smoke bellew-第4部分

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eet　above　timber　line；　on　the　back…bone　of　a　mountain。　　Wet　to　the　waist；　famished　and　exhausted；　he　would　have　given　a　year's　income　for　a　fire　and　a　cup　of　coffee。　　Instead；　he　ate　half　a　dozen　cold　flap…　jacks　and　crawled　into　the　folds　of　the　partly　unrolled　tent。　　As　he　dozed　off　he　had　time　only　for　one　fleeting　thought；　and　he　grinned　with　vicious　pleasure　at　the　picture　of　John　Bellew　in　the　days　to　follow；　masculinely　back…tripping　his　four　hundred　pounds　up　Chilcoot。　　As　for　himself；　even　though　burdened　with　two　thousand　pounds；　he　was　bound　down　the　hill。

In　the　morning；　stiff　from　his　labours　and　numb　with　the　frost；　he　rolled　out　of　the　canvas；　ate　a　couple　of　pounds　of　uncooked　bacon；　buckled　the　straps　on　a　hundred　pounds；　and　went　down　the　rocky　way。　Several　hundred　yards　beneath；　the　trail　led　across　a　small　glacier　and　down　to　Crater　Lake。　　Other　men　packed　across　the　glacier。　　All　that　day　he　dropped　his　packs　at　the　glacier's　upper　edge；　and；　by　virtue　of　the　shortness　of　the　pack；　he　put　his　straps　on　one　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　each　load。　　His　astonishment　at　being　able　to　do　it　never　abated。　　For　two　dollars　he　bought　from　an　Indian　three　leathery　sea…biscuits；　and　out　of　these；　and　a　huge　quantity　of　raw　bacon；　made　several　meals。　　Unwashed；　unwarmed；　his　clothing　wet　with　sweat；　he　slept　another　night　in　the　canvas。

In　the　early　morning　he　spread　a　tarpaulin　on　the　ice；　loaded　it　with　three…quarters　of　a　ton；　and　started　to　pull。　　Where　the　pitch　of　the　glacier　accelerated；　his　load　likewise　accelerated；　overran　him；　scooped　him　in　on　top；　and　ran　away　with　him。

A　hundred　packers；　bending　under　their　loads；　stopped　to　watch　him。　He　yelled　frantic　warnings；　and　those　in　his　path　stumbled　and　staggered　clear。　　Below；　on　the　lower　edge　of　the　glacier；　was　pitched　a　small　tent；　which　seemed　leaping　toward　him；　so　rapidly　did　it　grow　larger。　　He　left　the　beaten　track　where　the　packers'　trail　swerved　to　the　left；　and　struck　a　patch　of　fresh　snow。　　This　arose　about　him　in　frosty　smoke；　while　it　reduced　his　speed。　　He　saw　the　tent　the　instant　he　struck　it；　carrying　away　the　corner　guys；　bursting　in　the　front　flaps；　and　fetching　up　inside；　still　on　top　of　the　tarpaulin　and　in　the　midst　of　his　grub…sacks。　　The　tent　rocked　drunkenly；　and　in　the　frosty　vapour　he　found　himself　face　to　face　with　a　startled　young　woman　who　was　sitting　up　in　her　blanketsthe　very　one　who　had　called　him　chechaquo　at　Dyea。

〃Did　you　see　my　smoke？〃　he　queried　cheerfully。

She　regarded　him　with　disapproval。

〃Talk　about　your　magic　carpets！〃　he　went　on。

〃Do　you　mind　removing　that　sack　from　my　foot？〃　she　said　coldly。

He　looked；　and　lifted　his　weight　quickly。

〃It　wasn't　a　sack。　　It　was　my　elbow。　　Pardon　me。〃

The　information　did　not　perturb　her；　and　her　coolness　was　a　challenge。

〃It　was　a　mercy　you　did　not　overturn　the　stove；〃　she　said。

He　followed　her　glance　and　saw　a　sheet…iron　stove　and　a　coffee…pot；　attended　by　a　young　squaw。　　He　sniffed　the　coffee　and　looked　back　to　the　girl。

〃I'm　a　chechaquo；〃　he　said。

Her　bored　expression　told　him　that　he　was　stating　the　obvious。　　But　he　was　unabashed。

〃I've　shed　my　shooting…irons；〃　he　added。

Then　she　recognized　him；　and　her　eyes　lighted。

〃I　never　thought　you'd　get　this　far；〃　she　informed　him。

Again；　and　greedily；　he　sniffed　the　air。

〃As　I　live；　coffee！〃　　He　turned　and　directly　addressed　her。　　〃I'll　give　you　my　little　fingercut　it　right　off　now；　I'll　do　anything；　I'll　be　your　slave　for　a　year　and　a　day　or　any　other　odd　time；　if　you'll　give　me　a　cup　out　of　that　pot。〃

