smoke bellew-第8节

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ater；　rushing　crookedly　into　the　narrow　passage；　accelerated　its　speed　frightfully；　and　was　upflung　unto　huge　waves；　white　and　wrathful。　　This　was　the　dread　Mane　of　the　White　Horse；　and　here　an　even　heavier　toll　of　dead　had　been　exacted。　　On　one　side　of　the　Mane　was　a　corkscrew　curl…over　and　suck…under；　and　on　the　opposite　side　was　the　big　whirlpool。　　To　go　through；　the　Mane　itself　must　be　ridden。

〃This　plum　rips　the　strings　outa　the　Box；〃　Shorty　concluded。

As　they　watched；　a　boat　took　the　head　of　the　rapids　above。　　It　was　a　large　boat；　fully　thirty　feet　long；　laden　with　several　tons　of　outfit　and　handled　by　six　men。　　Before　it　reached　the　Mane　it　was　plunging　and　leaping；　at　times　almost　hidden　by　the　foam　and　spray。

Shorty　shot　a　slow；　sidelong　glance　at　Kit；　and　said：

〃She's　fair　smoking；　and　she　hasn't　hit　the　worst。　　They've　hauled　the　oars　in。　　There　she　takes　it　now。　　God！　　She's　gone！　　No；　there　she　is！〃

Big　as　the　boat　was；　it　had　been　buried　from　sight　in　the　flying　smother　between　crests。　　The　next　moment；　in　the　thick　of　the　Mane；　the　boat　leaped　up　a　crest　and　into　view。　　To　Kit's　amazement　he　saw　the　whole　long　bottom　clearly　outlined。　　The　boat；　for　the　fraction　of　an　instant；　was　in　the　air；　the　men　sitting　idly　in　their　places；　all　save　one　in　the　stern　who　stood　at　the　steering　sweep。　　Then　came　the　downward　plunge　into　the　trough　and　a　second　disappearance。　Three　times　the　boat　leaped　and　buried　itself；　then　those　on　the　bank　saw　its　nose　take　the　whirlpool　as　it　slipped　off　the　Mane。　The　steersman；　vainly　opposing　with　his　full　weight　on　the　steering…　gear；　surrendered　to　the　whirlpool　and　helped　the　boat　to　take　the　circle。

Three　times　it　went　around；　each　time　so　close　to　the　rocks　on　which　Kit　and　Shorty　stood；　that　either　could　have　leaped　on　board。　　The　steersman；　a　man　with　a　reddish　beard　of　recent　growth；　waved　his　hand　to　them。　　The　only　way　out　of　the　whirlpool　was　by　the　Mane；　and　on　the　round　the　boat　entered　the　Mane　obliquely　at　its　upper　end。　　Possibly　out　of　fear　of　the　draw　of　the　whirlpool；　the　steersman　did　not　attempt　to　straighten　out　quickly　enough。　　When　he　did；　it　was　too　late。　　Alternately　in　the　air　and　buried；　the　boat　angled　the　Mane　and　sucked　into　and　down　through　the　stiff　wall　of　the　corkscrew　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　river。　　A　hundred　feet　below；　boxes　and　bales　began　to　float　up。　　Then　appeared　the　bottom　of　the　boat　and　the　scattered　heads　of　six　men。　　Two　managed　to　make　the　bank　in　the　eddy　below。　　The　others　were　drawn　under；　and　the　general　flotsam　was　lost　to　view；　borne　on　by　the　swift　current　around　the　bend。

There　was　a　long　minute　of　silence。　　Shorty　was　the　first　to　speak。

〃Come　on；〃　he　said。　　〃We　might　as　well　tackle　it。　　My　feet'll　get　cold　if　I　stay　here　any　longer。〃

〃We'll　smoke　some；〃　Kit　grinned　at　him。

〃And　you'll　sure　earn　your　name；〃　was　the　rejoinder。　　Shorty　turned　to　their　employers。　　〃Comin'？〃　he　queried。

