smoke bellew(史沫克·贝罗)-第6节
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〃You've got a gold…mine； my friend； in that dinky boat；〃 Kit said to the
ferryman。 〃Do you want another gold…mine？〃
〃Show me；〃 was the answer。
〃I'll sell it to you for the price of ferrying my outfit。 It's an idea； not
patented； and you can jump the deal as soon as I tell you it。 Are you
game？〃
The ferryman said he was； and Kit liked his looks。
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〃Very well。 You see that glacier。 Take a pick…axe and wade into it。
In a day you can have a decent groove from top to bottom。 See the point？
The Chilcoot and Crater Lake Consolidated Chute Corporation； Limited。
You can charge fifty cents a hundred； get a hundred tons a day； and have
no work to do but collect the coin。〃
Two hours later； Kit's ton was across the lake； and he had gained three
days on himself。 And when John Bellew overtook him； he was well
along toward Deep Lake； another volcanic pit filled with glacial water。
VII。
The last pack； from Long Lake to Linderman； was three miles； and the
trail； if trail it could be called； rose up over a thousand…foot hogback；
dropped down a scramble of slippery rocks； and crossed a wide stretch of
swamp。 John Bellew remonstrated when he saw Kit arise with a hundred
pounds in the straps and pick up a fifty…pound sack of flour and place it on
top of the pack against the back of his neck。
〃Come on； you chunk of the hard；〃 Kit retorted。 〃Kick in on your
bear…meat fodder and your one suit of underclothes。〃
But John Bellew shook his head。
〃I'm afraid I'm getting old； Christopher。〃
〃You're only forty…eight。 Do you realize that my grandfather； sir；
your father； old Isaac Bellew； killed a man with his fist when he was sixty…
nine years old？〃
John Bellew grinned and swallowed his medicine。
〃Avuncular； I want to tell you something important。 I was raised a
Lord Fauntleroy； but I can outpack you； outwalk you； put you on your
back； or lick you with my fists right now。〃
John Bellew thrust out his hand and spoke solemnly。
〃Christopher； my boy； I believe you can do it。 I believe you can do it
with that pack on your back at the same time。 You've made good； boy；
though it's too unthinkable to believe。〃
Kit made the round trip of the last pack four times a day； which is to
say that he daily covered twenty…four miles of mountain climbing； twelve
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miles of it under one hundred and fifty pounds。 He was proud； hard； and
tired； but in splendid physical condition。 He ate and slept as he had never
eaten and slept in his life； and as the end of the work came in sight； he was
almost half sorry。
One problem bothered him。 He had learned that he could fall with a
hundredweight on his back and survive； but he was confident； if he fell
with that additional fifty pounds across the back of his neck； that it would
break it clean。 Each trail through the swamp was quickly churned
bottomless by the thousands of packers； who were compelled continually
to make new trails。 It was while pioneering such a new trail； that he
solved the problem of the extra fifty。
The soft； lush surface gave way under him； he floundered； and pitched
forward on his face。 The fifty pounds crushed his face in the mud and
went clear without snapping his neck。 With the remaining hundred
pounds on his back； he arose on hands and knees。 But he got no farther。
One arm sank to the shoulder； pillowing his cheek in the slush。 As he
drew this arm clear； the other sank to the shoulder。 In this position it was
impossible to slip the straps； and the hundredweight on his back would not
let him rise。 On hands and knees； sinking first one arm and then the other；
he made an effort to crawl to where the small sack of flour had fallen。 But
he exhausted himself without advancing； and so churned and broke the
grass surface； that a tiny pool of water began to form in perilous proximity
to his mouth and nose。
He tried to throw himself on his back with the pack underneath； but
this resulted in sinking both arms to the shoulders and gave him a foretaste
of drowning。 With exquisite patience； he slowly withdrew one sucking
arm and then the other and rested them flat on the surface for the support
of his chin。 Then he began to call for help。 After a time he heard the
sound of feet sucking through the mud as some one advanced from
behind。
〃Lend a hand； friend；〃 he said。 〃Throw out a life…line or something。〃
It was a woman's voice that answered； and he recognized it。
〃If you'll unbuckle the straps I can get up。〃
The hundred pounds rolled into the mud with a soggy noise； and he
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slowly gained his feet。
〃A pretty predicament；〃 Miss Gastell laughed； at sight of his mud…
covered face。
〃Not at all；〃 he replied airily。 〃My favourite physical exercise stunt。
Try it some time。 It's great for the pectoral muscles and the spine。〃
He wiped his face； flinging the slush from his hand with a snappy jerk。
〃Oh！〃 she cried in recognition。 〃It's MrahMr Smoke Bellew。〃
〃I thank you gravely for your timely rescue and for that name；〃 he
answered。 〃I have been doubly baptized。 Henceforth I shall insist
always on being called Smoke Bellew。 It is a strong name； and not
without significance。〃
He paused； and then voice and expression became suddenly fierce。
〃Do you know what I'm going to do？〃 he demanded。 〃I'm going back
to the States。 I am going to get married。 I am going to raise a large
family of children。 And then； as the evening shadows fall； I shall gather
those children about me and relate the sufferings and hardships I endured
on the Chilcoot Trail。 And if they don't cryI repeat； if they don't cry； I'll
lambaste the stuffing out of them。〃
VIII。
The arctic winter came down apace。 Snow that had come to stay lay
six inches on the ground； and the ice was forming in quiet ponds； despite
the fierce gales that blew。 It was in the late afternoon； during a lull in
such a gale； that Kit and John Bellew helped the cousins load the boat and
watched it disappear down the lake in a snow…squall。
〃And now a night's sleep and an early start in the morning；〃 said John
Bellew。 〃If we aren't storm…bound at the summit we'll make Dyea to…
morrow night； and if we have luck in catching a steamer we'll be in San
Francisco in a week。〃
〃Enjoyed your vacation？〃 Kit asked absently。
Their camp for that last night at Linderman was a melancholy remnant。
Everything of use； including the tent； had been taken by the cousins。 A
tattered tarpaulin； stretched as a wind…break； partially sheltered them from
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the driving snow。 Supper they cooked on an open fire in a couple of
battered and discarded camp utensils。 All that was left them were their
blankets； and food for several meals。
From the moment of the departure of the boat； Kit had become absent
and restless。 His uncle noticed his condition； and attributed it to the fact
that the end of the hard toil had come。 Only once during supper did Kit
speak。
〃Avuncular；〃 he said； relevant of nothing； 〃after this； I wish you'd call
me Smoke。 I've made some smoke on this trail； haven't I？〃
A few minutes later he wandered away in the direction of the village of
tents that sheltered the gold…rushers who were still packing or building
their boats。 He was gone several hours； and when he returned and
slipped into his blankets John Bellew w
