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trick with foot…gear that was invaluable to any hiker; sang his

〃Like Argus of the Ancient Times;〃 and told them of the great

emigration across the Plains in Forty…nine。



〃My goodness; the first cheerful and hearty…like camp since we hit

the beach;〃 Big Bill remarked as he knocked out his pipe and began

pulling off his shoes for bed。



〃Kind of made things easy; boys; eh?〃  Tarwater queried genially。



All nodded。  〃Well; then; I got a proposition; boys。  You can take

it or leave it; but just listen kindly to it。  You're in a hurry to

get in before the freeze…up。  Half the time is wasted over the

cooking by one of you that he might be puttin' in packin' outfit。

If I do the cookin' for you; you all'll get on that much faster。

Also; the cookin' 'll be better; and that'll make you pack better。

And I can pack quite a bit myself in between times; quite a bit;

yes; sir; quite a bit。〃



Big Bill and Anson were just beginning to nod their heads in

agreement; when Charles stopped them。



〃What do you expect of us in return?〃 he demanded of the old man。



〃Oh; I leave it up to the boys。〃



〃That ain't business;〃 Charles reprimanded sharply。  〃You made the

proposition。  Now finish it。〃



〃Well; it's this way … 〃



〃You expect us to feed you all winter; eh?〃 Charles interrupted。



〃No; siree; I don't。  All I reckon is a passage to Klondike in your

boat would be mighty square of you。〃



〃You haven't an ounce of grub; old man。  You'll starve to death

when you get there。〃



〃I've been feedin' some long time pretty successful;〃 Old Tarwater

replied; a whimsical light in his eyes。  〃I'm seventy; and ain't

starved to death never yet。〃



〃Will you sign a paper to the effect that you shift for yourself as

soon as you get to Dawson?〃 the business one demanded。



〃Oh; sure;〃 was the response。



Again Charles checked his two partners' expressions of satisfaction

with the arrangement。



〃One other thing; old man。  We're a party of four; and we all have

a vote on questions like this。  Young Liverpool is ahead with the

main outfit。  He's got a say so; and he isn't here to say it。〃



〃What kind of a party might he be?〃 Tarwater inquired。



〃He's a rough…neck sailor; and he's got a quick; bad temper。〃



〃Some turbulent;〃 Anson contributed。



〃And the way he can cuss is simply God…awful;〃 Big Bill testified。



〃But he's square;〃 Big Bill added。



Anson nodded heartily to this appraisal。



〃Well; boys;〃 Tarwater summed up; 〃I set out for Californy and I

got there。  And I'm going to get to Klondike。  Ain't a thing can

stop me; ain't a thing。  I'm going to get three hundred thousand

outa the ground; too。  Ain't a thing can stop me; ain't a thing;

because I just naturally need the money。  I don't mind a bad temper

so long's the boy is square。  I'll take my chance; an' I'll work

along with you till we catch up with him。  Then; if he says no to

the proposition; I reckon I'll lose。  But somehow I just can't see

'm sayin' no; because that'd mean too close up to freeze…up and too

late for me to find another chance like this。  And; as I'm sure

going to get to Klondike; it's just plumb impossible for him to say

no。〃



Old John Tarwater became a striking figure on a trail unusually

replete with striking figures。  With thousands of men; each back…

tripping half a ton of outfit; retracing every mile of the trail

twenty times; all came to know him and to hail him as 〃Father

Christmas。〃  And; as he worked; ever he raised his chant with his

age…falsetto voice。  None of the three men he had joined could

complain about his work。  True; his joints were stiff … he admitted

to a trifle of rheumatism。  He moved slowly; and seemed to creak

and crackle when he moved; but he kept on moving。  Last into the

blankets at night; he was first out in the morning; so that the

other three had hot coffee before their one before…breakfast pack。

And; between breakfast and dinner and between dinner and supper; he

always managed to back…trip for several packs himself。  Sixty

pounds was the limit of his burden; however。  He could manage

seventy…five; but he could not keep it up。  Once; he tried ninety;