Perhaps　the　roar　of　the　water　prevented　them　from　hearing　the　invitation。

Shorty　and　Kit　tramped　back　through　a　foot　of　snow　to　the　head　of　the　rapids　and　cast　off　the　boat。　　Kit　was　divided　between　two　impressions：　　one；　of　the　caliber　of　his　comrade；　which　served　as　a　spur　to　him；　the　other；　likewise　a　spur；　was　the　knowledge　that　old　Isaac　Bellew；　and　all　the　other　Bellews；　had　done　things　like　this　in　their　westward　march　of　empire。　　What　they　had　done；　he　could　do。　It　was　the　meat；　the　strong　meat；　and　he　knew；　as　never　before；　that　it　required　strong　men　to　eat　such　meat。

〃You've　sure　got　to　keep　the　top　of　the　ridge；〃　Shorty　shouted　at　him；　the　plug　tobacco　lifting　to　his　mouth；　as　the　boat　quickened　in　the　quickening　current　and　took　the　head　of　the　rapids。

Kit　nodded；　swayed　his　strength　and　weight　tentatively　on　the　steering　oar；　and　headed　the　boat　for　the　plunge。

Several　minutes　later；　half…swamped　and　lying　against　the　bank　in　the　eddy　below　the　White　Horse；　Shorty　spat　out　a　mouthful　of　tobacco　juice　and　shook　Kit's　hand。

〃Meat！　Meat！〃　Shorty　chanted。　　〃We　eat　it　raw！　　We　eat　it　alive！〃

At　the　top　of　the　bank　they　met　Breck。　　His　wife　stood　at　a　little　distance。　　Kit　shook　his　hand。

〃I'm　afraid　your　boat　can't　make　it；〃　he　said。　　〃It　is　smaller　than　ours　and　a　bit　cranky。〃

The　man　pulled　out　a　row　of　bills。

〃I'll　give　you　each　a　hundred　if　you　run　it　through。〃

Kit　looked　out　and　up　the　tossing　Mane　of　the　White　Horse。　　A　long；　gray　twilight　was　falling；　it　was　turning　colder；　and　the　landscape　seemed　taking　on　a　savage　bleakness。

〃It　ain't　that；〃　Shorty　was　saying。　　〃We　don't　want　your　money。　Wouldn't　touch　it　nohow。　　But　my　pardner　is　the　real　meat　with　boats；　and　when　he　says　yourn　ain't　safe　I　reckon　he　knows　what　he's　talkin'　about。〃

Kit　nodded　affirmation；　and　chanced　to　glance　at　Mrs　Breck。　　Her　eyes　were　fixed　upon　him；　and　he　knew　that　if　ever　he　had　seen　prayer　in　a　woman's　eyes　he　was　seeing　it　then。　　Shorty　followed　his　gaze　and　saw　what　he　saw。　　They　looked　at　each　other　in　confusion　and　did　not　speak。　　Moved　by　the　common　impulse；　they　nodded　to　each　other　and　turned　to　the　trail　that　led　to　the　head　of　the　rapids。　They　had　not　gone　a　hundred　yards　when　they　met　Stine　and　Sprague　coming　down。

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　the　latter　demanded。

〃To　fetch　that　other　boat　through；〃　Shorty　answered。

〃No　you're　not。　　It's　getting　dark。　　You　two　are　going　to　pitch　camp。〃

So　huge　was　Kit's　disgust　that　he　forebore　to　speak。

〃He's　got　his　wife　with　him；〃　Shorty　said。

〃That's　his　lookout；〃　Stine　contributed。

〃And　Smoke's　and　mine；〃　was　Shorty's　retort。

〃I　forbid　you；〃　Sprague　said　harshly。　　〃Smoke；　if　you　go　another　step　I'll　discharge　you。〃

〃And　you；　too；　Shorty；〃　Stine　added。

〃And　a　hell　of　a　pickle　you'll　be　in　with　us　fired；〃　Shorty　replied。　〃How'll　you　get　your　blamed　boat　to　Dawson？　　Who'll　serve　you　coffee　in　your　blankets　and　manicure　your　finger…nails？　　Come　on；　Smoke。　They　don't　dast　fire　us。　　Besides；　we've　got　agreements。　　It　they　fire　us　they've　got　to　divvy　up　grub　to　last　us　through　the　winter。〃

