smoke bellew-第9节

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e　a　seeming　of　throwing　their　weights　and　that　they　dipped　their　oars　at　a　cheating　angle。

At　the　end　of　three　hours；　Sprague　pulled　his　oar　in　and　said　they　would　run　back　into　the　mouth　of　the　river　for　shelter。　　Stine　seconded　him；　and　the　several　hard…won　miles　were　lost。　　A　second　day；　and　a　third；　the　same　fruitless　attempt　was　made。　　In　the　river　mouth；　the　continually　arriving　boats　from　White　Horse　made　a　flotilla　of　over　two　hundred。　　Each　day　forty　or　fifty　arrived；　and　only　two　or　three　won　to　the　north…west　short　of　the　lake　and　did　not　come　back。　　Ice　was　now　forming　in　the　eddies；　and　connecting　from　eddy　to　eddy　in　thin　lines　around　the　points。　　The　freeze…up　was　very　imminent。

〃We　could　make　it　if　they　had　the　souls　of　clams；〃　Kit　told　Shorty；　as　they　dried　their　moccasins　by　the　fire　on　the　evening　of　the　third　day。　　〃We　could　have　made　it　to…day　if　they　hadn't　turned　back。　　Another　hour's　work　would　have　fetched　that　west　shore。　They'rethey're　babes　in　the　woods。〃

〃Sure；〃　Shorty　agreed。　　He　turned　his　moccasin　to　the　flame　and　debated　a　moment。　　〃Look　here；　Smoke。　　It's　hundreds　of　miles　to　Dawson。　　If　we　don't　want　to　freeze　in　here；　we've　got　to　do　something。　　What　d'ye　say？〃

Kit　looked　at　him；　and　waited。

〃We've　got　the　immortal　cinch　on　them　two　babes；〃　Shorty　expounded。　〃They　can　give　orders　an'　shed　mazuma；　but；　as　you　say；　they're　plum　babes。　　If　we're　goin'　to　Dawson；　we　got　to　take　charge　of　this　here　outfit。〃

They　looked　at　each　other。

〃It's　a　go；〃　said　Kit；　as　his　hand　went　out　in　ratification。

In　the　morning；　long　before　daylight；　Shorty　issued　his　call。

〃Come　on！〃　he　roared。　　〃Tumble　out；　you　sleepers！　　Here's　your　coffee！　　Kick　in　to　it！　　We're　goin'　to　make　a　start！〃

Grumbling　and　complaining；　Stine　and　Sprague　were　forced　to　get　under　way　two　hours　earlier　than　ever　before。　　If　anything；　the　gale　was　stiffer；　and　in　a　short　time　every　man's　face　was　iced　up；　while　the　oars　were　heavy　with　ice。　　Three　hours　they　struggled；　and　four；　one　man　steering；　one　chopping　ice；　two　toiling　at　the　oars；　and　each　taking　his　various　turns。　　The　north…west　shore　loomed　nearer　and　nearer。　　The　gale　blew　even　harder；　and　at　last　Sprague　pulled　in　his　oar　in　token　of　surrender。　　Shorty　sprang　to　it；　though　his　relief　had　only　begun。

〃Chop　ice；〃　he　said；　handing　Sprague　the　hatchet。

〃But　what's　the　use？〃　the　other　whined。　　〃We　can't　make　it。　　We're　going　to　turn　back。〃

〃We're　going　on；〃　said　Shorty。　　〃Chop　ice。　　An'　when　you　feel　better　you　can　spell　me。〃

It　was　heart…breaking　toil；　but　they　gained　the　shore；　only　to　find　it　composed　of　surge…beaten　rocks　and　cliffs；　with　no　place　to　land。

〃I　told　you　so；〃　Sprague　whimpered。

〃You　never　peeped；〃　Shorty　answered。

〃We're　going　back。〃

Nobody　spoke；　and　Kit　held　the　boat　into　the　seas　as　they　skirted　the　forbidding　shore。　　Sometimes　they　gained　no　more　than　a　foot　to　the　stroke；　and　there　were　times　when　two　or　three　strokes　no　more　than　enabled　them　to　hold　their　own。　　He　did　his　best　to　hearten　the　two　weaklings。　　He　pointed　out　that　the　boats　which　had　won　to　this　shore　had　never　come　back。　　Perforce；　he　argued；　they　had　found　a　shelter　somewhere　ahead。　　Another　hour　they　laboured；　and　a　second。

