　went　out　and　they　shook。　　Then　he　faltered。

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　hunting；〃　he　said。

Shorty　lifted　his　glass。

〃But　you're　a　sure　meat…eater；　an'　I'll　learn　you。〃




THE　STAMPEDE　TO　SQUAW　CREEK。




I。

Two　months　after　Smoke　Bellew　and　Shorty　went　after　moose　for　a　grubstake；　they　were　back　in　the　Elkhorn　saloon　at　Dawson。　　The　hunting　was　done；　the　meat　hauled　in　and　sold　for　two　dollars　and　a　half　a　pound；　and　between　them　they　possessed　three　thousand　dollars　in　gold　dust　and　a　good　team　of　dogs。　　They　had　played　in　luck。　Despite　the　fact　that　the　gold　rush　had　driven　the　game　a　hundred　miles　or　more　into　the　mountains；　they　had；　within　half　that　distance；　bagged　four　moose　in　a　narrow　canyon。

The　mystery　of　the　strayed　animals　was　no　greater　than　the　luck　of　their　killers；　for　within　the　day　four　famished　Indian　families　reporting　no　game　in　three　days'　journey　back；　camped　beside　them。　Meat　was　traded　for　starving　dogs；　and　after　a　week　of　feeding；　Smoke　and　Shorty　harnessed　the　animals　and　began　freighting　the　meat　to　the　eager　Dawson　market。

The　problem　of　the　two　men　now；　was　to　turn　their　gold…dust　into　food。　　The　current　price　for　flour　and　beans　was　a　dollar　and　a　half　a　pound；　but　the　difficulty　was　to　find　a　seller。　　Dawson　was　in　the　throes　of　famine。　　Hundreds　of　men；　with　money　but　no　food；　had　been　compelled　to　leave　the　country。　　Many　had　gone　down　the　river　on　the　last　water；　and　many　more　with　barely　enough　food　to　last；　had　walked　the　six　hundred　miles　over　the　ice　to　Dyea。

Smoke　met　Shorty　in　the　warm　saloon；　and　found　the　latter　jubilant。

〃Life　ain't　no　punkins　without　whiskey　an'　sweetenin'；〃　was　Shorty's　greeting；　as　he　pulled　lumps　of　ice　from　his　thawing　moustache　and　flung　them　rattling　on　the　floor。　　〃An'　I　sure　just　got　eighteen　pounds　of　that　same　sweetenin'。　　The　geezer　only　charged　three　dollars　a　pound　for　it。　　What　luck　did　you　have？〃

〃I；　too；　have　not　been　idle；〃　Smoke　answered　with　pride。　　〃I　bought　fifty　pounds　of　flour。　　And　there's　a　man　up　on　Adam　Creek　says　he'll　let　me　have　fifty　pounds　more　to…morrow。〃

〃Great！　　We'll　sure　live　till　the　river　opens。　　Say；　Smoke；　them　dogs　of　ourn　is　the　goods。　　A　dog…buyer　offered　me　two　hundred　apiece　for　the　five　of　them。　　I　told　him　nothin'　doin'。　　They　sure　took　on　class　when　they　got　meat　to　get　outside　of；　but　it　goes　against　the　grain　feedin'　dog…critters　on　grub　that's　worth　two　and　a　half　a　pound。　　Come　on　an'　have　a　drink。　　I　just　got　to　celebrate　them　eighteen　pounds　of　sweetenin'。〃