smoke bellew-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

e　and　Stine；　he　did　not　find　them　stirring。

By　a　fire；　under　the　shelter　of　a　tarpaulin；　squatted　a　short；　thick　man　smoking　a　brown…paper　cigarette。

〃Hello；〃　he　said。　　〃Are　you　Mister　Sprague's　new　man？〃

As　Kit　nodded；　he　thought　he　had　noted　a　shade　of　emphasis　on　the　mister　and　the　man；　and　he　was　sure　of　a　hint　of　a　twinkle　in　the　corner　of　the　eye。

〃Well；　I'm　Doc　Stine's　man；〃　the　other　went　on。　　〃I'm　five　feet　two　inches　long；　and　my　name's　Shorty；　Jack　Short　for　short；　and　sometimes　known　as　Johnny…on…the…Spot。〃

Kit　put　out　his　hand　and　shook。

〃Were　you　raised　on　bear…meat？〃　he　queried。

〃Sure；〃　was　the　answer；　〃though　my　first　feedin'　was　buffalo…milk　as　near　as　I　can　remember。　　Sit　down　an'　have　some　grub。　　The　bosses　ain't　turned　out　yet。〃

And　despite　the　one　breakfast；　Kit　sat　down　under　the　tarpaulin　and　ate　a　second　breakfast　thrice　as　hearty。　　The　heavy；　purging　toil　of　weeks　had　given　him　the　stomach　and　appetite　of　a　wolf。　　He　could　eat　anything；　in　any　quantity；　and　be　unaware　that　he　possessed　a　digestion。　　Shorty　he　found　voluble　and　pessimistic；　and　from　him　he　received　surprising　tips　concerning　their　bosses；　and　ominous　forecasts　of　the　expedition。　　Thomas　Stanley　Sprague　was　a　budding　mining　engineer　and　the　son　of　a　millionaire。　　Doctor　Adolph　Stine　was　also　the　son　of　a　wealthy　father。　　And；　through　their　fathers；　both　had　been　backed　by　an　investing　syndicate　in　the　Klondike　adventure。

〃Oh；　they're　sure　made　of　money；〃　Shorty　expounded。　　〃When　they　hit　the　beach　at　Dyea；　freight　was　seventy　cents；　but　no　Indians。　　There　was　a　party　from　Eastern　Oregon；　real　miners；　that'd　managed　to　get　a　team　of　Indians　together　at　seventy　cents。　　Indians　had　the　straps　on　the　outfit；　three　thousand　pounds　of　it；　when　along　comes　Sprague　and　Stine。　　They　offered　eighty　cents　and　ninety；　and　at　a　dollar　a　pound　the　Indians　jumped　the　contract　and　took　off　their　straps。　Sprague　and　Stine　came　through；　though　it　cost　them　three　thousand；　and　the　Oregon　bunch　is　still　on　the　beach。　　They　won't　get　through　till　next　year。

〃Oh；　they　are　real　hummers；　your　boss　and　mine；　when　it　comes　to　sheddin'　the　mazuma　an'　never　mindin'　other　folks'　feelin's。　　What　did　they　do　when　they　hit　Linderman？　　The　carpenters　was　just　putting　in　the　last　licks　on　a　boat　they'd　contracted　to　a　'Frisco　bunch　for　six　hundred。　　Sprague　and　Stine　slipped　'em　an　even　thousand；　and　they　jumped　their　contract。　　It's　a　good…lookin'　boat；　but　it's　jiggered　the　other　bunch。　　They've　got　their　outfit　right　here；　but　no　boat。　　And　they're　stuck　for　next　year。

〃Have　another　cup　of　coffee；　and　take　it　from　me　that　I　wouldn't　travel　with　no　such　outfit　if　I　didn't　want　to　get　to　Klondike　so　blamed　bad。　　They　ain't　hearted　right。　　They'd　take　the　crape　off　the　door　of　a　house　in　mourning　if　they　needed　it　in　their　business。　Did　you　sign　a　contract？〃

Kit　shook　his　head。

〃Then　I'm　sorry　for　you；　pardner。　　They　ain't　no　grub　in　the　country；　and　they'll　drop　you　cold　as　soon　as　they　hit　Dawson。　　Men　are　going　to　starve　there　this　winter。〃