And　over　the　coffee　he　gave　his　name　and　learned　hersJoy　Gastell。　Also；　he　learned　that　she　was　an　old…timer　in　the　country。　　She　had　been　born　in　a　trading　post　on　the　Great　Slave；　and　as　a　child　had　crossed　the　Rockies　with　her　father　and　come　down　to　the　Yukon。　　She　was　going　in；　she　said；　with　her　father；　who　had　been　delayed　by　business　in　Seattle；　and　who　had　then　been　wrecked　on　the　ill…fated　Chanter　and　carried　back　to　Puget　Sound　by　the　rescuing　steamer。

In　view　of　the　fact　that　she　was　still　in　her　blankets；　he　did　not　make　it　a　long　conversation；　and；　heroically　declining　a　second　cup　of　coffee；　he　removed　himself　and　his　quarter　of　a　ton　of　baggage　from　her　tent。　　Further；　he　took　several　conclusions　away　with　him：　she　had　a　fetching　name　and　fetching　eyes；　could　not　be　more　than　twenty；　or　twenty…one　or　…two；　her　father　must　be　French；　she　had　a　will　of　her　own　and　temperament　to　burn；　and　she　had　been　educated　elsewhere　than　on　the　frontier。



VI。

Over　the　ice…scoured　rocks；　and　above　the　timber…line；　the　trail　ran　around　Crater　Lake　and　gained　the　rocky　defile　that　led　toward　Happy　Camp　and　the　first　scrub　pines。　　To　pack　his　heavy　outfit　around　would　take　days　of　heart…breaking　toil。　　On　the　lake　was　a　canvas　boat　employed　in　freighting。　　Two　trips　with　it；　in　two　hours；　would　see　him　and　his　ton　across。　　But　he　was　broke；　and　the　ferryman　charged　forty　dollars　a　ton。

〃You've　got　a　gold…mine；　my　friend；　in　that　dinky　boat；〃　Kit　said　to　the　ferryman。　　〃Do　you　want　another　gold…mine？〃

〃Show　me；〃　was　the　answer。

〃I'll　sell　it　to　you　for　the　price　of　ferrying　my　outfit。　　It's　an　idea；　not　patented；　and　you　can　jump　the　deal　as　soon　as　I　tell　you　it。　　Are　you　game？〃

The　ferryman　said　he　was；　and　Kit　liked　his　looks。

〃Very　well。　　You　see　that　glacier。　　Take　a　pick…axe　and　wade　into　it。　　In　a　day　you　can　have　a　decent　groove　from　top　to　bottom。　　See　the　point？　　The　Chilcoot　and　Crater　Lake　Consolidated　Chute　Corporation；　Limited。　　You　can　charge　fifty　cents　a　hundred；　get　a　hundred　tons　a　day；　and　have　no　work　to　do　but　collect　the　coin。〃

Two　hours　later；　Kit's　ton　was　across　the　lake；　and　he　had　gained　three　days　on　himself。　　And　when　John　Bellew　overtook　him；　he　was　well　along　toward　Deep　Lake；　another　volcanic　pit　filled　with　glacial　water。



VII。

The　last　pack；　from　Long　Lake　to　Linderman；　was　three　miles；　and　the　trail；　if　trail　it　could　be　called；　rose　up　over　a　thousand…foot　hogback；　dropped　down　a　scramble　of　slippery　rocks；　and　crossed　a　wide　stretch　of　swamp。　　John　Bellew　remonstrated　when　he　saw　Kit　arise　with　a　hundred　pounds　in　the　straps　and　pick　up　a　fifty…pound　sack　of　flour　and　place　it　on　top　of　the　pack　against　the　back　of　his　neck。

〃Come　on；　you　chunk　of　the　hard；〃　Kit　retorted。　　〃Kick　in　on　your　bear…meat　fodder　and　your　one　suit　of　underclothes。〃

But　John　Bellew　shook　his　head。

〃I'm　afraid　I'm　getting　old；　Christopher。〃

〃You're　only　forty…eight。　　Do　you　realize　that　my　grandfather；　sir；　your　father；　old　Isaac　Bellew；　killed　a　man　with　his　fist　when　he　was　sixty…nine　years　old？〃

