smoke bellew- 第6部分

To　move　three　thousand　pounds　on　the　shoulders　a　hundred　yards　was　no　slight　task；　and　to　do　it　in　half　a　gale；　slushing　through　the　snow　in　heavy　rubber　boots；　was　exhausting。　　In　addition；　there　was　the　taking　down　of　the　tent　and　the　packing　of　small　camp　equipage。　Then　came　the　loading。　　As　the　boat　settled；　it　had　to　be　shoved　farther　and　farther　out；　increasing　the　distance　they　had　to　wade。　By　two　o'clock　it　had　all　been　accomplished；　and　Kit；　despite　his　two　breakfasts；　was　weak　with　the　faintness　of　hunger。　　His　knees　were　shaking　under　him。　　Shorty；　in　similar　predicament；　foraged　through　the　pots　and　pans；　and　drew　forth　a　big　pot　of　cold　boiled　beans　in　which　were　imbedded　large　chunks　of　bacon。　　There　was　only　one　spoon；　a　long…handled　one；　and　they　dipped；　turn　and　turn　about；　into　the　pot。　　Kit　was　filled　with　an　immense　certitude　that　in　all　his　life　he　had　never　tasted　anything　so　good。

〃Lord；　man；〃　he　mumbled　between　chews；　〃I　never　knew　what　appetite　was　till　I　hit　the　trail。〃

Sprague　and　Stine　arrived　in　the　midst　of　this　pleasant　occupation。

〃What's　the　delay？〃　Sprague　complained。　〃Aren't　we　ever　going　to　get　started？〃

Shorty　dipped　in　turn；　and　passed　the　spoon　to　Kit。　　Nor　did　either　speak　till　the　pot　was　empty　and　the　bottom　scraped。

〃Of　course　we　ain't　ben　doin'　nothing；〃　Shorty　said；　wiping　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　　〃We　ain't　ben　doin'　nothing　at　all。　　And　of　course　you　ain't　had　nothing　to　eat。　　It　was　sure　careless　of　me。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　Stine　said　quickly。　　〃We　ate　at　one　of　the　tents　friends　of　ours。〃

〃Thought　so；〃　Shorty　grunted。

〃But　now　that　you're　finished；　let　us　get　started；〃　Sprague　urged。

〃There's　the　boat；〃　said　Shorty。　　〃She's　sure　loaded。　　Now；　just　how　might　you　be　goin'　about　to　get　started？〃

〃By　climbing　aboard　and　shoving　off。　　Come　on。〃

They　waded　out；　and　the　employers　got　on　board；　while　Kit　and　Shorty　shoved　clear。　　When　the　waves　lapped　the　tops　of　their　boots　they　clambered　in。　　The　other　two　men　were　not　prepared　with　the　oars；　and　the　boat　swept　back　and　grounded。　　Half　a　dozen　times；　with　a　great　expenditure　of　energy；　this　was　repeated。

Shorty　sat　down　disconsolately　on　the　gunwale；　took　a　chew　of　tobacco；　and　questioned　the　universe；　while　Kit　baled　the　boat　and　the　other　two　exchanged　unkind　remarks。

〃If　you'll　take　my　orders；　I'll　get　her　off；〃　Sprague　finally　said。

The　attempt　was　well　intended；　but　before　he　could　clamber　on　board　he　was　wet　to　the　waist。

〃We've　got　to　camp　and　build　a　fire；〃　he　said；　as　the　boat　grounded　again。　　〃I'm　freezing。〃

〃Don't　be　afraid　of　a　wetting；〃　Stine　sneered。　　〃Other　men　have　gone　off　to…day　wetter　than　you。　　Now　I'm　going　to　take　her　out。〃

This　time　it　was　he　who　got　the　wetting；　and　who　announced　with　chattering　teeth　the　need　of　a　fire。

〃A　little　splash　like　that；〃　Sprague　chattered　spitefully。　　〃We'll　go　on。〃

〃Shorty；　dig　out　my　clothes…bag　and　make　a　fire；〃　the　other　commanded。

〃You'll　do　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　Sprague　cried。

Shorty　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　expectorated；　but　did　not　move。

〃He's　working　for　me；　and　I　guess　he　obeys　my　orders；〃　Stine　retorted。　　〃Shorty；　take　that　bag　ashore。〃

Shorty　obeyed；　and　Sprague　shivered　in　the　boat。　　Kit；　having　received　no　orders；　remained　inactive；　glad　of　the　rest。

