smoke bellew- 第5部分

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

〃Do　you　know　what　I'm　going　to　do？〃　he　demanded。　　〃I'm　going　back　to　the　States。　　I　am　going　to　get　married。　　I　am　going　to　raise　a　large　family　of　children。　　And　then；　as　the　evening　shadows　fall；　I　shall　gather　those　children　about　me　and　relate　the　sufferings　and　hardships　I　endured　on　the　Chilcoot　Trail。　　And　if　they　don't　cryI　repeat；　if　they　don't　cry；　I'll　lambaste　the　stuffing　out　of　them。〃



VIII。

The　arctic　winter　came　down　apace。　　Snow　that　had　come　to　stay　lay　six　inches　on　the　ground；　and　the　ice　was　forming　in　quiet　ponds；　despite　the　fierce　gales　that　blew。　　It　was　in　the　late　afternoon；　during　a　lull　in　such　a　gale；　that　Kit　and　John　Bellew　helped　the　cousins　load　the　boat　and　watched　it　disappear　down　the　lake　in　a　snow…squall。

〃And　now　a　night's　sleep　and　an　early　start　in　the　morning；〃　said　John　Bellew。　　〃If　we　aren't　storm…bound　at　the　summit　we'll　make　Dyea　to…morrow　night；　and　if　we　have　luck　in　catching　a　steamer　we'll　be　in　San　Francisco　in　a　week。〃

〃Enjoyed　your　vacation？〃　Kit　asked　absently。

Their　camp　for　that　last　night　at　Linderman　was　a　melancholy　remnant。　　Everything　of　use；　including　the　tent；　had　been　taken　by　the　cousins。　　A　tattered　tarpaulin；　stretched　as　a　wind…break；　partially　sheltered　them　from　the　driving　snow。　　Supper　they　cooked　on　an　open　fire　in　a　couple　of　battered　and　discarded　camp　utensils。　All　that　was　left　them　were　their　blankets；　and　food　for　several　meals。

From　the　moment　of　the　departure　of　the　boat；　Kit　had　become　absent　and　restless。　　His　uncle　noticed　his　condition；　and　attributed　it　to　the　fact　that　the　end　of　the　hard　toil　had　come。　　Only　once　during　supper　did　Kit　speak。

〃Avuncular；〃　he　said；　relevant　of　nothing；　〃after　this；　I　wish　you'd　call　me　Smoke。　　I've　made　some　smoke　on　this　trail；　haven't　I？〃

A　few　minutes　later　he　wandered　away　in　the　direction　of　the　village　of　tents　that　sheltered　the　gold…rushers　who　were　still　packing　or　building　their　boats。　　He　was　gone　several　hours；　and　when　he　returned　and　slipped　into　his　blankets　John　Bellew　was　asleep。

In　the　darkness　of　a　gale…driven　morning；　Kit　crawled　out；　built　a　fire　in　his　stocking　feet；　by　which　he　thawed　out　his　frozen　shoes；　then　boiled　coffee　and　fried　bacon。　　It　was　a　chilly；　miserable　meal。　　As　soon　as　finished；　they　strapped　their　blankets。　　As　John　Bellew　turned　to　lead　the　way　toward　the　Chilcoot　Trail；　Kit　held　out　his　hand。

〃Good…bye；　avuncular；〃　he　said。

John　Bellew　looked　at　him　and　swore　in　his　surprise。

〃Don't　forget　my　name's　Smoke；〃　Kit　chided。

〃But　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

Kit　waved　his　hand　in　a　general　direction　northward　over　the　storm…　lashed　lake。

〃What's　the　good　of　turning　back　after　getting　this　far？〃　he　asked。　〃Besides；　I've　got　my　taste　of　meat；　and　I　like　it。　　I'm　going　on。〃

〃You're　broke；〃　protested　John　Bellew。　　〃You　have　no　outfit。〃

〃I've　got　a　job。　　Behold　your　nephew；　Christopher　Smoke　Bellew！　He's　got　a　job　at　a　hundred　and　fifty　per　month　and　grub。　　He's　going　down　to　Dawson　with　a　couple　of　dudes　and　another　gentleman's　mancamp…cook；　boatman；　and　general　all…around　hustler。　　And　O'Hara　and　the　Billow　can　go　to　hell。　　Good…bye。〃

But　John　Bellew　was　dazed；　and　could　only　mutter：

〃I　don't　understand。〃

〃They　say　the　baldface　grizzlies　are　thick　in　the　Yukon　Basin；〃　Kit　explained。　　〃Well；　I've　got　only　one　suit　of　underclothes；　and　I'm　going　after　the　bear…meat；　that's　all。〃