John　Bellew　grinned　and　swallowed　his　medicine。

〃Avuncular；　I　want　to　tell　you　something　important。　　I　was　raised　a　Lord　Fauntleroy；　but　I　can　outpack　you；　outwalk　you；　put　you　on　your　back；　or　lick　you　with　my　fists　right　now。〃

John　Bellew　thrust　out　his　hand　and　spoke　solemnly。

〃Christopher；　my　boy；　I　believe　you　can　do　it。　　I　believe　you　can　do　it　with　that　pack　on　your　back　at　the　same　time。　　You've　made　good；　boy；　though　it's　too　unthinkable　to　believe。〃

Kit　made　the　round　trip　of　the　last　pack　four　times　a　day；　which　is　to　say　that　he　daily　covered　twenty…four　miles　of　mountain　climbing；　twelve　miles　of　it　under　one　hundred　and　fifty　pounds。　　He　was　proud；　hard；　and　tired；　but　in　splendid　physical　condition。　　He　ate　and　slept　as　he　had　never　eaten　and　slept　in　his　life；　and　as　the　end　of　the　work　came　in　sight；　he　was　almost　half　sorry。

One　problem　bothered　him。　　He　had　learned　that　he　could　fall　with　a　hundredweight　on　his　back　and　survive；　but　he　was　confident；　if　he　fell　with　that　additional　fifty　pounds　across　the　back　of　his　neck；　that　it　would　break　it　clean。　　Each　trail　through　the　swamp　was　quickly　churned　bottomless　by　the　thousands　of　packers；　who　were　compelled　continually　to　make　new　trails。　　It　was　while　pioneering　such　a　new　trail；　that　he　solved　the　problem　of　the　extra　fifty。

The　soft；　lush　surface　gave　way　under　him；　he　floundered；　and　pitched　forward　on　his　face。　　The　fifty　pounds　crushed　his　face　in　the　mud　and　went　clear　without　snapping　his　neck。　　With　the　remaining　hundred　pounds　on　his　back；　he　arose　on　hands　and　knees。　But　he　got　no　farther。　　One　arm　sank　to　the　shoulder；　pillowing　his　cheek　in　the　slush。　　As　he　drew　this　arm　clear；　the　other　sank　to　the　shoulder。　　In　this　position　it　was　impossible　to　slip　the　straps；　and　the　hundredweight　on　his　back　would　not　let　him　rise。　On　hands　and　knees；　sinking　first　one　arm　and　then　the　other；　he　made　an　effort　to　crawl　to　where　the　small　sack　of　flour　had　fallen。　But　he　exhausted　himself　without　advancing；　and　so　churned　and　broke　the　grass　surface；　that　a　tiny　pool　of　water　began　to　form　in　perilous　proximity　to　his　mouth　and　nose。

He　tried　to　throw　himself　on　his　back　with　the　pack　underneath；　but　this　resulted　in　sinking　both　arms　to　the　shoulders　and　gave　him　a　foretaste　of　drowning。　　With　exquisite　patience；　he　slowly　withdrew　one　sucking　arm　and　then　the　other　and　rested　them　flat　on　the　surface　for　the　support　of　his　chin。　　Then　he　began　to　call　for　help。　　After　a　time　he　heard　the　sound　of　feet　sucking　through　the　mud　as　some　one　advanced　from　behind。

〃Lend　a　hand；　friend；〃　he　said。　　〃Throw　out　a　life…line　or　something。〃

It　was　a　woman's　voice　that　answered；　and　he　recognized　it。

〃If　you'll　unbuckle　the　straps　I　can　get　up。〃

The　hundred　pounds　rolled　into　the　mud　with　a　soggy　noise；　and　he　slowly　gained　his　feet。

〃A　pretty　predicament；〃　Miss　Gastell　laughed；　at　sight　of　his　mud…　covered　face。

〃Not　at　all；〃　he　replied　airily。　　〃My　favourite　physical　exercise　stunt。　　Try　it　some　time。　　It's　great　for　the　pectoral　muscles　and　the　spine。〃

He　wiped　his　face；　flinging　the　slush　from　his　hand　with　a　snappy　jerk。

〃Oh！〃　she　cried　in　recognition。　　〃It's　MrahMr　Smoke　Bellew。〃

〃I　thank　you　gravely　for　your　timely　rescue　and　for　that　name；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　have　been　doubly　baptized。　　Henceforth　I　shall　insist　always　on　being　called　Smoke　Bellew。　　It　is　a　strong　name；　and　not　without　significance。〃

He　paused；　and　then　voice　and　expression　became　suddenly　fierce。

〃Do　you　know　what　I'm　going　to　do？〃　he　demanded。　　〃I'm　going