smoke bellew(史沫克·贝罗)-第15部分
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Shorty agreed； and another hour of silence followed； during which
they swung steadily along。 At seven o'clock； the blackness was broken
by a last display of the aurora borealis； which showed to the west a broad
opening between snow…clad mountains。
〃Squaw Creek！〃 Joy exclaimed。
〃Goin' some；〃 Shorty exulted。 〃We oughtn't to ben there for another
half hour to the least； accordin' to my reckonin'。 I must a' ben spreadin'
my legs。〃
It was at this point that the Dyea trail； baffled by ice…jams； swerved
abruptly across the Yukon to the east bank。 And here they must leave the
hard…packed； main…travelled trail； mount the jams； and follow a dim trail；
but slightly packed； that hovered the west bank。
Louis Gastell； leading； slipped in the darkness on the rough ice； and sat
up； holding his ankle in both his hands。 He struggled to his feet and went
on； but at a slower pace and with a perceptible limp。 After a few minutes
he abruptly halted。
〃It's no use；〃 he said to his daughter。 〃I've sprained a tendon。 You go
ahead and stake for me as well as yourself。〃
〃Can't we do something？〃 Smoke asked。
Louis Gastell shook his head。
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〃She can stake two claims as well as one。 I'll crawl over to the bank；
start a fire； and bandage my ankle。 I'll be all right。 Go on； Joy。 Stake
ours above the Discovery claim； it's richer higher up。〃
〃Here's some birch bark；〃 Smoke said； dividing his supply equally。
〃We'll take care of your daughter。〃
Louis Gastell laughed harshly。
〃Thank you just the same；〃 he said。 〃But she can take care of herself。
Follow her and watch her。〃
〃Do you mind if I lead？〃 she asked Smoke； as she headed on。 〃I
know this country better than you。〃
〃Lead on；〃 Smoke answered gallantly； 〃though I agree with you it's a
darned shame all us chechaquos are going to beat that Sea Lion bunch to it。
Isn't there some way to shake them？〃
She shook her head。
〃We can't hide our trail； and they'll follow it like sheep。〃
After a quarter of a mile； she turned sharply to the west。 Smoke
noticed that they were going through unpacked snow； but neither he nor
Shorty observed that the dim trail they had been on still led south。 Had
they witnessed the subsequent procedure of Louis Gastell； the history of
the Klondike would have been written differently； for they would have
seen that old…timer； no longer limping； running with his nose to the trail
like a hound； following them。 Also； they would have seen him trample
and widen the turn they had made to the west。 And； finally； they would
have seen him keep on the old dim trail that still led south。
A trail did run up the creek； but so slight was it that they continually
lost it in the darkness。 After a quarter of an hour； Joy Gastell was willing
to drop into the rear and let the two men take turns in breaking a way
through the snow。 This slowness of the leaders enabled the whole
stampede to catch up； and when daylight came； at nine o'clock； as far back
as they could see was an unbroken line of men。 Joy's dark eyes sparkled
at the sight。
〃How long since we started up the creek？〃 she asked。
〃Fully two hours；〃 Smoke answered。
〃And two hours back makes four；〃 she laughed。 〃The stampede from
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Sea Lion is saved。〃
A faint suspicion crossed Smoke's mind； and he stopped and
confronted her。
〃I don't understand；〃 he said。
〃You don't。 Then I'll tell you。 This is Norway Creek。 Squaw
Creek is the next to the south。〃
Smoke was for the moment； speechless。
〃You did it on purpose？〃 Shorty demanded。
〃I did it to give the old…timers a chance。〃
She laughed mockingly。 The men grinned at each other and finally
joined her。
〃I'd lay you across my knee an' give you a wallopin'； if womenfolk
wasn't so scarce in this country；〃 Shorty assured her。
〃Your father didn't sprain a tendon； but waited till we were out of sight
and then went on？〃 Smoke asked。
She nodded。
〃And you were the decoy。〃
Again she nodded； and this time Smoke's laughter rang out clear and
