smoke bellew-第23部分

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〃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　bank　went　mad。　　It　WAS　a　great　crowd；　for　the　men　had　dropped　their　tools　on　all　the　creeks　and　come　down　to　see　the　outcome　of　the　race；　and　a　dead　heat　at　the　end　of　a　hundred　and　ten　miles　justified　any　madness。

〃When　you're　in　the　lead　I'm　going　to　drop　off！〃　Joy　cried　out　over　her　shoulder。

Smoke　tried　to　protest。

〃And　watch　out　for　the　dip　curve　half　way　up　the　bank；〃　she　warned。

Dog　by　dog；　separated　by　half　a　dozen　feet；　the　two　teams　were　running　abreast。　　Big　Olaf；　with　whip　and　voice；　held　his　own　for　a　minute。　　Then；　slowly；　an　inch　at　a　time；　Joy's　leader　began　to　forge　past。

〃Get　ready！〃　she　cried　to　Smoke。　　〃I'm　going　to　leave　you　in　a　minute。　　Get　the　whip。〃

And　as　he　shifted　his　hand　to　clutch　the　whip；　they　heard　Big　Olaf　roar　a　warning；　but　too　late。　　His　lead…dog；　incensed　at　being　passed；　swerved　in　to　the　attack。　　His　fangs　struck　Joy's　leader　on　the　flank。　　The　rival　teams　flew　at　one　another's　throats。　　The　sleds　overran　the　fighting　brutes　and　capsized。　　Smoke　struggled　to　his　feet　and　tried　to　lift　Joy　up。　　But　she　thrust　him　from　her；　crying：　　〃Go！〃

On　foot；　already　fifty　feet　in　advance；　was　Big　Olaf；　still　intent　on　finishing　the　race。　　Smoke　obeyed；　and　when　the　two　men　reached　the　foot　of　the　Dawson　bank；　he　was　at　the　others　heels。　　But　up　the　bank　Big　Olaf　lifted　his　body　hugely；　regaining　a　dozen　feet。

Five　blocks　down　the　main　street　was　the　Gold　Recorder's　office。　The　street　was　packed　as　for　the　witnessing　of　a　parade。　　Not　so　easily　this　time　did　Smoke　gain　to　his　giant　rival；　and　when　he　did　he　was　unable　to　pass。　　Side　by　side　they　ran　along　the　narrow　aisle　between　the　solid　walls　of　fur…clad；　cheering　men。　　Now　one；　now　the　other；　with　great　convulsive　jerks；　gained　an　inch　or　so　only　to　lose　it　immediately　after。

If　the　pace　had　been　a　killing　one　for　their　dogs；　the　one　they　now　set　themselves　was　no　less　so。　　But　they　were　racing　for　a　million　dollars　and　great　honour　in　Yukon　Country。　　The　only　outside　impression　that　came　to　Smoke　on　that　last　mad　stretch　was　one　of　astonishment　that　there　should　be　so　many　people　in　the　Klondike。　He　had　never　seen　them　all　at　once　before。

He　felt　himself　involuntarily　lag；　and　Big　Olaf　sprang　a　full　stride　in　the　lead。　　To　Smoke　it　seemed　that　his　heart　would　burst；　while　he　had　lost　all　consciousness　of　his　legs。　　He　knew　they　were　flying　under　him；　but　he　did　not　know　how　he　continued　to　make　them　fly；　nor　how　he　put　even　greater　pressure　of　will　upon　them　and　compelled　them　again　to　carry　him　to　his　giant　competitor's　side。

The　open　door　of　the　Recorder's　office　appeared　ahead　of　them。　　Both　men　made　a　final；　futile　spurt。　　Neither　could　draw　away　from　the　other；　and　side　by　side　they　hit　the　doorway；　collided　violently；　and　fell　headlong　on　the　office　floor。

They　sat　up；　but　were　too　exhausted　to　rise。　　Big　Olaf；　the　sweat　pouring　from　him；　breathing　with　tremendous；　painful　gasps；　pawed　the　air　and　vainly　tried　to　speak。　　Then　he　reached　out　his　hand　with　unmistakable　meaning；　Smoke　extended　his；　and　they　shook。

〃It's　a　dead　heat；〃　Smoke　could　hear　the　Recorder　saying；　but　it　was　as　if　in　a　dream；　and　the　voice　was　very　thin　and　very　far　away。　〃And　all　I　can　say　is　that　you　both　win。　　You'll　have　to　divide　the　claim　between　you。　　You're　partners。〃

Their　two　arms　pumped　up　and　down　as　they　ratified　the　decision。　Big　Olaf　nodded　his　head　with　great　emphasis；　and　spluttered。　　At　last　he　got　it　out。

〃You　damn　chechaquo；〃　was　what　he　said；　but　in　the　saying　of　it　was　admiration。　　〃I　don't　know　how　you　done　it；　but　you　did。〃

Outside　the　great　crowd　was　noisily　massed；　while　the　office　was　packing　and　jamming。　　Smoke　and　Big　Olaf　essayed　to　rise；　and　each　helped　the　other　to　his　feet。　　Smoke　found　his　legs　weak　under　him；　and　staggered　drunkenly。　　Big　Olaf　tottered　toward　him。

〃I'm　sorry　my　dogs　jumped　yours。〃

〃It　couldn't　be　helped；〃　Smoke　panted　back。　　〃I　heard　you　yell。〃

〃Say；〃　Big　Olaf　went　on　with　shining　eyes。　　〃That　girlone　damn　fine　girl；　eh？〃

〃One　damn　fine　girl；〃　Smoke　agreed。





End