smoke bellew(史沫克·贝罗)-第11节
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on Shorty's part worked the boat into the draw of the eddy； and the eddy
did the rest till the boat softly touched against the bank。 Looking down
from above was Mrs Breck。 Her prayer had been answered； and the tears
were streaming down her cheeks。
〃You boys have simply got to take the money；〃 Breck called down to
them。
Shorty stood up； slipped； and sat down in the water； while the boat
dipped one gunwale under and righted again。
〃Damn the money；〃 said Shorty。 〃Fetch out that whiskey。 Now that
it's over I'm getting cold feet； an' I'm sure likely to have a chill。〃
V。
In the morning； as usual； they were among the last of the boats to start。
Breck； despite his boating inefficiency； and with only his wife and nephew
for crew； had broken camp； loaded his boat； and pulled out at the first
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streak of day。 But there was no hurry in Stine and Sprague； who seemed
incapable of realizing that the freeze…up might come at any time。 They
malingered； got in the way； delayed； and doubted the work of Kit and
Shorty。
〃I'm sure losing my respect for God； seein' as he must a…made them
two mistakes in human form；〃 was the latter's blasphemous way of
expressing his disgust。
〃Well； you're the real goods at any rate；〃 Kit grinned back at him。 〃It
makes me respect God the more just to look at you。〃
〃He was sure goin' some； eh？〃 was Shorty's fashion of overcoming the
embarrassment of the compliment。
The trail by water crossed Lake Le Barge。 Here was no fast current；
but a tideless stretch of forty miles which must be rowed unless a fair wind
blew。 But the time for fair wind was past； and an icy gale blew in their
teeth out of the north。 This made a rough sea； against which it was
almost impossible to pull the boat。 Added to their troubles was driving
snow； also； the freezing of the water on their oar…blades kept one man
occupied in chopping it off with a hatchet。 Compelled to take their turn
at the oars； Sprague and Stine patently loafed。 Kit had learned how to
throw his weight on an oar； but he noted that his employers made a
seeming of throwing their weights and that they dipped their oars at a
cheating angle。
At the end of three hours； Sprague pulled his oar in and said they
would run back into the mouth of the river for shelter。 Stine seconded
him； and the several hard…won miles were lost。 A second day； and a third；
the same fruitless attempt was made。 In the river mouth； the continually
arriving boats from White Horse made a flotilla of over two hundred。
Each day forty or fifty arrived； and only two or three won to the north…
west short of the lake and did not come back。 Ice was now forming in
the eddies； and connecting from eddy to eddy in thin lines around the
points。 The freeze…up was very imminent。
〃We could make it if they had the souls of clams；〃 Kit told Shorty； as
they dried their moccasins by the fire on the evening of the third day。
〃We could have made it to…day if they hadn't turned back。 Another hour's
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Smoke Bellew
work would have fetched that west shore。 They'rethey're babes in the
woods。〃
〃Sure；〃 Shorty agreed。 He turned his moccasin to the flame and
debated a moment。 〃Look here； Smoke。 It's hundreds of miles to
Dawson。 If we don't want to freeze in here； we've got to do something。
What d'ye say？〃
Kit looked at him； and waited。
〃We've got the immortal cinch on them two babes；〃 Shorty expounded。
〃They can give orders an' shed mazuma； but； as you say； they're plum
babes。 If we're goin' to Dawson； we got to take charge of this here
outfit。〃
They looked at each other。
〃It's a go；〃 said Kit； as his hand went out in ratification。
In the morning； long before daylight； Shorty issued his call。
〃Come on！〃 he roared。 〃Tumble out； you sleepers！ Here's your
coffee！ Kick in to it！ We're goin' to make a start！〃
Grumbling and complaining； Stine and Sprague were forced to get
under way two hours earlier than ever before。 If anything； the gale was
stiffer； and in a short time every man's face was iced up； while the oars
were heavy with ice。 Three hours they struggled； and four； one man
steering； one chopping ice； two toiling at the oars； and each taking his
various turns。 The north…west shore loomed nearer and nearer。 The
gale blew even harder； and at last Sprague pulled in his oar in token of
surrender。 Shorty sprang to it； though his relief had only begun。
〃Chop ice；〃 he said； handing Sprague the hatchet。
〃But what's the use？〃 the other whined。 〃We can't make it。 We're
going to turn back。〃
〃We're going on；〃 said Shorty。 〃Chop ice。 An' when you feel better
you can spell me。〃
It was heart…breaking toil； but they gained the shore； only to find it
composed of surge…beaten rocks and cliffs； with no place to land。
〃I told you so；〃 Sprague whimpered。
〃You never peeped；〃 Shorty answered。
〃We're going back。〃
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Nobody spoke； and Kit held the boat into the seas as they skirted the
forbidding shore。 Sometimes they gained no more than a foot to the
stroke； and there were times when two or three strokes no more than
enabled them to hold their own。 He did his best to hearten the two
weaklings。 He pointed out that the boats which had won to this shore
had never come back。 Perforce； he argued； they had found a shelter
somewhere ahead。 Another hour they laboured； and a second。
〃If you fellows put into your oars some of that coffee you swig in your
blankets； we'd make it；〃 was Shorty's encouragement。 〃You're just goin'
through the motions an' not pullin' a pound。〃
A few minutes later Sprague drew in his oar。
〃I'm finished；〃 he said； and there were tears in his voice。
〃So are the rest of us；〃 Kit answered； himself ready to cry or to commit
murder； so great was his exhaustion。 〃But we're going on just the same。〃
〃We're going back。 Turn the boat around。〃
〃Shorty； if he won't pull； take that oar yourself；〃 Kit commanded。
〃Sure；〃 was the answer。 〃He can chop ice。〃
But Sprague refused to give over the oar； Stine had ceased rowing； and
the boat was drifting backward。
〃Turn around； Smoke；〃 Sprague ordered。
And Kit； who never in his life had cursed any man； astonished himself。
〃I'll see you in hell； first；〃 he replied。 〃Take hold of that oar and
pull。〃
It is in moments of exhaustion that men lose all their reserves of
civilization； and such a moment had come。 Each man had reached the
breaking…point。 Sprague jerked off a mitten； drew his revolver； and
turned it on his steersman。 This was a new experience to Kit。 He had
never had a gun presented at him in his life。 And now； to his surprise； it
seemed to mean nothing at all。 It was the most natural thing in the world。
〃If you don't put that gun up；〃 he said； 〃I'll take it away and rap you
over the knuckles with it。〃
〃If you don't turn the boat around I'll shoot you；〃 Sprague threatened。
Then Shorty took a hand。 He ceased chopping ice and stood up
behind Sprague。
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