true。 It was the spontaneous laughter of a frankly beaten man。
〃Why don't you get angry with me？〃 she queried ruefully。 〃Oror
wallop me？〃
〃Well； we might as well be starting back；〃 Shorty urged。 〃My feet's
gettin' cold standin' here。〃
Smoke shook his head。
〃That would mean four hours lost。 We must be eight miles up this
Creek now； and from the look ahead Norway is making a long swing south。
We'll follow it； then cross over the divide somehow； and tap Squaw Creek
somewhere above Discovery。〃 He looked at Joy。 〃Won't you come
along with us？ I told your father we'd look after you。〃
〃I〃 She hesitated。 〃I think I shall； if you don't mind。〃 She was
looking straight at him； and her face was no longer defiant and mocking。
〃Really； Mr Smoke； you make me almost sorry for what I have done。
But somebody had to save the old…timers。〃
〃It strikes me that stampeding is at best a sporting proposition。〃
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〃And it strikes me you two are very game about it；〃 she went on； then
added with the shadow of a sigh： 〃What a pity you are not old… timers。〃
For two hours more they kept to the frozen creek…bed of Norway； then
turned into a narrow and rugged tributary that flowed from the south。 At
midday they began the ascent of the divide itself。 Behind them； looking
down and back； they could see the long line of stampeders breaking up。
Here and there； in scores of places； thin smoke…columns advertised the
making of camps。
As for themselves； the going was hard。 They wallowed through snow
to their waists； and were compelled to stop every few yards to breathe。
Shorty was the first to call a halt。
〃We ben hittin' the trail for over twelve hours；〃 he said。 〃Smoke； I'm
plum willin' to say I'm good an' tired。 An' so are you。 An' I'm free to
shout that I can sure hang on to this here pascar like a starvin' Indian to a
hunk of bear…meat。 But this poor girl here can't keep her legs no time if
she don't get something in her stomach。 Here's where we build a fire。
What d'ye say？〃
So quickly； so deftly and methodically； did they go about making a
temporary camp； that Joy； watching with jealous eyes； admitted to herself
that the old…timers could not do it better。 Spruce boughs； with a spread
blanket on top； gave a foundation for rest and cooking operations。 But
they kept away from the heat of the fire until noses and cheeks had been
rubbed cruelly。
Smoke spat in the air； and the resultant crackle was so immediate and
loud that he shook his head。
〃I give it up；〃 he said。 〃I've never seen cold like this。〃
〃One winter on the Koyokuk it went to eighty…six below；〃 Joy
answered。 〃It's at least seventy or seventy…five right now； and I know
I've frosted my cheeks。 They're burning like fire。〃
On the steep slope of the divide there was no ice； while snow； as fine
and hard and crystalline as granulated sugar； was poured into the gold…pan
by the bushel until enough water was melted for the coffee。 Smoke fried
bacon and thawed biscuits。 Shorty kept the fuel supplied and tended the
fire； and Joy set the simple table composed of two plates； two cups； two
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spoons； a tin of mixed salt and pepper； and a tin of sugar。 When it came
to eating； she and Smoke shared one set between them。 They ate out of
the same plate and drank from the same cup。
It was nearly two in the afternoon when they cleared the crest of the
divide and began dropping down a feeder of Squaw Creek。 Earlier in the
winter some moose…hunter had made a trail up the canyonthat is； in
going up and down he had stepped always in his previous tracks。 As a
result； in the midst of soft snow； and veiled under later snow falls； was a
line of irregular hummocks。 If one's foot missed a hummock； he plunged
down through unpacked snow and usually to a fall。 Also； the moose…
hunter had been an exceptionally long… legged individual。 Joy； who was
eager now that the two men should stake； and fearing that they were
slackening pace on account of her evident weariness； insisted on taking the
lead。 The speed and manner in which she negotiated the precarious
footing； called out Sho
