smoke bellew(史沫克·贝罗)-第34章
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of hands unmittened； and forty…five pairs of moccasins pressed tensely
into the packed snow。 Also； forty…five stakes were thrust into the snow；
and the same number of mallets lifted in the air。
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Smoke Bellew
The shots rang out； and the mallets fell。 Cyrus Johnson's right to the
million had expired。 To prevent confusion； Lieutenant Pollock had
insisted that the lower centre…stake be driven first； next the south…eastern；
and so on around the four sides； including the upper centre…stake on the
way。
Smoke drove in his stake and was away with the leading dozen。
Fires had been lighted at the corners； and by each fire stood a policeman；
list in hand； checking off the names of the runners。 A man was supposed
to call out his name and show his face。 There was to be no staking by
proxy while the real racer was off and away down the creek。
At the first corner； beside Smoke's stake； Von Schroeder placed his。
The mallets struck at the same instant。 As they hammered； more arrived
from behind and with such impetuosity as to get in one another's way and
cause jostling and shoving。 Squirming through the press and calling his
name to the policeman； Smoke saw the Baron； struck in collision by one
of the rushers； hurled clean off his feet into the snow。 But Smoke did not
wait。 Others were still ahead of him。 By the light of the vanishing fire
he was certain that he saw the back； hugely looming； of Big Olaf； and at
the south…western corner Big Olaf and he drove their stakes side by side。
It was no light work； this preliminary obstacle race。 The boundaries
of the claim totalled nearly a mile； and most of it was over the uneven
surface of a snow…covered； niggerhead flat。 All about Smoke men
tripped and fell； and several times he pitched forward himself； jarringly； on
hands and knees。 Once； Big Olaf fell so immediately in front of him as
to bring him down on top。
The upper centre…stake was driven by the edge of the bank； and down
the bank the racers plunged； across the frozen creek…bed； and up the other
side。 Here； as Smoke clambered； a hand gripped his ankle and jerked
him back。 In the flickering light of a distant fire； it was impossible to see
who had played the trick。 But Arizona Bill； who had been treated
similarly； rose to his feet and drove his fist with a crunch into the
offender's face。 Smoke saw and heard as he was scrambling to his feet；
but before he could make another lunge for the bank a fist dropped him
half…stunned into the snow。 He staggered up； located the man； half…
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Smoke Bellew
swung a hook for his jaw； then remembered Shorty's warning and
refrained。 The next moment； struck below the knees by a hurtling body；
he went down again。
It was a foretaste of what would happen when the men reached their
sleds。 Men were pouring over the other bank and piling into the jam。
They swarmed up the bank in bunches； and in bunches were dragged back
by their impatient fellows。 More blows were struck； curses rose from the
panting chests of those who still had wind to spare； and Smoke； curiously
visioning the face of Joy Gastell； hoped that the mallets would not be
brought into play。 Overthrown； trod upon； groping in the snow for his
lost stakes； he at last crawled out of the crush and attacked the bank farther
along。 Others were doing this； and it was his luck to have many men in
advance of him in the race for the northwestern corner。
Down to the fourth corner； he tripped midway and in the long
sprawling fall lost his remaining stake。 For five minutes he groped in the
darkness before he found it； and all the time the panting runners were
passing him。 From the last corner to the creek he began overtaking men
for whom the mile…run had been too much。 In the creek itself Bedlam
had broken loose。 A dozen sleds were piled up and overturned； and
nearly a hundred dogs were locked in combat。 Among them men struggled；
tearing the tangled animals apart； or beating them apart with clubs。 In
the fleeting glimpse he caught of it； Smoke wondered if he had ever seen a
Dore grotesquery to compare。
Leaping down the bank beyond the glutted passage； he gained the
hard…footing of the sled…trail and made better time。 Here； in packed
harbours beside the narrow trail； sleds and men waited for runners that
were still behind。 From the rear came the whine and rush of dogs； and
Smoke had barely time to leap aside into the deep snow。 A sled tore past；
and he made out the man； kneeling and shouting madly。 Scarcely was it
by when it stopped with a crash of battle。 The excited dogs of a
harboured sled； resenting the passing animals； had got out of hand and
sprung upon them。
Smoke plunged around and by。 He could see the green lantern of Von
Schroeder； and； just below it； the red flare that marked his own team。
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Two men were guarding Schroeder's dogs； with short clubs interposed
between them and the trail。
〃Come on； you Smoke！ Come on； you Smoke！〃 he could hear Shorty
calling anxiously。
〃Coming！〃 he gasped。
By the red flare he could see the snow torn up and trampled； and from
the way his partner breathed he knew a battle had been fought。 He
staggered to the sled； and； in a moment he was falling on it； Shorty's whip
snapped as he yelled： 〃Mush！ you devils！ Mush！〃
The dogs sprang into the breast…bands； and the sled jerked abruptly
ahead。 They were big animalsHanson's prize team of Hudson Bays
and Smoke had selected them for the first stage； which included the ten
miles of Mono； the heavy…going of the cut…off across the flat at the mouth；
and the first ten miles of the Yukon stretch。
〃How many are ahead？〃 he asked。
〃You shut up an' save your wind；〃 Shorty answered。 〃Hi！ you brutes！
Hit her up！ Hit her up！〃
He was running behind the sled； towing on a short rope。 Smoke
could not see him； nor could he see the sled on which he lay at full length。
The fires had been left in the rear； and they were tearing through a wall of
blackness as fast as the dogs could spring into it。 This blackness was
almost sticky； so nearly did it take on the seeming of substance。
Smoke felt the sled heel up on one runner as it rounded an invisible
curve； and from ahead came the snarls of beasts and the oaths of men。
This was known afterward as the Barnes…Slocum Jam。 It was the teams
of these two men which first collided； and into it； at full career； piled
Smoke's seven big fighters。 Scarcely more than
