smoke bellew-第12章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


lars　and　a　half　a　pound；　and　between　them　they　possessed　three　thousand　dollars　in　gold　dust　and　a　good　team　of　dogs。　　They　had　played　in　luck。　Despite　the　fact　that　the　gold　rush　had　driven　the　game　a　hundred　miles　or　more　into　the　mountains；　they　had；　within　half　that　distance；　bagged　four　moose　in　a　narrow　canyon。

The　mystery　of　the　strayed　animals　was　no　greater　than　the　luck　of　their　killers；　for　within　the　day　four　famished　Indian　families　reporting　no　game　in　three　days'　journey　back；　camped　beside　them。　Meat　was　traded　for　starving　dogs；　and　after　a　week　of　feeding；　Smoke　and　Shorty　harnessed　the　animals　and　began　freighting　the　meat　to　the　eager　Dawson　market。

The　problem　of　the　two　men　now；　was　to　turn　their　gold…dust　into　food。　　The　current　price　for　flour　and　beans　was　a　dollar　and　a　half　a　pound；　but　the　difficulty　was　to　find　a　seller。　　Dawson　was　in　the　throes　of　famine。　　Hundreds　of　men；　with　money　but　no　food；　had　been　compelled　to　leave　the　country。　　Many　had　gone　down　the　river　on　the　last　water；　and　many　more　with　barely　enough　food　to　last；　had　walked　the　six　hundred　miles　over　the　ice　to　Dyea。

Smoke　met　Shorty　in　the　warm　saloon；　and　found　the　latter　jubilant。

〃Life　ain't　no　punkins　without　whiskey　an'　sweetenin'；〃　was　Shorty's　greeting；　as　he　pulled　lumps　of　ice　from　his　thawing　moustache　and　flung　them　rattling　on　the　floor。　　〃An'　I　sure　just　got　eighteen　pounds　of　that　same　sweetenin'。　　The　geezer　only　charged　three　dollars　a　pound　for　it。　　What　luck　did　you　have？〃

〃I；　too；　have　not　been　idle；〃　Smoke　answered　with　pride。　　〃I　bought　fifty　pounds　of　flour。　　And　there's　a　man　up　on　Adam　Creek　says　he'll　let　me　have　fifty　pounds　more　to…morrow。〃

〃Great！　　We'll　sure　live　till　the　river　opens。　　Say；　Smoke；　them　dogs　of　ourn　is　the　goods。　　A　dog…buyer　offered　me　two　hundred　apiece　for　the　five　of　them。　　I　told　him　nothin'　doin'。　　They　sure　took　on　class　when　they　got　meat　to　get　outside　of；　but　it　goes　against　the　grain　feedin'　dog…critters　on　grub　that's　worth　two　and　a　half　a　pound。　　Come　on　an'　have　a　drink。　　I　just　got　to　celebrate　them　eighteen　pounds　of　sweetenin'。〃

Several　minutes　later；　as　he　weighed　in　on　the　gold…scales　for　the　drinks；　he　gave　a　start　of　recollection。

〃I　plum　forgot　that　man　I　was　to　meet　in　the　Tivoli。　　He's　got　some　spoiled　bacon　he'll　sell　for　a　dollar　an'　a　half　a　pound。　　We　can　feed　it　to　the　dogs　an'　save　a　dollar　a　day　on　each's　board　bill。　So　long。〃

〃So　long；〃　said　Smoke。　　〃I'm　goin'　to　the　cabin　an'　turn　in。〃

Hardly　had　Shorty　left　the　place；　when　a　fur…clad　man　entered　through　the　double　storm…doors。　　His　face　lighted　at　sight　of　Smoke；　who　recognized　him　as　Breck；　the　man　whose　boat　he　had　run　through　the　Box　Canyon　and　White　Horse　rapids。

〃I　heard　you　were　in　town；〃　Breck　said　hurriedly；　as　they　shook　hands。　　〃Been　looking　for　you　for　half　an　hour。　　Come　outside；　I　want　to　talk　with　you。〃

Smoke　looked　regretfully　at　the　roaring；　red…hot　stove。

〃Won't　this　do？〃

〃No；　it's　important。　　Come　outside。〃

As　they　emerged；　Smoke　drew　off　one　mitten；　lighted　a　match；　and　glanced　at　the　thermometer　that　hung　beside　the　door。　　He　re…　mittened　his　naked　hand　hastily　as　if　the　frost　had　burnt　him。　Overhead　arched　the　flaming　aurora　borealis；　while　from　all　Dawson　arose　the　mournful　howling　of　thousands　of　wolf…dogs。

〃What　did　it　say？〃　Breck　asked。

〃Sixty　below。〃　　Kit　spat　experimentally；　and　the　spittle　crackled　in　the　air。　　〃And　the　thermometer　is　certainly　working。　　It's　falling　all　the　time。　　An　hour　ago　it　was　only　fifty…two。　　Don't　tell　me　it's　a　stampede。〃

〃It　is；〃　Breck　whispered　back　cautiously；　casting　anxious　eyes　about　in　fear　of　some　other　listener。　　〃You　know　Squaw　Creek？empties　in　on　the　other　side　the　Yukon　thirty　miles　up？〃