THE　MEAT。




I。

Half　the　time　the　wind　blew　a　gale；　and　Smoke　Bellew　staggered　against　it　along　the　beach。　　In　the　gray　of　dawn　a　dozen　boats　were　being　loaded　with　the　precious　outfits　packed　across　Chilcoot。　　They　were　clumsy；　home…made　boats；　put　together　by　men　who　were　not　boat…　builders；　out　of　planks　they　had　sawed　by　hand　from　green　spruce　trees。　　One　boat；　already　loaded；　was　just　starting；　and　Kit　paused　to　watch。

The　wind；　which　was　fair　down　the　lake；　here　blew　in　squarely　on　the　beach；　kicking　up　a　nasty　sea　in　the　shallows。　　The　men　of　the　departing　boat　waded　in　high　rubber　boots　as　they　shoved　it　out　toward　deeper　water。　　Twice　they　did　this。　　Clambering　aboard　and　failing　to　row　clear；　the　boat　was　swept　back　and　grounded。　　Kit　noticed　that　the　spray　on　the　sides　of　the　boat　quickly　turned　to　ice。　　The　third　attempt　was　a　partial　success。　　The　last　two　men　to　climb　in　were　wet　to　their　waists；　but　the　boat　was　afloat。　　They　struggled　awkwardly　at　the　heavy　oars；　and　slowly　worked　off　shore。　Then　they　hoisted　a　sail　made　of　blankets；　had　it　carried　away　in　a　gust；　and　were　swept　a　third　time　back　on　the　freezing　beach。

Kit　grinned　to　himself　and　went　on。　　This　was　what　he　must　expect　to　encounter；　for　he；　too；　in　his　new　role　of　gentleman's　man；　was　to　start　from　the　beach　in　a　similar　boat　that　very　day。

Everywhere　men　were　at　work；　and　at　work　desperately；　for　the　closing　down　of　winter　was　so　imminent　that　it　was　a　gamble　whether　or　not　they　would　get　across　the　great　chain　of　lakes　before　the　freeze…up。　　Yet；　when　Kit　arrived　at　the　tent　of　Messrs　Sprague　and　Stine；　he　did　not　find　them　stirring。

By　a　fire；　under　the　shelter　of　a　tarpaulin；　squatted　a　short；　thick　man　smoking　a　brown…paper　cigarette。

〃Hello；〃　he　said。　　〃Are　you　Mister　Sprague's　new　man？〃

As　Kit　nodded；　he　thought　he　had　noted　a　shade　of　emphasis　on　the　mister　and　the　man；　and　he　was　sure　of　a　hint　of　a　twinkle　in　the　corner　of　the　eye。

〃Well；　I'm　Doc　Stine's　man；〃　the　other　went　on。　　〃I'm　five　feet　two　inches　long；　and　my　name's　Shorty；　Jack　Short　for　short；　and　sometimes　known　as　Johnny…on…the…Spot。〃

Kit　put　out　his　hand　and　shook。

〃Were　you　raised　on　bear…meat？〃　he　queried。

〃Sure；〃　was　the　answer；　〃though　my　first　feedin'　was　buffalo…milk　as　near　as　I　can　remember。　　Sit　down　an'　have　some　grub。　　The　bosses　ain't　turned　out　yet。〃

And　despite　the　one　breakfast；　Kit　sat　down　under　the　tarpaulin　and　ate　a　second　breakfast　thrice　as　hearty。　　The　heavy；　purging　toil　of　weeks　had　given　him　the　stomach　and　appetite　of　a　wolf。　　He　could　eat　anything；　in　any　quantity；　and　be　unaware　that　he　possessed　a　digestion。　　Shorty　he　found　voluble　and　pessimistic；　and　from　him　he　received　surprising　tips　concerning　their　bosses；　and　ominous　forecasts　of　the　expedition。　　Thomas　Stanley　Sprague　was　a　budding　mining　engineer　and　the　son　of　a　millionaire。　　Doctor　Adolph　Stine　was　also　the　son　of　a　wealthy　father。　　And；　through　their　fathers；　both　had　been　backed　by　an　investing　syndicate　in　the　Klondike　adventure。

〃Oh；　they're　sure　made　of　money；〃　Shorty　expounded。　　〃When　they　hit　the　beach　at　Dyea；　freight　was　seventy　cents；　but　no　Indians。　　There　was　a　party　from　Eastern　Oregon；　real　miners；　that'd　managed　to　get　a　team　of　Indians　together　at　seventy　cents。　　Indians　had　the　straps　on　the　outfit；　three　thousand　pounds　of　it；　when　along　comes　Sprague　and　Stine。　　They　offered　eighty　cents　and　ninety；　and　at　a　dollar　a　pound　the　Indians　jumped　the　contract　and　took　off　their　straps。　Sprague　and　Stine　came　through；　though　it　cost　them　three　thousand；　and　the　Oregon　bunch　is　still　on　the　beach。　　They　won't　get　through　till　next　year。

