smoke bellew-第25节

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　　Its　body　proved　an　efficient　brake；　and　the　two　other　teams；　still　abreast；　dashed　ahead　into　the　darkness　for　the　narrow　way。

Smoke　heard　the　crash　and　uproar　of　their　collision；　released　his　wheeler；　sprang　to　the　gee…pole；　and　urged　his　team　to　the　right　into　the　soft　snow　where　the　straining　animals　wallowed　to　their　necks。　　It　was　exhausting　work；　but　he　won　by　the　tangled　teams　and　gained　the　hard…packed　trail　beyond。



VI。

On　the　relay　out　of　Sixty　Mile；　Smoke　had　next　to　his　poorest　team；　and　though　the　going　was　good；　he　had　set　it　a　short　fifteen　miles。　Two　more　teams　would　bring　him　in　to　Dawson　and　to　the　Gold…　Recorder's　office；　and　Smoke　had　selected　his　best　animals　for　the　last　two　stretches。　　Sitka　Charley　himself　waited　with　the　eight　Malemutes　that　would　jerk　Smoke　along　for　twenty　miles；　and　for　the　finish；　with　a　fifteen…mile　run；　was　his　own　teamthe　team　he　had　had　all　winter　and　which　had　been　with　him　in　the　search　for　Surprise　Lake。

The　two　men　he　had　left　entangled　at　Sixty　Mile　failed　to　overtake　him；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　his　team　failed　to　overtake　any　of　the　three　that　still　led。　　His　animals　were　willing；　though　they　lacked　stamina　and　speed；　and　little　urging　was　needed　to　keep　them　jumping　into　it　at　their　best。　　There　was　nothing　for　Smoke　to　do　but　to　lie　face…downward　and　hold　on。　　Now　and　again　he　would　plunge　out　of　the　darkness　into　the　circle　of　light　about　a　blazing　fire；　catch　a　glimpse　of　furred　men　standing　by　harnessed　and　waiting　dogs；　and　plunge　into　the　darkness　again。　　Mile　after　mile；　with　only　the　grind　and　jar　of　the　runners　in　his　ears；　he　sped　on。　　Almost　automatically　he　kept　his　place　as　the　sled　bumped　ahead　or　half…　lifted　and　heeled　on　the　swings　and　swerves　of　the　bends。　　First　one；　and　then　another；　without　apparent　rhyme　or　reason；　three　faces　limned　themselves　on　his　consciousness：　　Joy　Gastell's；　laughing　and　audacious；　Shorty's；　battered　and　exhausted　by　the　struggle　down　Mono　Creek；　and　John　Bellew's；　seamed　and　rigid；　as　if　cast　in　iron；　so　unrelenting　was　its　severity。　　And　sometimes　Smoke　wanted　to　shout　aloud；　to　chant　a　paean　of　savage　exultation；　as　he　remembered　the　office　of　the　Billow　and　the　serial　story　of　San　Francisco　which　he　had　left　unfinished；　along　with　the　other　fripperies　of　those　empty　days。

The　grey　twilight　of　morning　was　breaking　as　he　exchanged　his　weary　dogs　for　the　eight　fresh　Malemutes。　　Lighter　animals　than　Hudson　Bays；　they　were　capable　of　greater　speed；　and　they　ran　with　the　supple　tirelessness　of　true　wolves。　　Sitka　Charley　called　out　the　order　of　the　teams　ahead。　　Big　Olaf　led；　Arizona　Bill　was　second；　and　Von　Schroeder　third。　　These　were　the　three　best　men　in　the　country。　　In　fact；　ere　Smoke　had　left　Dawson；　the　popular　betting　had　placed　them　in　that　order。　　While　they　were　racing　for　a　million；　at　least　half　a　million　had　been　staked　by　others　on　the　outcome　of　the　race。　　No　one　had　bet　on　Smoke；　who；　despite　his　several　known　exploits；　was　still　accounted　a　chechaquo　with　much　to　learn。