but collapsed on the trail and was seriously shaky for a couple of

days afterward。



Work!  On a trail where hard…working men learned for the first time

what work was; no man worked harder in proportion to his strength

than Old Tarwater。  Driven desperately on by the near…thrust of

winter; and lured madly on by the dream of gold; they worked to

their last ounce of strength and fell by the way。  Others; when

failure made certain; blew out their brains。  Some went mad; and

still others; under the irk of the man…destroying strain; broke

partnerships and dissolved life…time friendships with fellows just

as good as themselves and just as strained and mad。



Work!  Old Tarwater could shame them all; despite his creaking and

crackling and the nasty hacking cough he had developed。  Early and

late; on trail or in camp beside the trail he was ever in evidence;

ever busy at something; ever responsive to the hail of 〃Father

Christmas。〃  Weary back…trippers would rest their packs on a log or

rock alongside of where he rested his; and would say:  〃Sing us

that song of yourn; dad; about Forty…Nine。〃  And; when he had

wheezingly complied; they would arise under their loads; remark

that it was real heartening; and hit the forward trail again。



〃If ever a man worked his passage and earned it;〃 Big Bill confided

to his two partners; 〃that man's our old Skeezicks。〃



〃You bet;〃 Anson confirmed。  〃He's a valuable addition to the

party; and I; for one; ain't at all disagreeable to the notion of

making him a regular partner … 〃



〃None of that!〃 Charles Crayton cut in。  〃When we get to Dawson

we're quit of him … that's the agreement。  We'd only have to bury

him if we let him stay on with us。  Besides; there's going to be a

famine; and every ounce of grub'll count。  Remember; we're feeding

him out of our own supply all the way in。  And if we run short in

the pinch next year; you'll know the reason。  Steamboats can't get

up grub to Dawson till the middle of June; and that's nine months

away。〃



〃Well; you put as much money and outfit in as the rest of us;〃 Big

Bill conceded; 〃and you've a say according。〃



〃And I'm going to have my say;〃 Charles asserted with increasing

irritability。  〃And it's lucky for you with your fool sentiments

that you've got somebody to think ahead for you; else you'd all

starve to death。  I tell you that famine's coming。  I've been

studying the situation。  Flour will be two dollars a pound; or ten;

and no sellers。  You mark my words。〃



Across the rubble…covered flats; up the dark canyon to Sheep Camp;

past the over…hanging and ever…threatening glaciers to the Scales;

and from the Scales up the steep pitches of ice…scoured rock where

packers climbed with hands and feet; Old Tarwater camp…cooked and

packed and sang。  He blew across Chilcoot Pass; above timberline;

in the first swirl of autumn snow。  Those below; without firewood;

on the bitter rim of Crater Lake; heard from the driving obscurity

above them a weird voice chanting:





〃Like Argus of the ancient times;

We leave this modern Greece;

Tum…tum; tum…tum; tum; tum; tum…tum;

To shear the Golden Fleece。〃





And out of the snow flurries they saw appear a tall; gaunt form;

with whiskers of flying white that blended with the storm; bending

under a sixty…pound pack of camp dunnage。



〃Father Christmas!〃 was the hail。  And then:  〃Three rousing cheers

for Father Christmas!〃



Two miles beyond Crater Lake lay Happy Camp … so named because here

was found the uppermost fringe of the timber line; where men might

warm themselves by fire again。  Scarcely could it be called timber;

for it was a dwarf rock…spruce that never raised its loftiest

branches higher than a foot above the moss; and that twisted and

grovelled like a pig…vegetable under the moss。  Here; on the trail

leading into Happy Camp; in the first sunshine of half a dozen

days; Old Tarwater rested his pack against a huge boulder and

caught his breath。  Around this boulder the trail passed; laden men

toiling slowly forward and men with empty pack…straps limping

rapidly back for fresh loads。  Twice Old Tarwater essayed to rise

and go on; and each time; warned by his shakiness; sank back to

recover more strength。  From around the boulder he heard voices in

greeting; recognized Charles Crayton's voice; and realized that at

last they had met up with Young Liverpool。  Quickly; Charles

plunged into business; and Tarwater heard with great distinctness

every word of Charles' unflattering description of him and the

proposition to give him passage to Dawson。



〃A dam fool proposition;〃 was Liverpool's judgment; when Charles

had concluded。  〃An old granddad of seventy!  If he's on his last

legs;

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