〃A　boat　divided　against　itself　won't　float；〃　he　soliloquized。

〃What's　that？〃　Sprague　snarled　at　him。

〃Talking　to　myselfhabit　of　mine；〃　he　answered。

His　employer　favoured　him　with　a　hard　look；　and　sulked　several　minutes　longer。　　Then　he　surrendered。

〃Get　out　my　bag；　Smoke；〃　he　ordered；　〃and　lend　a　hand　with　that　fire。　　We　won't　get　off　till　the　morning　now。〃



II。

Next　day　the　gale　still　blew。　　Lake　Linderman　was　no　more　than　a　narrow　mountain　gorge　filled　with　water。　　Sweeping　down　from　the　mountains　through　this　funnel；　the　wind　was　irregular；　blowing　great　guns　at　times　and　at　other　times　dwindling　to　a　strong　breeze。

〃If　you　give　me　a　shot　at　it；　I　think　I　can　get　her　off；〃　Kit　said；　when　all　was　ready　for　the　start。

〃What　do　you　know　about　it？〃　Stine　snapped　at　him。

〃Search　me；〃　Kit　answered；　and　subsided。

It　was　the　first　time　he　had　worked　for　wages　in　his　life；　but　he　was　learning　the　discipline　of　it　fast。　　Obediently　and　cheerfully　he　joined　in　various　vain　efforts　to　get　clear　of　the　beach。

〃How　would　you　go　about　it？〃　Sprague　finally　half…panted；　half…　whined　at　him。

〃Sit　down　and　get　a　good　rest　till　a　lull　comes　in　the　wind；　and　then　buck　in　for　all　we're　worth。〃

Simple　as　the　idea　was；　he　had　been　the　first　to　evolve　it；　the　first　time　it　was　applied　it　worked；　and　they　hoisted　a　blanket　to　the　mast　and　sped　down　the　lake。　　Stine　and　Sprague　immediately　became　cheerful。　　Shorty；　despite　his　chronic　pessimism；　was　always　cheerful；　and　Kit　was　too　interested　to　be　otherwise。　　Sprague　struggled　with　the　steering　sweep　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　and　then　looked　appealingly　at　Kit；　who　relieved　him。

〃My　arms　are　fairly　broken　with　the　strain　of　it；〃　Sprague　muttered　apologetically。

〃You　never　ate　bear…meat；　did　you？〃　Kit　asked　sympathetically。

〃What　the　devil　do　you　mean？〃

〃Oh；　nothing；　I　was　just　wondering。〃

But　behind　his　employer's　back　Kit　caught　the　approving　grin　of　Shorty；　who　had　already　caught　the　whim　of　his　simile。

Kit　steered　the　length　of　Linderman；　displaying　an　aptitude　that　caused　both　young　men　of　money　and　disinclination　for　work　to　name　him　boat…steerer。　　Shorty　was　no　less　pleased；　and　volunteered　to　continue　cooking　and　leave　the　boat　work　to　the　other。

Between　Linderman　and　Lake　Bennet　was　a　portage。　　The　boat；　lightly　loaded；　was　lined　down　the　small　but　violent　connecting　stream；　and　here　Kit　learned　a　vast　deal　more　about　boats　and　water。　　But　when　it　came　to　packing　the　outfit；　Stine　and　Sprague　disappeared；　and　their　men　spent　two　days　of　back…breaking　toil　in　getting　the　outfit　across。　　And　this　was　the　history　of　many　miserable　days　of　the　tripKit　and　Shorty　working　to　exhaustion；　while　their　masters　toiled　not　and　demanded　to　be　waited　upon。

But　the　iron…bound　arctic　winter　continued　to　close　down；　and　they　were　held　back　by　numerous　and　avoidable　delays。　　At　Windy　Arm；　Stine　arbitrarily　dispossessed　Kit　of　the　steering…sweep　and　within　the　hour　wrecked　the　boat　on　a　wave…beaten　lee　shore。　　Two　days　were　lost　here　in　making　repairs；　and　the　morning　of　the　fresh　start；　as　they　came　down　to　embark；　on　stern　and　bow；　in　large　letters；　was　charcoaled　'The　Chechaquo。'

Kit　grinned　at　the　appropriateness　of　the　invidious　word。

〃Huh！〃　said　Shorty；　when　accused　by　Stine。　　〃I　can　sure　read　and　spell；　an'　I　know　that　Chechaquo　means　tenderfoot；　but　my　education　never　went　high　enough　to　learn　me　to　spell　a　jaw…breaker　like　that。〃

Both　employers　looked　daggers　at　Kit；　for　the　insult　rankled；　nor　did　he　mention　that　the　night　before；　Shorty　had　besought　him　for　the　spelling　of　that　particular　word。