〃If　you　fellows　put　into　your　oars　some　of　that　coffee　you　swig　in　your　blankets；　we'd　make　it；〃　was　Shorty's　encouragement。　　〃You're　just　goin'　through　the　motions　an'　not　pullin'　a　pound。〃

A　few　minutes　later　Sprague　drew　in　his　oar。

〃I'm　finished；〃　he　said；　and　there　were　tears　in　his　voice。

〃So　are　the　rest　of　us；〃　Kit　answered；　himself　ready　to　cry　or　to　commit　murder；　so　great　was　his　exhaustion。　　〃But　we're　going　on　just　the　same。〃

〃We're　going　back。　　Turn　the　boat　around。〃

〃Shorty；　if　he　won't　pull；　take　that　oar　yourself；〃　Kit　commanded。

〃Sure；〃　was　the　answer。　　〃He　can　chop　ice。〃

But　Sprague　refused　to　give　over　the　oar；　Stine　had　ceased　rowing；　and　the　boat　was　drifting　backward。

〃Turn　around；　Smoke；〃　Sprague　ordered。

And　Kit；　who　never　in　his　life　had　cursed　any　man；　astonished　himself。

〃I'll　see　you　in　hell；　first；〃　he　replied。　　〃Take　hold　of　that　oar　and　pull。〃

It　is　in　moments　of　exhaustion　that　men　lose　all　their　reserves　of　civilization；　and　such　a　moment　had　come。　　Each　man　had　reached　the　breaking…point。　　Sprague　jerked　off　a　mitten；　drew　his　revolver；　and　turned　it　on　his　steersman。　　This　was　a　new　experience　to　Kit。　　He　had　never　had　a　gun　presented　at　him　in　his　life。　　And　now；　to　his　surprise；　it　seemed　to　mean　nothing　at　all。　　It　was　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。

〃If　you　don't　put　that　gun　up；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　take　it　away　and　rap　you　over　the　knuckles　with　it。〃

〃If　you　don't　turn　the　boat　around　I'll　shoot　you；〃　Sprague　threatened。

Then　Shorty　took　a　hand。　　He　ceased　chopping　ice　and　stood　up　behind　Sprague。

〃Go　on　an'　shoot；〃　said　Shorty；　wiggling　the　hatchet。　　〃I'm　just　aching　for　a　chance　to　brain　you。　　Go　on　an'　start　the　festivities。〃

〃This　is　mutiny；〃　Stine　broke　in。　　〃You　were　engaged　to　obey　orders。〃

Shorty　turned　on　him。

〃Oh；　you'll　get　yours　as　soon　as　I　finish　with　your　pardner；　you　little　hog…wallopin'　snooper；　you。〃

〃Sprague；〃　Kit　said；　〃I'll　give　you　just　thirty　seconds　to　put　away　that　gun　and　get　that　oar　out。〃

Sprague　hesitated；　gave　a　short　hysterical　laugh；　put　the　revolver　away　and　bent　his　back　to　the　work。

For　two　hours　more；　inch　by　inch；　they　fought　their　way　along　the　edge　of　the　foaming　rocks；　until　Kit　feared　he　had　made　a　mistake。　And　then；　when　on　the　verge　of　himself　turning　back；　they　came　abreast　of　a　narrow　opening；　not　twenty　feet　wide；　which　led　into　a　land…locked　inclosure　where　the　fiercest　gusts　scarcely　flawed　the　surface。　　It　was　the　haven　gained　by　the　boats　of　previous　days。　They　landed　on　a　shelving　beach；　and　the　two　employers　lay　in　collapse　in　the　boat；　while　Kit　and　Shorty　pitched　the　tent；　built　a　fire；　and　started　the　cooking。