〃Nothing　doing　there；〃　was　Smoke's　judgment。　　〃It　was　prospected　years　ago。〃

〃So　were　all　the　other　rich　creeks。　　Listen！　　It's　big。　　Only　eight　to　twenty　feet　to　bedrock。　　There　won't　be　a　claim　that　don't　run　to　half　a　million。　　It's　a　dead　secret。　　Two　or　three　of　my　close　friends　let　me　in　on　it。　　I　told　my　wife　right　away　that　I　was　going　to　find　you　before　I　started。　　Now；　so　long。　　My　pack's　hidden　down　the　bank。　　In　fact；　when　they　told　me；　they　made　me　promise　not　to　pull　out　until　Dawson　was　asleep。　　You　know　what　it　means　if　you're　seen　with　a　stampeding　outfit。　　Get　your　partner　and　follow。　　You　ought　to　stake　fourth　or　fifth　claim　from　Discovery。　　Don't　forget　Squaw　Creek。　　It's　the　third　after　you　pass　Swede　Creek。〃



II。

When　Smoke　entered　the　little　cabin　on　the　hillside　back　of　Dawson；　he　heard　a　heavy　familiar　breathing。

〃Aw；　go　to　bed；〃　Shorty　mumbled；　as　Smoke　shook　his　shoulder。　　〃I'm　not　on　the　night　shift；〃　was　his　next　remark；　as　the　rousing　hand　became　more　vigorous。　　〃Tell　your　troubles　to　the　bar…keeper。〃

〃Kick　into　your　clothes；〃　Smoke　said。　　〃We've　got　to　stake　a　couple　of　claims。〃

Shorty　sat　up　and　started　to　explode；　but　Smoke's　hand　covered　his　mouth。

〃Ssh！〃　Smoke　warned。　　〃It's　a　big　strike。　　Don't　wake　the　neighbourhood。　　Dawson's　asleep。〃

〃Huh！　　You　got　to　show　me。　　Nobody　tells　anybody　about　a　strike；　of　course　not。　　But　ain't　it　plum　amazin'　the　way　everybody　hits　the　trail　just　the　same？〃

〃Squaw　Creek；〃　Smoke　whispered。　　〃It's　right。　　Breck　gave　me　the　tip。　　Shallow　bedrock。　　Gold　from　the　grass…roots　down。　　Come　on。　We'll　sling　a　couple　of　light　packs　together　and　pull　out。〃

Shorty's　eyes　closed　as　he　lapsed　back　into　sleep。　　The　next　moment　his　blankets　were　swept　off　him。

〃If　you　don't　want　them；　I　do；〃　Smoke　explained。

Shorty　followed　the　blankets　and　began　to　dress。

〃Goin'　to　take　the　dogs？〃　he　asked。

〃No。　　The　trail　up　the　creek　is　sure　to　be　unbroken；　and　we　can　make　better　time　without　them。〃

〃Then　I'll　throw　'em　a　meal；　which'll　have　to　last　'em　till　we　get　back。　　Be　sure　you　take　some　birch…bark　and　a　candle。〃

Shorty　opened　the　door；　felt　the　bite　of　the　cold；　and　shrank　back　to　pull　down　his　ear…flaps　and　mitten　his　hands。

Five　minutes　later　he　returned；　sharply　rubbing　his　nose。

〃Smoke；　I'm　sure　opposed　to　makin'　this　stampede。　　It's　colder　than　the　hinges　of　hell　a　thousand　years　before　the　first　fire　was　lighted。　　Besides；　it's　Friday　the　thirteenth；　an'　we're　goin'　to　trouble　as　the　sparks　fly　upward。〃

With　small　stampeding　packs　on　their　backs；　they　closed　the　door　behind　them　and　started　down　the　hill。　　The　display　of　the　aurora　borealis　had　ceased；　and　only　the　stars　leaped　in　the　great　cold；　and　by　their　uncertain　light　made　traps　for　the　feet。　　Shorty　floundered　off　a　turn　of　the　trail　into　deep　snow；　and　raised　his　voice　in　blessing　of　the　date　of　the　week　and　month　and　year。

〃Can't　you　keep　still？〃　Smoke　chided。　　〃Leave　the　almanac　alone。　You'll　have　all　Dawson　awake　and　after　us。〃

〃Huh！　　See　the　light　in　that　cabin？　　And　in　that　one　over　there？　An'　hear　that　door　slam？　　Oh；　sure　Dawson's　asleep。　　Them　lights？　Just　buryin'　their　dead。　　They　ain't　stampedin'；　betcher　life　they　ain't。〃

By　the　time　they　reached　the　foot　of　the　hill　and　were　fairly　in　Dawson；　lights　were　springing　up　in　the　cabins；　doors　were　slamming；　and　from　behind　came　the　sound　of　many　moccasins　on　the　hard…packed　snow。　　Again　Shorty　delivered　himself。

〃But　it　beats　hell　the　amount　of　mourners　there　is。〃

They　passed　a　man　who　stood　by　the　path　and　was　calling　anxiously　in　a　low　voice：　　〃Oh；　Charley；　get　a　move　on。〃

〃See　that　pack　on　his　back；　Smoke？　　The　graveyard's　sure　a　long　ways　off　when　the　mourners　got　to　pack　their　blankets。〃

By　the　time　they　reached　the　main　street　a　hundred　men　were　in　line　behind　them；　and　while　they　sought　in　the　deceptive　starlight　for　the　trail　that　dipped　down　the　bank　to　the　river；　more　men　could　be　heard　arriving。　　Shorty　slipped　and　shot　down　the　thirty…foot　chute　into　the　soft　snow。　　Smoke　followed；　knocking　him　over　as　he　was　rising　to　his　feet。

〃I　found　it　first；〃　he　gurgled；　taking　off　his　mittens　to　shake　the　snow　out　of　the　gauntlets。

The　next　moment　they　were　scrambling　wildly　out　of　the　way　of　the　hurtling　bodies　of　those　that　followed。　　At　the　time　of　the　freeze…　up；　a　jam　had　occurred　at　this　point；　and　cakes　of　ice　were　up…ended　in　snow…covered　co