08-an odyssey of the north-第3章

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his　coat　of　bearskin。　A　vague　tradition　of　the　sea　seemed　to　cling

about　him　as　he　swung　down　the　narrow　trail　in　advance　of　the　dogs；

and　he　brought　the　butt　of　his　dog　whip　against　Malemute　Kid's　door　as

a　Norse　sea　rover；　on　southern　foray；　might　thunder　for　admittance

at　the　castle　gate。

　　Prince　bared　his　womanly　arms　and　kneaded　sour…dough　bread；　casting；

as　he　did　so；　many　a　glance　at　the　three　guests…　three　guests　the　like

of　which　might　never　come　under　a　man's　roof　in　a　lifetime。　The

Strange　One；　whom　Malemute　Kid　had　surnamed　Ulysses；　still

fascinated　him；　but　his　interest　chiefly　gravitated　between　Axel

Gunderson　and　Axel　Gunderson's　wife。　She　felt　the　day's　journey；　for

she　had　softened　in　comfortable　cabins　during　the　many　days　since

her　husband　mastered　the　wealth　of　frozen　pay　streaks；　and　she　was

tired。　She　rested　against　his　great　breast　like　a　slender　flower

against　a　wall；　replying　lazily　to　Malemute　Kid's　good…natured　banter；

and　stirring　Prince's　blood　strangely　with　an　occasional　sweep　of

her　deep；　dark　eyes。　For　Prince　was　a　man；　and　healthy；　and　had　seen

few　women　in　many　months。　And　she　was　older　than　he；　and　an　Indian

besides。　But　she　was　different　from　all　native　wives　he　had　met：　she

had　traveled…　had　been　in　his　country　among　others；　he　gathered　from

the　conversation；　and　she　knew　most　of　the　things　the　women　of　his　own

race　knew；　and　much　more　that　it　was　not　in　the　nature　of　things　for

them　to　know。　She　could　make　a　meal　of　sun…dried　fish　or　a　bed　in

the　snow；　yet　she　teased　them　with　tantalizing　details　of

many…course　dinners；　and　caused　strange　internal　dissensions　to

arise　at　the　mention　of　various　quondam　dishes　which　they　had

well…nigh　forgotten。　She　knew　the　ways　of　the　moose；　the　bear；　and　the

little　blue　fox；　and　of　the　wild　amphibians　of　the　Northern　seas；

she　was　skilled　in　the　lore　of　the　woods；　and　the　streams；　and　the

tale　writ　by　man　and　bird　and　beast　upon　the　delicate　snow　crust　was

to　her　an　open　book；　yet　Prince　caught　the　appreciative　twinkle　in　her

eye　as　she　read　the　Rules　of　the　Camp。　These　rules　had　been　fathered

by　the　Unquenchable　Bettles　at　a　time　when　his　blood　ran　high；　and

were　remarkable　for　the　terse　simplicity　of　their　humor。　Prince　always

turned　them　to　the　wall　before　the　arrival　of　ladies；　but　who　could

suspect　that　this　native　wife…　Well；　it　was　too　late　now。

　　This；　then；　was　the　wife　of　Axel　Gunderson；　a　woman　whose　name　and

fame　had　traveled　with　her　husband's；　hand　in　hand；　through　all　the

Northland。　At　table；　Malemute　Kid　baited　her　with　the　assurance　of

an　old　friend；　and　Prince　shook　off　the　shyness　of　first

acquaintance　and　joined　in。　But　she　held　her　own　in　the　unequal

contest；　while　her　husband；　slower　in　wit；　ventured　naught　but

applause。　And　he　was　very　proud　of　her；　his　every　look　and　action

revealed　the　magnitude　of　the　place　she　occupied　in　his　life。　He　of

the　Otter　Skins　ate　in　silence；　forgotten　in　the　merry　battle；　and

long　ere　the　others　were　done　he　pushed　back　from　the　table　and　went

out　among　the　dogs。　Yet　all　too　soon　his　fellow　travelers　drew　on

their　mittens　and　parkas　and　followed　him。

　　There　had　been　no　snow　for　many　days；　and　the　sleds　slipped　along

the　hard…packed　Yukon　trail　as　easily　as　if　it　had　been　glare　ice。

Ulysses　led　the　first　sled；　with　the　second　came　Prince　and　Axel

Gunderson's　wife；　while　Malemute　Kid　and　the　yellow…haired　giant

brought　up　the　third。

　　'It's　only　a　hunch；　Kid；'　he　said；　'but　I　think　it's　straight。

He's　never　been　there；　but　he　tells　a　good　story；　and　shows　a　map　I

heard　of　when　I　was　in　the　Kootenay　country　years　ago。　I'd　like　to

have　you　go　along；　but　he's　a　strange　one；　and　swore　point…blank　to

throw　it　up　if　anyone　was　brought　in。　But　when　I　come　back　you'll

get　first　tip；　and　I'll　stake　you　next　to　me；　and　give　you　a　half

share　in　the　town　site　besides。'