Barely　had　they　shoved　Breck's　boat　out　from　the　bank　and　caught　the　first　rough　water；　when　the　waves　began　to　lap　aboard。　　They　were　small　waves；　but　it　was　an　earnest　of　what　was　to　come。　　Shorty　cast　back　a　quizzical　glance　as　he　gnawed　at　his　inevitable　plug；　and　Kit　felt　a　strange　rush　of　warmth　at　his　heart　for　this　man　who　couldn't　swim　and　who　couldn't　back　out。

The　rapids　grew　stiffer；　and　the　spray　began　to　fly。　　In　the　gathering　darkness；　Kit　glimpsed　the　Mane　and　the　crooked　fling　of　the　current　into　it。　　He　worked　into　this　crooked　current；　and　felt　a　glow　of　satisfaction　as　the　boat　hit　the　head　of　the　Mane　squarely　in　the　middle。　　After　that；　in　the　smother；　leaping　and　burying　and　swamping；　he　had　no　clear　impression　of　anything　save　that　he　swung　his　weight　on　the　steering　oar　and　wished　his　uncle　were　there　to　see。　　They　emerged；　breathless；　wet　through；　and　filled　with　water　almost　to　the　gunwale。　　Lighter　pieces　of　baggage　and　outfit　were　floating　inside　the　boat。　　A　few　careful　strokes　on　Shorty's　part　worked　the　boat　into　the　draw　of　the　eddy；　and　the　eddy　did　the　rest　till　the　boat　softly　touched　against　the　bank。　　Looking　down　from　above　was　Mrs　Breck。　　Her　prayer　had　been　answered；　and　the　tears　were　streaming　down　her　cheeks。

〃You　boys　have　simply　got　to　take　the　money；〃　Breck　called　down　to　them。

Shorty　stood　up；　slipped；　and　sat　down　in　the　water；　while　the　boat　dipped　one　gunwale　under　and　righted　again。

〃Damn　the　money；〃　said　Shorty。　　〃Fetch　out　that　whiskey。　　Now　that　it's　over　I'm　getting　cold　feet；　an'　I'm　sure　likely　to　have　a　chill。〃



V。

In　the　morning；　as　usual；　they　were　among　the　last　of　the　boats　to　start。　　Breck；　despite　his　boating　inefficiency；　and　with　only　his　wife　and　nephew　for　crew；　had　broken　camp；　loaded　his　boat；　and　pulled　out　at　the　first　streak　of　day。　　But　there　was　no　hurry　in　Stine　and　Sprague；　who　seemed　incapable　of　realizing　that　the　freeze…up　might　come　at　any　time。　　They　malingered；　got　in　the　way；　delayed；　and　doubted　the　work　of　Kit　and　Shorty。

〃I'm　sure　losing　my　respect　for　God；　seein'　as　he　must　a…made　them　two　mistakes　in　human　form；〃　was　the　latter's　blasphemous　way　of　expressing　his　disgust。

〃Well；　you're　the　real　goods　at　any　rate；〃　Kit　grinned　back　at　him。　〃It　makes　me　respect　God　the　more　just　to　look　at　you。〃

〃He　was　sure　goin'　some；　eh？〃　was　Shorty's　fashion　of　overcoming　the　embarrassment　of　the　compliment。

The　trail　by　water　crossed　Lake　Le　Barge。　　Here　was　no　fast　current；　but　a　tideless　stretch　of　forty　miles　which　must　be　rowed　unless　a　fair　wind　blew。　　But　the　time　for　fair　wind　was　past；　and　an　icy　gale　blew　in　their　teeth　out　of　the　north。　　This　made　a　rough　sea；　against　which　it　was　almost　impossible　to　pull　the　boat。　　Added　to　their　troubles　was　driving　snow；　also；　the　freezing　of　the　water　on　their　oar…blades　kept　one　man　occupied　in　chopping　it　off　with　a　hatchet。　　Compelled　to　take　their　turn　at　the　oars；　Sprague　and　Stine　patently　loafed。　　Kit　had　learned　how　to　throw　his　weight　on　an　oar；　but　he　noted　that　his　employers　made　a　seeming　of　throwing　their　weights　and　that　they　dipped　their　oars　at　a　cheating　angle。

At　the