smoke bellew-第22部分

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〃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　semi…　domesticated　wolves；　the　excitement　of　that　night　on　Mono　Creek　had　sent　every　dog　fighting…mad。　　The　Klondike　dogs；　driven　without　reins；　cannot　be　stopped　except　by　voice；　so　that　there　was　no　stopping　this　glut　of　struggle　that　heaped　itself　between　the　narrow　rims　of　the　creek。　　From　behind；　sled　after　sled　hurled　into　the　turmoil。　　Men　who　had　their　teams　nearly　extricated　were　overwhelmed　by　fresh　avalanches　of　dogseach　animal　well…fed；　well…rested；　and　ripe　for　battle。

〃It's　knock　down　an'　drag　out　an'　plow　through！〃　Shorty　yelled　in　his　partner's　ear。　　〃An'　watch　out　for　your　knuckles！　　You　drag　out　an'　let　me　do　the　punchin'！〃

What　happened　in　the　next　half　hour　Smoke　never　distinctly　remembered。　　At　the　end　he　emerged　exhausted；　sobbing　for　breath；　his　jaw　sore　from　a　first…blow；　his　shoulder　aching　from　the　bruise　of　a　club；　the　blood　running　warmly　down　one　leg　from　the　rip　of　a　dog's　fangs；　and　both　sleeves　of　his　parka　torn　to　shreds。　　As　in　a　dream；　while　the　battle　still　raged　behind；　he　helped　Shorty　reharness　the　dogs。　　One；　dying；　they　cut　from　the　traces；　and　in　the　darkness　they　felt　their　way　to　the　repair　of　the　disrupted　harnesses。

〃Now　you　lie　down　an'　get　your　wind　back；〃　Shorty　commanded。

And　through　the　darkness　the　dogs　sped；　with　unabated　strength；　down　Mono　Creek；　across　the　long　cut…off；　and　to　the　Yukon。　　Here；　at　the　junction　with　the　main　river…trail；　somebody　had　lighted　a　fire；　and　here　Shorty　said　good　bye。　　By　the　light　of　the　fire；　as　the　sled　leaped　behind　the　flying　dogs；　Smoke　caught　another　of　the　unforgettable　pictures　of　the　North　Land。　　It　was　of　Shorty；　swaying　and　sinking　down　limply　in　the　snow；　yelling　his　parting　encouragement；　one　eye　blackened　and　closed；　knuckles　bruised　and　broken；　and　one　arm；　ripped　and　fang…torn；　gushing　forth　a　steady　stream　of　blood。



V。

〃How　many　ahead？〃　Smoke　asked；　as　he　dropped　his　tired　Hudson　Bays　and　sprang　on　the　waiting　sled　at　the　first　relay　station。

〃I　counted　eleven；〃　the　man　called　after　him；　for　he　was　already　away　behind　the　leaping　dogs。

Fifteen　miles　they　were　to　carry　him　on　the　next　stage；　which　would　fetch　him　to　the　mouth　of　White　River。　　There　were　nine　of　them；　but　they　composed　his　weakest　team。　　The　twenty…five　miles　between　White　River　and　Sixty　Mile　he　had　broken　into　two　stages　because　of　ice…　jams；　and　here　two　of　his　heaviest；　toughest　teams　were　stationed。

He　lay　on　the　sled　at　full　length；　face…down；　holding　on　with　both　hands。　　Whenever　the　dogs　slacked　from　topmost　speed　he　rose　to　his　knees；　and；　yelling　and　urging；　clinging　precariously　with　one　hand；　threw　his　whip　into　them。　　Poor　team　that　it　was；　he　passed　two　sleds　before　White　River　was　reached。　　Here；　at　the　freeze…up；　a　jam　had　piled　a　barrier　allowing　the　open　water；　that　formed　for　half　a　mile　below；　to　freeze　smoothly。　　This　smooth　stretch　enabled　the　racers　to　make　flying　exchanges　of　sleds；　and　down　all　the　course　they　had　placed　their　relays　below　the　jams。

Over　the　jam　and　out　on　to　the　smooth；　Smoke　tore　along；　calling　loudly；　〃Billy！　　Billy！〃

Billy　heard　and　answered；　and　by　the　light　of　the　many　fires　on　the　ice；　Smoke　saw　a　sled　swing　in　from　the　side　and　come　abreast。　　Its　dogs　were　fresh　and　overhauled　his。　　As　the　sleds　swerved　toward　each　other　he　leaped　across　and　Billy　promptly　rolled　off。

〃Where's　Big　Olaf？〃　Smoke　cried。

〃Leading！〃　Billy's　voice　answered；　and　the　fires　were　left　behind　and　Smoke　was　again　flying　through　the　wall　of　blackness。

In　the　jams　of　that　relay；　where　the　way　led　across　a　chaos　of　up…　ended　ice…cakes；　and　where　Smoke　slipped　off　the　forward　end　of　the　sled　and　with　a　haul…rope　toiled　behind　the　wheel…dog；　he　passed　three　sleds。　　Accidents　had　happened；　and　he　could　hear　the　men　cutting　out　dogs　and　mending　harnesses。

Among　the　jams　of　the　next　short　relay　into　Sixty　Mile；　he　passed　two　more　teams。　　And　that　he　might　know　adequately　what　had　happened　to　them；　one　of　his　own　dogs　wrenched　a　shoulder；　was　unable　to　keep　up；　and　was　dragged　in　the　harness。　　Its　team…mates；　angered；　fell　upon　it　with　their　fangs；　and　Smoke　was　forced　to　club　them　off　with　the　heavy　butt　of　his　whip。　　As　he　cut　the　injured　animal　out；　he　heard　the　whining　cries　of　dogs　behind　him　and　the　voice　of　a　man　that　was　familiar。　　It　was　Von　Schroeder。　　Smoke　called　a　warning　to　prevent　a　rear…end　collision；　and　the　Baron；　hawing　his　animals　and　swinging　on　the　gee…pole；　went　by　a　dozen　feet　to　the　side。　　Yet　so　impenetrable　was　the　blackness　that　Smoke　heard　him　pass　but　never　saw　him。

On　the　smooth　stretch　of　ice　beside　the　trading　post　at　Sixty　Mile；　Smoke　overtook　two　more　sleds。　　All　had　just　changed　teams；　and　for　five　minutes　they　ran　abreast；　each　man　on　his　knees　and　pouring　whip　and　voice　into　the　maddened　dogs。　　But　Smoke　had　studied　out　that　portion　of　the　trail；　and　now　marked　the　tall　pine　on　the　bank　that　showed　faintly　in　the　light　of　the　many　fires。　　Below　that　pine　was　not　merely　darkness；　but　an　abrupt　cessation　of　the　smooth　stretch。　　There　the　trail；　he　knew；　narrowed　to　a　single　sled…width。　Leaning　out　ahead；　he　caught　the　haul…rope　and　drew　his　leaping　sled　up　to　the　wheel…dog。　　He　caught　the　animal　by　the　hind…legs　and　threw　it。　　With　a　snarl　of　rage　it　tried　to　slash　him　with　its　fangs；　but　was　dragged　on　by　the　rest　of　the　team。　　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　ah