As　daylight　strengthened；　Smoke　caught　sight　of　a　sled　ahead；　and；　in　half　an　hour；　his　own　lead…dog　was　leaping　at　its　tail。　　Not　until　the　man　turned　his　head　to　exchange　greetings；　did　Smoke　recognize　him　as　Arizona　Bill。　　Von　Schroeder　had　evidently　passed　him。　　The　trail；　hard…packed；　ran　too　narrowly　through　the　soft　snow；　and　for　another　half…hour　Smoke　was　forced　to　stay　in　the　rear。　　Then　they　topped　an　ice…jam　and　struck　a　smooth　stretch　below；　where　were　a　number　of　relay　camps　and　where　the　snow　was　packed　widely。　　On　his　knees；　swinging　his　whip　and　yelling；　Smoke　drew　abreast。　　He　noted　that　Arizona　Bill's　right　arm　hung　dead　at　his　side；　and　that　he　was　compelled　to　pour　leather　with　his　left　hand。　　Awkward　as　it　was；　he　had　no　hand　left　with　which　to　hold　on；　and　frequently　he　had　to　cease　from　the　whip　and　clutch　to　save　himself　from　falling　off。　　Smoke　remembered　the　scrimmage　in　the　creek　bed　at　Three　Below　Discovery；　and　understood。　　Shorty's　advice　had　been　sound。

〃What's　happened？〃　Smoke　asked；　as　he　began　to　pull　ahead。

〃I　don't　know；〃　Arizona　Bill　answered。　　〃I　think　I　threw　my　shoulder　out　in　the　scrapping。〃

He　dropped　behind　very　slowly；　though　when　the　last　relay　station　was　in　sight　he　was　fully　half　a　mile　in　the　rear。　　Ahead；　bunched　together；　Smoke　could　see　Big　Olaf　and　Von　Schroeder。　　Again　Smoke　arose　to　his　knees；　and　he　lifted　his　jaded　dogs　into　a　burst　of　speed　such　as　a　man　only　can　who　has　the　proper　instinct　for　dog…　driving。　　He　drew　up　close　to　the　tail　of　Von　Schroeder's　sled；　and　in　this　order　the　three　sleds　dashed　out　on　the　smooth　going；　below　a　jam；　where　many　men　and　many　dogs　waited。　　Dawson　was　fifteen　miles　away。

Von　Schroeder；　with　his　ten…mile　relays；　had　changed　five　miles　back；　and　would　change　five　miles　ahead。　　So　he　held　on；　keeping　his　dogs　at　full　leap。　　Big　Olaf　and　Smoke　made　flying　changes；　and　their　fresh　teams　immediately　regained　what　had　been　lost　to　the　Baron。　　Big　Olaf　led　past；　and　Smoke　followed　into　the　narrow　trail　beyond。

〃Still　good；　but　not　so　good；〃　Smoke　paraphrased　Spencer　to　himself。

Of　Von　Schroeder；　now　behind；　he　had　no　fear；　but　ahead　was　the　greatest　dog…driver　in　the　country。　　To　pass　him　seemed　impossible。　Again　and　again；　many　times；　Smoke　forced　his　leader　to　the　other's　sled…trail；　and　each　time　Big　Olaf　let　out　another　link　and　drew　away。　　Smoke　contented　himself　with　taking　the　pace；　and　hung　on　grimly。　　The　race　was　not　lost　until　one　or　the　other　won；　and　in　fifteen　miles　many　things　could　happen。

Three　miles　from　Dawson　something　did　happen。　　To　Smoke's　surprise；　Big　Olaf　rose　up　and　with　oaths　and　leather　proceeded　to　fetch　out　the　last　ounce　of　effort　in　his　animals。　　It　was　a　spurt　that　should　have　been　reserved　for　the　last　hundred　yards　instead　of　being　begun　three　miles　from　the　finish。　　Sheer　dog…killing　that　it　was；　Smoke　followed。　　His　own　team　was　superb。　　No　dogs　on　the　Yukon　had　had　harder　work　or　were　in　better　condition。　　Besides；　Smoke　had　toiled　with　them；　and　eaten　and　bedded　with　them；　and　he　knew　each　dog　as　an　individual；　and　how　best　to　win　in　to　the　animal's　intelligence　and　extract　its　last　least　shred　of　willingness。