〃What's　a　hog…walloping　snooper；　Shorty？〃　Kit　asked。

〃Blamed　if　I　know；〃　was　the　answer；　〃but　he's　one　just　the　same。〃

The　gale；　which　had　been　dying　quickly；　ceased　at　nightfall；　and　it　came　on　clear　and　cold。　　A　cup　of　coffee；　set　aside　to　cool　and　forgotten；　a　few　minutes　later　was　found　coated　with　half　an　inch　of　ice。　　At　eight　o'clock；　when　Sprague　and　Stine；　already　rolled　in　their　blankets；　were　sleeping　the　sleep　of　exhaustion；　Kit　came　back　from　a　look　at　the　boat。

〃It's　the　freeze…up；　Shorty；〃　he　announced。　　〃There's　a　skin　of　ice　over　the　whole　pond　already。〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃

〃There's　only　one　thing。　　The　lake　of　course　freezes　first。　　The　rapid　current　of　the　river　may　keep　it　open　for　days。　　This　time　to…　morrow　any　boat　caught　in　Lake　Le　Barge　remains　there　until　next　year。〃

〃You　mean　we　got　to　get　out　to…night？　　Now？〃

Kit　nodded。

〃Tumble　out；　you　sleepers！〃　was　Shorty's　answer；　couched　in　a　roar；　as　he　began　casting　off　the　guy…ropes　of　the　tent。

The　other　two　awoke；　groaning　with　the　pain　of　stiffened　muscles　and　the　pain　of　rousing　from　exhausted　sleep。

〃What　time　is　it？〃　Stine　asked。

〃Half…past　eight。〃

〃It's　dark　yet；〃　was　the　objection。

Shorty　jerked　out　a　couple　of　guy…ropes；　and　the　tent　began　to　sag。

〃It's　not　morning；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　evening。　　Come　on。　　The　lake's　freezin'。　　We　got　to　get　acrost。〃

Stine　sat　up；　his　face　bitter　and　wrathful。

〃Let　it　freeze。　　We're　not　going　to　stir。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Shorty。　　〃We're　goin'　on　with　the　boat。〃

〃You　were　engaged〃

〃To　take　you　to　Dawson；〃　Shorty　caught　him　up。　　〃Well；　we're　takin'　you；　ain't　we？〃

He　punctuated　his　query　by　bringing　half　the　tent　down　on　top　of　them。

They　broke　their　way　through　the　thin　ice　in　the　little　harbour；　and　came　out　on　the　lake；　where　the　water；　heavy　and　glassy；　froze　on　their　oars　with　every　stroke。　　The　water　soon　became　like　mush；　clogging　the　stroke　of　the　oars　and　freezing　in　the　air　even　as　it　dripped。　　Later　the　surface　began　to　form　a　skin；　and　the　boat　proceeded　slower　and　slower。

Often；　afterwards；　when　Kit　tried　to　remember　that　night　and　failed　to　bring　up　aught　but　nightmare　recollections；　he　wondered　what　must　have　been　the　sufferings　of　Stine　and　Sprague。　　His　one　impression　of　himself　was　that　he　struggled　through　biting　frost　and　intolerable　exertion　for　a　thousand　years　more　or　less。

Morning　found　them　stationary。　　Stine　complained　of　frosted　fingers；　and　Sprague　of　his　nose；　while　the　pain　in　Kit's　cheeks　and　nose　told　him　that　he；　too；　had　been　touched。　　With　each　accretion　of　daylight　they　could　see　farther；　and　far　as　they　could　see　was　icy　surface。　　The　water　of　the　lake　was　gone。　　A　hundred　yards　away　was　the　shore　of　the　north　end。　　Shorty　insisted　that　it　was　the　opening　of　the　river　and　that　he　could　see　water。　　He　and　Kit　alone　were　able　to　work；　and　with　their　oars　they　broke　the　ice　and　forced　the　boat　along。　　And　at　the　last　gasp　of　their　strength　they　made　the　suck　of　the　rapid　river。　　One　look　back　showed　them　several　boats　which　had　fought　through　the　night　and　were　hopelessly　frozen　in；　then　they　whirled　around　a　bend　in　a　current　running　six　miles　an　hour。



VI。

Day　by　day　they　floated　down　the　swift　river；　and　day　by　day　the　shore…ice　extende