〃They　agreed〃　Kit　began。

〃Verbal；〃　Shorty　snapped　him　short。　　〃It's　your　say　so　against　theirs；　that's　all。　　Well；　anywaywhat's　your　name；　pardner？〃

〃Call　me　Smoke；〃　said　Kit。

〃Well；　Smoke；　you'll　have　a　run　for　your　verbal　contract　just　the　same。　　This　is　a　plain　sample　of　what　to　expect。　　They　can　sure　shed　mazuma；　but　they　can't　work；　or　turn　out　of　bed　in　the　morning。　　We　should　have　been　loaded　and　started　an　hour　ago。　　It's　you　an'　me　for　the　big　work。　　Pretty　soon　you'll　hear　'em　shoutin'　for　their　coffeein　bed；　mind　you；　and　they　grown　men。　　What　d'ye　know　about　boatin'　on　the　water？　　I'm　a　cowman　and　a　prospector；　but　I'm　sure　tender…footed　on　water；　an'　they　don't　know　punkins。　　What　d'ye　know？〃

〃Search　me；〃　Kit　answered；　snuggling　in　closer　under　the　tarpaulin　as　the　snow　whirled　before　a　fiercer　gust。　　〃I　haven't　been　on　a　small　boat　since　a　boy。　　But　I　guess　we　can　learn。〃

A　corner　of　the　tarpaulin　tore　loose；　and　Shorty　received　a　jet　of　driven　snow　down　the　back　of　his　neck。

〃Oh；　we　can　learn　all　right；〃　he　muttered　wrathfully。　　〃Sure　we　can。　A　child　can　learn。　　But　it's　dollars　to　doughnuts　we　don't　even　get　started　to…day。〃

It　was　eight　o'clock　when　the　call　for　coffee　came　from　the　tent；　and　nearly　nine　before　the　two　employers　emerged。

〃Hello；〃　said　Sprague；　a　rosy…cheeked；　well…fed　young　man　of　twenty…　five。　　〃Time　we　made　a　start；　Shorty。　　You　and〃　　Here　he　glanced　interrogatively　at　Kit。　　〃I　didn't　quite　catch　your　name　last　evening。〃

〃Smoke。〃

〃Well；　Shorty；　you　and　Mr　Smoke　had　better　begin　loading　the　boat。〃

〃Plain　Smokecut　out　the　Mister；〃　Kit　suggested。

Sprague　nodded　curtly　and　strolled　away　among　the　tents；　to　be　followed　by　Doctor　Stine；　a　slender；　pallid　young　man。

Shorty　looked　significantly　at　his　companion。

〃Over　a　ton　and　a　half　of　outfit；　and　they　won't　lend　a　hand。　You'll　see。〃

〃I　guess　it's　because　we're　paid　to　do　the　work；〃　Kit　answered　cheerfully；　〃and　we　might　as　well　buck　in。〃

To　move　three　thousand　pounds　on　the　shoulders　a　hundred　yards　was　no　slight　task；　and　to　do　it　in　half　a　gale；　slushing　through　the　snow　in　heavy　rubber　boots；　was　exhausting。　　In　addition；　there　was　the　taking　down　of　the　tent　and　the　packing　of　small　camp　equipage。　Then　came　the　loading。　　As　the　boat　settled；　it　had　to　be　shoved　farther　and　farther　out；　increasing　the　distance　they　had　to　wade。　By　two　o'clock　it　had　all　been　accomplished；　and　Kit；　despite　his　two　breakfasts；　was　weak　with　the　faintness　of　hunger。　　His　knees　were　shaking　under　him。　　Shorty；　in　similar　predicament；　foraged　through　the　pots　and　pans；　and　drew　forth　a　big　pot　of　cold　boiled　beans　in　which　were　imbedded　large　chunks　of　bacon。　　There　was　only　one　spoon；　a　long…handled　one；　and　they　dipped；　turn　and　turn　about；　into　the　pot。　　Kit　was　filled　with　an　immense　certitude　that　in　all　his　life　he　had　never　tasted　anything　so　good。

〃Lord；　man；〃　he　mumbled　between　chews；　〃I　never　knew　what　appetite　was　till　I　hit　the　trail。〃

