smoke bellew(史沫克·贝罗)-第9节
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waited upon。
But the iron…bound arctic winter continued to close down； and they
were held back by numerous and avoidable delays。 At Windy Arm； Stine
arbitrarily dispossessed Kit of the steering…sweep and within the hour
wrecked the boat on a wave…beaten lee shore。 Two days were lost here in
making repairs； and the morning of the fresh start； as they came down to
embark； on stern and bow； in large letters； was charcoaled 'The
Chechaquo。'
Kit grinned at the appropriateness of the invidious word。
〃Huh！〃 said Shorty； when accused by Stine。 〃I can sure read and
spell； an' I know that Chechaquo means tenderfoot； but my education
never went high enough to learn me to spell a jaw…breaker like that。〃
Both employers looked daggers at Kit； for the insult rankled； nor did
he mention that the night before； Shorty had besought him for the spelling
of that particular word。
〃That's 'most as bad as your bear…meat slam at 'em；〃 Shorty confided
later。
Kit chuckled。 Along with the continuous discovery of his own
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powers had come an ever…increasing disapproval of the two masters。 It
was not so much irritation； which was always present； as disgust。 He had
got his taste of the meat； and liked it； but they were teaching him how not
to eat it。 Privily； he thanked God that he was not made as they。 He
came to dislike them to a degree that bordered on hatred。 Their
malingering bothered him less than their helpless inefficiency。
Somewhere in him； old Isaac Bellew and all the rest of the hardy Bellews
were making good。
〃Shorty；〃 he said one day； in the usual delay of getting started； 〃I could
almost fetch them a rap over the head with an oar and bury them in the
river。〃
〃Same here；〃 Shorty agreed。 〃They're not meat…eaters。 They're fish…
eaters； and they sure stink。〃
III。
They came to the rapids； first； the Box Canyon； and； several miles
below； the White Horse。 The Box Canyon was adequately named。 It
was a box； a trap。 Once in it； the only way out was through。 On either
side arose perpendicular walls of rock。 The river narrowed to a fraction
of its width； and roared through this gloomy passage in a madness of
motion that heaped the water in the centre into a ridge fully eight feet
higher than at the rocky sides。 This ridge； in turn； was crested with stiff；
upstanding waves that curled over； yet remained each in its unvarying
place。 The Canyon was well feared； for it had collected its toll of dead
from the passing gold… rushers。
Tying to the bank above； where lay a score of other anxious boats； Kit
and his companions went ahead on foot to investigate。 They crept to the
brink and gazed down at the swirl of water。 Sprague drew back
shuddering。
〃My God！〃 he exclaimed。 〃A swimmer hasn't a chance in that。〃
Shorty touched Kit significantly with his elbow and said in an
undertone：
〃Cold feet。 Dollars to doughnuts they don't go through。〃
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Kit scarcely heard。 From the beginning of the boat trip he had been
learning the stubbornness and inconceivable viciousness of the elements；
and this glimpse of what was below him acted as a challenge。
〃We've got to ride that ridge；〃 he said。 〃If we get off of it we'll hit the
walls〃
〃And never know what hit us；〃 was Shorty's verdict。 〃Can you swim；
Smoke？〃
〃I'd wish I couldn't if anything went wrong in there。〃
〃That's what I say；〃 a stranger； standing alongside and peering down
into the Canyon； said mournfully。 〃And I wish I were through it。〃
〃I wouldn't sell my chance to go through；〃 Kit answered。
He spoke honestly； but it was with the idea of heartening the man。 He
turned to go back to the boat。
〃Are you going to tackle it？〃 the man asked。
Kit nodded。
〃I wish I could get the courage to；〃 the other confessed。 〃I've been
here for hours。 The longer I look； the more afraid I am。 I am not a
boatman； and I have only my nephew with me； who is a young boy； and
my wife。 If you get through safely； will you run my boat through？〃
Kit looked at Shorty； who delayed to answer。
〃He's got his wife with him；〃 Kit suggested。 Nor had he mistaken his
man。
〃Sure；〃 Shorty affirmed。 〃It was just that I was stopping to think
about。 I knew there was some reason I ought to do it。〃
Again they turned to go； but Sprague and Stine made no movement。
〃Good luck； Smoke；〃 Sprague called to him。 〃I'ller〃 He
hesitated。 〃I'll just stay here and watch you。〃
〃We need three men in the boat； two at the oars and one at the steering
sweep；〃 Kit said quietly。
Sprague looked at Stine。
〃I'm damned if I do；〃 said that gentleman。 〃If you're not afraid to
stand here and look on； I'm not。〃
〃Who's afraid？〃 Sprague demanded hotly。
Stine retorted in kind； and their two men left them in the thick of a
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squabble。
〃We can do without them；〃 Kit said to Shorty。 〃You take the bow
with a paddle； and I'll handle the steering sweep。 All you'll have to do is
just to keep her straight。 Once we're started； you won't be able to hear
me； so just keep on keeping straight。〃
They cast off the boat and worked out to middle in the quickening
current。 From the Canyon came an ever…growing roar。 The river
sucked in to the entrance with the smoothness of molten glass； and here； as
the darkening walls received them； Shorty took a chew of tobacco； and
dipped his paddle。 The boat leaped on the first crests of the ridge； and
they were deafened by the uproar of wild water that reverberated from the
narrow walls and multiplied itself。 They were half…smothered with flying
spray。 At times Kit could not see his comrade at the bow。 It was only a
matter of two minutes； in which time they rode the ridge three…quarters of
a mile； and emerged in safety and tied to the bank in the eddy below。
Shorty emptied his mouth of tobacco juicehe had forgotten to spit… …
and spoke。
〃That was bear…meat；〃 he exulted； 〃the real bear…meat。 Say； we want
a few； didn't we； Smoke； I don't mind tellin' you in confidence that before
we started I was the gosh…dangdest scaredest man this side of the Rocky…
Mountains。 Now I'm a bear…eater。 Come on an' we'll run that other boat
through。〃
Midway back； on foot； they encountered their employers； who had
watched the passage from above。
〃There comes the fish…eaters；〃 said Shorty。 〃Keep to win'ward。〃
IV。
After running the strangers' boat through； whose name proved to be
Breck； Kit and Shorty met his wife； a slender； girlish woman whose blue
eyes were moist with gratitude。 Breck himself tried to hand Kit fifty
dollars； and then attempted it on Shorty。
〃Stranger；〃 was the latter's rejection； 〃I come into this country to make
money outa the ground an' not outa my fellow critters。〃
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Breck rummaged in his boat and produced a demijohn of whiskey。
Shorty's hand half went out to it and stopped abruptly。 He shook his
head。
〃There's that blamed White Horse right below； an' they say it's worse
than the Box。 I reckon I don't dast tackle any lightning。〃
Several miles below they ran in to the bank； and all four walked down
to look at the bad