〃Oh；　they　are　real　hummers；　your　boss　and　mine；　when　it　comes　to　sheddin'　the　mazuma　an'　never　mindin'　other　folks'　feelin's。　　What　did　they　do　when　they　hit　Linderman？　　The　carpenters　was　just　putting　in　the　last　licks　on　a　boat　they'd　contracted　to　a　'Frisco　bunch　for　six　hundred。　　Sprague　and　Stine　slipped　'em　an　even　thousand；　and　they　jumped　their　contract。　　It's　a　good…lookin'　boat；　but　it's　jiggered　the　other　bunch。　　They've　got　their　outfit　right　here；　but　no　boat。　　And　they're　stuck　for　next　year。

〃Have　another　cup　of　coffee；　and　take　it　from　me　that　I　wouldn't　travel　with　no　such　outfit　if　I　didn't　want　to　get　to　Klondike　so　blamed　bad。　　They　ain't　hearted　right。　　They'd　take　the　crape　off　the　door　of　a　house　in　mourning　if　they　needed　it　in　their　business。　Did　you　sign　a　contract？〃

Kit　shook　his　head。

〃Then　I'm　sorry　for　you；　pardner。　　They　ain't　no　grub　in　the　country；　and　they'll　drop　you　cold　as　soon　as　they　hit　Dawson。　　Men　are　going　to　starve　there　this　winter。〃

〃They　agreed〃　Kit　began。

〃Verbal；〃　Shorty　snapped　him　short。　　〃It's　your　say　so　against　theirs；　that's　all。　　Well；　anywaywhat's　your　name；　pardner？〃

〃Call　me　Smoke；〃　said　Kit。

〃Well；　Smoke；　you'll　have　a　run　for　your　verbal　contract　just　the　same。　　This　is　a　plain　sample　of　what　to　expect。　　They　can　sure　shed　mazuma；　but　they　can't　work；　or　turn　out　of　bed　in　the　morning。　　We　should　have　been　loaded　and　started　an　hour　ago。　　It's　you　an'　me　for　the　big　work。　　Pretty　soon　you'll　hear　'em　shoutin'　for　their　coffeein　bed；　mind　you；　and　they　grown　men。　　What　d'ye　know　about　boatin'　on　the　water？　　I'm　a　cowman　and　a　prospector；　but　I'm　sure　tender…footed　on　water；　an'　they　don't　know　punkins。　　What　d'ye　know？〃

〃Search　me；〃　Kit　answered；　snuggling　in　closer　under　the　tarpaulin　as　the　snow　whirled　before　a　fiercer　gust。　　〃I　haven't　been　on　a　small　boat　since　a　boy。　　But　I　guess　we　can　learn。〃

A　corner　of　the　tarpaulin　tore　loose；　and　Shorty　received　a　jet　of　driven　snow　down　the　back　of　his　neck。

〃Oh；　we　can　learn　all　right；〃　he　muttered　wrathfully。　　〃Sure　we　can。　A　child　can　learn。　　But　it's　dollars　to　doughnuts　we　don't　even　get　started　to…day。〃

It　was　eight　o'clock　when　the　call　for　coffee　came　from　the　tent；　and　nearly　nine　before　the　two　employers　emerged。

〃Hello；〃　said　Sprague；　a　rosy…cheeked；　well…fed　young　man　of　twenty…　five。　　〃Time　we　made　a　start；　Shorty。　　You　and〃　　Here　he　glanced　interrogatively　at　Kit。　　〃I　didn't　quite　catch　your　name　last　evening。〃

〃Smoke。〃

〃Well；　Shorty；　you　and　Mr　Smoke　had　better　begin　loading　the　boat。〃

〃Plain　Smokecut　out　the　Mister；〃　Kit　suggested。

Sprague　nodded　curtly　and　strolled　away　among　the　tents；　to　be　followed　by　Doctor　Stine；　a　slender；　pallid　young　man。

Shorty　looked　significantly　at　his　companion。

〃Over　a　ton　and　a　half　of　outfit；　and　they　won't　lend　a　hand。　You'll　see。〃

〃I　guess　it's　because　we're　paid　to　do　the　work；〃　Kit　answered　cheerfully；　〃and　we　might　as　well　buck　in。〃

To　move　three　thousand　pounds　on　the　shoulders　a　hundred　yards　was　no　slight　task；　and　to　do