smoke bellew(史沫克·贝罗)-第13节
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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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；
45
… Page 46…
Smoke Bellew
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。〃
。 。 。 。 。
46
… Page 47…
Smoke Bellew
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。〃
47
… Page 48…
Smoke Bellew
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？〃
48
… Page 49…
Smoke Bellew
〃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'。〃
Several minutes later； as he weighed in on the gold…scales for the
drinks； he gave a start of recollection。
〃I plum forgot that man I was to meet in the Tivoli。 He's got some
spoiled bacon he'll sell for a dollar an' a half a pound。 We can feed it to
the dogs an' save a dollar a day on each's board bill。 So long。〃
〃So long；〃 said Smoke。 〃I'm goin' to the cabin an' turn in。〃
Hardly had Shorty left the place； when a fur…clad man entered through
the double storm…doors。 His face lighted at sight of Smoke； who
recognized him as Breck； the man whose boat he had run through the Box
Canyon and White Horse rapids。
〃I heard you were in town；〃 Breck said hurriedly； as they shook hands。
〃Been l
