smoke bellew-第5节

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ssed　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　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　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　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　was　asleep。

In　the　darkness　of　a　gale…driven　morning；　Kit　crawled　out；　built　a　fire　in　his　stocking　feet；　by　which　he　thawed　out　his　frozen　shoes；　then　boiled　coffee　and　fried　bacon。　　It　was　a　chilly；　miserable　meal。　　As　soon　as　finished；　they　strapped　their　blankets。　　As　John　Bellew　turned　to　lead　the　way　toward　the　Chilcoot　Trail；　Kit　held　out　his　hand。

〃Good…bye；　avuncular；〃　he　said。

John　Bellew　looked　at　him　and　swore　in　his　surprise。

〃Don't　forget　my　name's　Smoke；〃　Kit　chided。

〃But　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

Kit　waved　his　hand　in　a　general　direction　northward　over　the　storm…　lashed　lake。

〃What's　the　good　of　turning　back　after　getting　this　far？〃　he　asked。　〃Besides；　I've　got　my　taste　of　meat；　and　I　like　it。　　I'm　going　on。〃

〃You're　broke；〃　protested　John　Bellew。　　〃You　have　no　outfit。〃

〃I've　got　a　job。　　Behold　your　nephew；　Christopher　Smoke　Bellew！　He's　got　a　job　at　a　hundred　and　fifty　per　month　and　grub。　　He's　going　down　to　Dawson　with　a　couple　of　dudes　and　another　gentleman's　mancamp…cook；　boatman；　and　general　all…around　hustler。　　And　O'Hara　and　the　Billow　can　go　to　hell。　　Good…bye。〃

But　John　Bellew　was　dazed；　and　could　only　mutter：

〃I　don't　understand。〃

〃They　say　the　baldface　grizzlies　are　thick　in　the　Yukon　Basin；〃　Kit　explained。　　〃Well；　I've　got　only　one　suit　of　underclothes；　and　I'm　going　after　the　bear…meat；　that's　all。〃




THE　MEAT。




I。

Half　the　time　the　wind　blew　a　gale；　and　Smoke　Bellew　staggered　against　it　along　the　beach。　　In　the　gray　of　dawn　a　dozen　boats　were　being　loaded　with　the　precious　outfits　packed　across　Chilcoot。　　They　were　clumsy；　home…made　boats；　put　together　by　men　who　were　not　boat…　builders；　out　of　planks　they　had　sawed　by　hand　from　green　spruce　trees。　　One　boat；　already　loaded；　was　just　starting；　and　Kit　paused　to　watch。

The　wind；　which　was　fair　down　the　lake；　here　blew　in　squarely　on　the　beach；　kicking　up　a　nasty　sea　in　the　shallows。　　The　men　of　the　departing　boat　waded　in　high　rubber　boots　as　they　shoved　it　out　toward　deeper　water。　　Twice　they　did　this。　　Clambering　aboard　and　failing　to　row　clear；　the　boat　was　swept　back　and　grounded。　　Kit　noticed　that　the　spray　on　the　sides　of　the　boat　quickly　turned　to　ice。　　The　third　attempt　was　a　partial　success。　　The　last　two　men　to　climb　in　were　wet　to　their　waists；　but　the　boat　was　afloat。　　They　struggled　awkwardly　at　the　heavy　oars；　and　slowly　worked　off　shore。　Then　they　hoisted　a　sail　made　of　blankets；　had　it　carried　away　in　a　gust；　and　were　swept　a　third　time　back　on　the　freezing　beach。

Kit　grinned　to　himself　and　went　on。　　This　was　what　he　must　expect　to　encounter；　for　he；　too；　in　his　new　role　of　gentleman's　man；　was　to　start　from　the　beach　in　a　similar　boat　that　very　day。

Everywhere　men　were　at　work；　and　at　work　desperately；　for　the　closing　down　of　winter　was　so　imminent　that　it　was　a　gamble　whether　or　not　they　would　get　across　the　great　chain　of　lakes　before　the　freeze…up。　　Yet；　when　Kit　arrived　at　the　tent　of　Messrs　Sprague　and　Stine；　he　did　not　find　them　stirring。

By　a　fire；　under　the　shelter　of　a　tarpaulin；　squatted