〃That's　'most　as　bad　as　your　bear…meat　slam　at　'em；〃　Shorty　confided　later。

Kit　chuckled。　　Along　with　the　continuous　discovery　of　his　own　powers　had　come　an　ever…increasing　disapproval　of　the　two　masters。　　It　was　not　so　much　irritation；　which　was　always　present；　as　disgust。　　He　had　got　his　taste　of　the　meat；　and　liked　it；　but　they　were　teaching　him　how　not　to　eat　it。　　Privily；　he　thanked　God　that　he　was　not　made　as　they。　　He　came　to　dislike　them　to　a　degree　that　bordered　on　hatred。　　Their　malingering　bothered　him　less　than　their　helpless　inefficiency。　　Somewhere　in　him；　old　Isaac　Bellew　and　all　the　rest　of　the　hardy　Bellews　were　making　good。

〃Shorty；〃　he　said　one　day；　in　the　usual　delay　of　getting　started；　〃I　could　almost　fetch　them　a　rap　over　the　head　with　an　oar　and　bury　them　in　the　river。〃

〃Same　here；〃　Shorty　agreed。　　〃They're　not　meat…eaters。　　They're　fish…eaters；　and　they　sure　stink。〃



III。

They　came　to　the　rapids；　first；　the　Box　Canyon；　and；　several　miles　below；　the　White　Horse。　　The　Box　Canyon　was　adequately　named。　　It　was　a　box；　a　trap。　　Once　in　it；　the　only　way　out　was　through。　　On　either　side　arose　perpendicular　walls　of　rock。　　The　river　narrowed　to　a　fraction　of　its　width；　and　roared　through　this　gloomy　passage　in　a　madness　of　motion　that　heaped　the　water　in　the　centre　into　a　ridge　fully　eight　feet　higher　than　at　the　rocky　sides。　　This　ridge；　in　turn；　was　crested　with　stiff；　upstanding　waves　that　curled　over；　yet　remained　each　in　its　unvarying　place。　　The　Canyon　was　well　feared；　for　it　had　collected　its　toll　of　dead　from　the　passing　gold…　rushers。

Tying　to　the　bank　above；　where　lay　a　score　of　other　anxious　boats；　Kit　and　his　companions　went　ahead　on　foot　to　investigate。　　They　crept　to　the　brink　and　gazed　down　at　the　swirl　of　water。　　Sprague　drew　back　shuddering。

〃My　God！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃A　swimmer　hasn't　a　chance　in　that。〃

Shorty　touched　Kit　significantly　with　his　elbow　and　said　in　an　undertone：

〃Cold　feet。　　Dollars　to　doughnuts　they　don't　go　through。〃

Kit　scarcely　heard。　　From　the　beginning　of　the　boat　trip　he　had　been　learning　the　stubbornness　and　inconceivable　viciousness　of　the　elements；　and　this　glimpse　of　what　was　below　him　acted　as　a　challenge。

〃We've　got　to　ride　that　ridge；〃　he　said。　　〃If　we　get　off　of　it　we'll　hit　the　walls〃

〃And　never　know　what　hit　us；〃　was　Shorty's　verdict。　　〃Can　you　swim；　Smoke？〃

〃I'd　wish　I　couldn't　if　anything　went　wrong　in　there。〃

〃That's　what　I　say；〃　a　stranger；　standing　alongside　and　peering　down　into　the　Canyon；　said　mournfully。　　〃And　I　wish　I　were　through　it。〃

〃I　wouldn't　sell　my　chance　to　go　through；〃　Kit　answered。

He　spoke　honestly；　but　it　was　with　the　idea　of　heartening　the　man。　He　turned　to　go　back　to　the　boat。

〃Are　you　going　to　tackle　it？〃　the　man　asked。

Kit　nodded。

〃I　wish　I　could　get　the　courage　to；〃　the　other　confessed。　　〃I've　been　here　for　hours。　　The　longer　I　look；　the　more　afraid　I　am。　　I　am　not　a　boatman；　and　I　have　only　my　nephew　with　me；　who　is　a　young　boy；　and　my　wife。　　If　you　get　through　safely；　will　you　run　my　boat　through？〃

Kit　looked　at　Shorty；　who　delayed　to　answer。

〃He's　got　his　wife　with　him；〃　Kit　suggested。　　Nor　had　he　mistaken　his　man。

〃Sure；〃　Shorty　affirmed。　　〃It　was　just　that　I　was　stopping　to　think　about。　　I　knew　there　wa