Sprague　and　Stine　arrived　in　the　midst　of　this　pleasant　occupation。

〃What's　the　delay？〃　Sprague　complained。　〃Aren't　we　ever　going　to　get　started？〃

Shorty　dipped　in　turn；　and　passed　the　spoon　to　Kit。　　Nor　did　either　speak　till　the　pot　was　empty　and　the　bottom　scraped。

〃Of　course　we　ain't　ben　doin'　nothing；〃　Shorty　said；　wiping　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　　〃We　ain't　ben　doin'　nothing　at　all。　　And　of　course　you　ain't　had　nothing　to　eat。　　It　was　sure　careless　of　me。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　Stine　said　quickly。　　〃We　ate　at　one　of　the　tents　friends　of　ours。〃

〃Thought　so；〃　Shorty　grunted。

〃But　now　that　you're　finished；　let　us　get　started；〃　Sprague　urged。

〃There's　the　boat；〃　said　Shorty。　　〃She's　sure　loaded。　　Now；　just　how　might　you　be　goin'　about　to　get　started？〃

〃By　climbing　aboard　and　shoving　off。　　Come　on。〃

They　waded　out；　and　the　employers　got　on　board；　while　Kit　and　Shorty　shoved　clear。　　When　the　waves　lapped　the　tops　of　their　boots　they　clambered　in。　　The　other　two　men　were　not　prepared　with　the　oars；　and　the　boat　swept　back　and　grounded。　　Half　a　dozen　times；　with　a　great　expenditure　of　energy；　this　was　repeated。

Shorty　sat　down　disconsolately　on　the　gunwale；　took　a　chew　of　tobacco；　and　questioned　the　universe；　while　Kit　baled　the　boat　and　the　other　two　exchanged　unkind　remarks。

〃If　you'll　take　my　orders；　I'll　get　her　off；〃　Sprague　finally　said。

The　attempt　was　well　intended；　but　before　he　could　clamber　on　board　he　was　wet　to　the　waist。

〃We've　got　to　camp　and　build　a　fire；〃　he　said；　as　the　boat　grounded　again。　　〃I'm　freezing。〃

〃Don't　be　afraid　of　a　wetting；〃　Stine　sneered。　　〃Other　men　have　gone　off　to…day　wetter　than　you。　　Now　I'm　going　to　take　her　out。〃

This　time　it　was　he　who　got　the　wetting；　and　who　announced　with　chattering　teeth　the　need　of　a　fire。

〃A　little　splash　like　that；〃　Sprague　chattered　spitefully。　　〃We'll　go　on。〃

〃Shorty；　dig　out　my　clothes…bag　and　make　a　fire；〃　the　other　commanded。

〃You'll　do　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　Sprague　cried。

Shorty　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　expectorated；　but　did　not　move。

〃He's　working　for　me；　and　I　guess　he　obeys　my　orders；〃　Stine　retorted。　　〃Shorty；　take　that　bag　ashore。〃

Shorty　obeyed；　and　Sprague　shivered　in　the　boat。　　Kit；　having　received　no　orders；　remained　inactive；　glad　of　the　rest。

〃A　boat　divided　against　itself　won't　float；〃　he　soliloquized。

〃What's　that？〃　Sprague　snarled　at　him。

〃Talking　to　myselfhabit　of　mine；〃　he　answered。

His　employer　favoured　him　with　a　hard　look；　and　sulked　several　minutes　longer。　　Then　he　surrendered。

〃Get　out　my　bag；　Smoke；〃　he　ordered；　〃and　lend　a　hand　with　that　fire。　　We　won't　get　off　till　the　morning　now。〃



II。

Next　day　the　gale　still　blew。　　Lake　Linderman　was　no　more　than　a　narrow　mountain　gorge　filled　with　water。　　Sweeping　down　from　the　mountains　through　this　funnel；　the　wind　was　irregular；　blowing　great　guns　at　times　and　at　other　times　dwindling　to　a　strong　breeze。

〃If　you　give　me　a　shot　at　it；　I　think　I　can　get　her　off；〃　Kit　said；　when　all　was　ready　for　the　start。

〃What　do　you　know　about　it？〃　Stine　snapped　at　him。

〃Search　me；〃　Kit　answered；　and　subsided。

It　was　the　first