They　topped　a　small　jam　and　struck　the　smooth…going　below。　　Big　Olaf　was　barely　fifty　feet　ahead。　　A　sled　shot　out　from　the　side　and　drew　in　toward　him；　and　Smoke　understood　Big　Olaf's　terrific　spurt。　　He　had　tried　to　gain　a　lead　for　the　change。　　This　fresh　team　that　waited　to　jerk　him　down　the　home　stretch　had　been　a　private　surprise　of　his。　　Even　the　men　who　had　backed　him　to　win　had　had　no　knowledge　of　it。

Smoke　strove　desperately　to　pass　during　the　exchange　of　sleds。　Lifting　his　dogs　to　the　effort；　he　ate　up　the　intervening　fifty　feet。　　With　urging　and　pouring　of　leather；　he　went　to　the　side　and　on　until　his　lead…dog　was　jumping　abreast　of　Big　Olaf's　wheeler。　　On　the　other　side；　abreast；　was　the　relay　sled。　　At　the　speed　they　were　going；　Big　Olaf　did　not　dare　the　flying　leap。　　If　he　missed　and　fell　off；　Smoke　would　be　in　the　lead　and　the　race　would　be　lost。

Big　Olaf　tried　to　spurt　ahead；　and　he　lifted　his　dogs　magnificently；　but　Smoke's　leader　still　continued　to　jump　beside　Big　Olaf's　wheeler。　　For　half　a　mile　the　three　sleds　tore　and　bounced　along　side　by　side。　　The　smooth　stretch　was　nearing　its　end　when　Big　Olaf　took　the　chance。　　As　the　flying　sleds　swerved　toward　each　other；　he　leaped；　and　the　instant　he　struck　he　was　on　his　knees；　with　whip　and　voice　spurting　the　fresh　team。　　The　smooth　pinched　out　into　the　narrow　trail；　and　he　jumped　his　dogs　ahead　and　into　it　with　a　lead　of　barely　a　yard。

A　man　was　not　beaten　until　he　was　beaten；　was　Smoke's　conclusion；　and　drive　no　matter　how；　Big　Olaf　failed　to　shake　him　off。　　No　team　Smoke　had　driven　that　night　could　have　stood　such　a　killing　pace　and　kept　up　with　fresh　dogsno　team　save　this　one。　　Nevertheless；　the　pace　WAS　killing　it；　and　as　they　began　to　round　the　bluff　at　Klondike　City；　he　could　feel　the　pitch　of　strength　going　out　of　his　animals。　　Almost　imperceptibly　they　lagged；　and　foot　by　foot　Big　Olaf　drew　away　until　he　led　by　a　score　of　yards。

A　great　cheer　went　up　from　the　population　of　Klondike　City　assembled　on　the　ice。　　Here　the　Klondike　entered　the　Yukon；　and　half　a　mile　away；　across　the　Klondike；　on　the　north　bank；　stood　Dawson。　　An　outburst　of　madder　cheering　arose；　and　Smoke　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　sled　shooting　out　to　him。　　He　recognized　the　splendid　animals　that　drew　it。　　They　were　Joy　Gastell's。　　And　Joy　Gastell　drove　them。　　The　hood　of　her　squirrel…skin　parka　was　tossed　back；　revealing　the　cameo…like　oval　of　her　face　outlined　against　her　heavily…massed　hair。　　Mittens　had　been　discarded；　and　with　bare　hands　she　clung　to　whip　and　sled。

〃Jump！〃　she　cried；　as　her　leader　snarled　at　Smoke's。

Smoke　struck　the　sled　behind　her。　　It　rocked　violently　from　the　impact　of　his　body；　but　she　was　full　up　on　her　knees　and　swinging　the　whip。

〃Hi！　　You！　　Mush　on！　　Chook！　　Chook！〃　she　was　crying；　and　the　dogs　whined　and　yelped　in　eagerness　of　desire　and　effort　to　overtake　Big　Olaf。

And　then；　as　the　lead…dog　caught　the　tail　of　Big　Olaf's　sled；　and　yard　by　yard　drew　up　abreast；　the　great　crowd　on　the　Dawson　b