　　'No！　no！'　he　cried；　as　the　other　strove　to　interrupt。　'I'm　running

this；　and　before　I'm　done　it'll　need　two　heads。　If　it's　all　right；

why；　it'll　be　a　second　Cripple　Creek；　man；　do　you　hear？…　a　second

Cripple　Creek！　It's　quartz；　you　know；　not　placer；　and　if　we　work　it

right　we'll　corral　the　whole　thing…　millions　upon　millions。　I've　heard

of　the　place　before；　and　so　have　you。　We'll　build　a　town…　thousands　of

workmen…　good　waterways…　steamship　lines…　big　carrying　trade…

light…draught　steamers　for　head　reaches…　survey　a　railroad；　perhaps…

sawmills…　electric…light　plant…　do　our　own　banking…　commercial

company…　syndicate…　Say！　Just　you　hold　your　hush　till　I　get　back！'

　　The　sleds　came　to　a　halt　where　the　trail　crossed　the　mouth　of　Stuart

River。　An　unbroken　sea　of　frost；　its　wide　expanse　stretched　away

into　the　unknown　east。　The　snowshoes　were　withdrawn　from　the

lashings　of　the　sleds。　Axel　Gunderson　shook　hands　and　stepped　to　the

fore；　his　great　webbed　shoes　sinking　a　fair　half　yard　into　the

feathery　surface　and　packing　the　snow　so　the　dogs　should　not　wallow。

His　wife　fell　in　behind　the　last　sled；　betraying　long　practice　in

the　art　of　handling　the　awkward　footgear；　The　stillness　was　broken

with　cheery　farewells；　the　dogs　whined；　and　He　of　the　Otter　Skins

talked　with　his　whip　to　a　recalcitrant　wheeler。

　　An　hour　later　the　train　had　taken　on　the　likeness　of　a　black

pencil　crawling　in　a　long；　straight　line　across　a　mighty　sheet　of

foolscap。






　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　II



　　One　night；　many　weeks　later；　Malemute　Kid　and　Prince　fell　to　solving

chess　problems　from　the　torn　page　of　an　ancient　magazine。　The　Kid

had　just　returned　from　his　Bonanza　properties　and　was　resting　up

preparatory　to　a　long　moose　hunt。　Prince；　too；　had　been　on　creek　and

trail　nearly　all　winter；　and　had　grown　hungry　for　a　blissful　week　of

cabin　life。

　　'Interpose　the　black　knight；　and　force　the　king。　No；　that　won't

do。　See；　the　next　move…'

　　'Why　advance　the　pawn　two　squares？　Bound　to　take　it　in　transit；

and　with　the　bishop　out　of　the　way…'

　　'But　hold　on！　That　leaves　a　hole；　and…'

　　'No；　it's　protected。　Go　ahead！　You'll　see　it　works。'

　　It　was　very　interesting。　Somebody　knocked　at　the　door　a　second

time　before　Malemute　Kid　said；　'Come　in。'　The　door　swung　open。

Something　staggered　in。　Prince　caught　one　square　look　and　sprang　to

his　feet。　The　horror　in　his　eyes　caused　Malemute　Kid　to　whirl　about；

and　he；　too；　was　startled；　though　he　had　seen　bad　things　before。　The

thing　tottered　blindly　toward　them。　Prince　edged　away　till　he

reached　the　nail　from　which　hung　his　Smith　&　Wesson。

　　'My　God！　what　is　it？'　he　whispered　to　Malemute　Kid。

　　'Don't　know。　Looks　like　a　case　of　freezing　and　no　grub；'　replied　the

Kid；　sliding　away　in　the　opposite　direction。　'Watch　out！　It　may　be

mad；'　he　warned；　coming　back　from　closing　the　door。

　　The　thing　advanced　to　the　table。　The　bright　flame　of　the　slush

lamp　caught　its　eye。　It　was　amused；　and　gave　voice　to　eldritch　cackles

which　betokened　mirth。　Then；　suddenly；　he…　for　it　was　a　man…　swayed

back；　with　a　hitch　to　his　skin　trousers；　and　began　to　sing　a

chantey；　such　as　men　lift　when　they　swing　around　the　capstan　circle

and　the　sea　snorts　in　their　ears：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yan…kee　ship　come　down　de　ri…ib…er；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pull！　my　bully　boys！　Pull！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　D'yeh　want…　to　know　de　captain　ru…uns　her？

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pull！　my　bully　boys！　Pull！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　Jon…a…than　Jones　ob　South　Caho…li…in…a；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pull！　my　bully…



　　He　broke　off　abruptly；　tottered　with　a　wolfish　snarl　to　the　meat

shelf；　and　before　they　could　intercept　was　tearing　with　his　teeth　at　a

chunk　of　raw　bacon。　The　struggle　was　fierce　between　him　and　Malemute

Kid；　but　his　mad　strength　left　him　as　suddenly　as　it　had　come；　and

he　weakly　surrendered　the　spoil。　Between　them　they　got　him　upon　a

stool；　where　he　sprawled　with　half　his　body　across　the　table。　A

small　dose　of　whiskey　strengthened　him；　so　that　he　could　dip　a　spoon

into　the　sugar　caddy　which　Malemute　Kid　placed　before　him。　After　his

appetite　had　been