the faith of men(人们的信任)-第16章
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the little cottage and the mortgage for a thousand dollars。
It was bitter cold。 Now and again he hauled in the steering…sweep
and put out a fresh one while his passengers chopped the ice from the
blade。 Wherever the spray struck； it turned instantly to frost； and the
dipping boom of the spritsail was quickly fringed with icicles。 The Alma
strained and hammered through the big seas till the seams and butts began
to spread； but in lieu of bailing the correspondents chopped ice and flung it
overboard。 There was no let…up。 The mad race with winter was on； and
the boats tore along in a desperate string。
〃W…w…we can't stop to save our souls！〃 one of the correspondents
chattered； from cold； not fright。
〃That's right！ Keep her down the middle； old man！〃 the other
encouraged。
Rasmunsen replied with an idiotic grin。 The iron…bound shores were
in a lather of foam； and even down the middle the only hope was to keep
running away from the big seas。 To lower sail was to be overtaken and
swamped。 Time and again they passed boats pounding among the rocks；
and once they saw one on the edge of the breakers about to strike。 A
little craft behind them； with two men； jibed over and turned bottom up。
〃W…w…watch out； old man；〃 cried he of the chattering teeth。
Rasmunsen grinned and tightened his aching grip on the sweep。 Scores
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of times had the send of the sea caught the big square stern of the Alma
and thrown her off from dead before it till the after leach of the spritsail
fluttered hollowly； and each time； and only with all his strength； had he
forced her back。 His grin by then had become fixed； and it disturbed the
correspondents to look at him。
They roared down past an isolated rock a hundred yards from shore。
From its wave…drenched top a man shrieked wildly； for the instant cutting
the storm with his voice。 But the next instant the Alma was by； and the
rock growing a black speck in the troubled froth。
〃That settles the Yankee！ Where's the sailor？〃 shouted one of his
passengers。
Rasmunsen shot a glance over his shoulder at a black square…sail。 He
had seen it leap up out of the grey to windward； and for an hour； off and
on； had been watching it grow。 The sailor had evidently repaired
damages and was making up for lost time。
〃Look at him come！〃
Both passengers stopped chopping ice to watch。 Twenty miles of
Bennett were behind themroom and to spare for the sea to toss up its
mountains toward the sky。 Sinking and soaring like a storm… god； the
sailor drove by them。 The huge sail seemed to grip the boat from the
crests of the waves； to tear it bodily out of the water； and fling it crashing
and smothering down into the yawning troughs。
〃The sea'll never catch him！〃
〃But he'll r…r…run her nose under！〃
Even as they spoke； the black tarpaulin swooped from sight behind a
big comber。 The next wave rolled over the spot； and the next； but the
boat did not reappear。 The Alma rushed by the place。 A little riffraff of
oats and boxes was seen。 An arm thrust up and a shaggy head broke
surface a score of yards away。
For a time there was silence。 As the end of the lake came in sight； the
waves began to leap aboard with such steady recurrence that the
correspondents no longer chopped ice but flung the water out with buckets。
Even this would not do； and； after a shouted conference with Rasmunsen；
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The Faith of Men
they attacked the baggage。 Flour； bacon； beans； blankets； cooking…stove；
ropes； odds and ends； everything they could get hands on； flew overboard。
The boat acknowledged it at once； taking less water and rising more
buoyantly。
〃That'll do！〃 Rasmunsen called sternly； as they applied themselves to
the top layer of eggs。
〃The h…hell it will！〃 answered the shivering one； savagely。 With the
exception of their notes； films； and cameras； they had sacrificed their outfit。
He bent over； laid hold of an egg…box； and began to worry it out from
under the lashing。
〃Drop it！ Drop it； I say！〃
Rasmunsen had managed to draw his revolver； and with the crook of
his arm over the sweep head； was taking aim。 The correspondent stood
up on the thwart； balancing back and forth； his face twisted with menace
and speechless anger。
〃My God！〃 So cried his brother correspondent； hurling himself； face
downward； into the bottom of the boat。 The Alma； under the divided
attention of Rasmunsen； had been caught by a great mass of water and
whirled around。 The after leach hollowed； the sail emptied and jibed； and
the boom； sweeping with terrific force across the boat； carried the angry
correspondent overboard with a broken back。 Mast and sail had gone
over the side as well。 A drenching sea followed； as the boat lost headway；
and Rasmunsen sprang to the bailing bucket
Several boats hurtled past them in the next half…hour；small boats；
boats of their own size； boats afraid； unable to do aught but run madly on。
Then a ten…ton barge； at imminent risk of destruction； lowered sail to
windward and lumbered down upon them。
〃Keep off！ Keep off！〃 Rasmunsen screamed。
But his low gunwale ground against the heavy craft； and the remaining
correspondent clambered aboard。 Rasmunsen was over the eggs like a
cat and in the bow of the Alma； striving with numb fingers to bend the
hauling…lines together。
〃Come on！〃 a red…whiskered man yelled at him。
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〃I've a thousand dozen eggs here；〃 he shouted back。 〃Gimme a tow！
I'll pay you！〃
〃Come on！〃 they howled in chorus。
A big whitecap broke just beyond； washing over the barge and leaving
the Alma half swamped。 The men cast off； cursing him as they ran up
their sail。 Rasmunsen cursed back and fell to bailing。 The mast and sail；
like a sea anchor； still fast by the halyards； held the boat head on to wind
and sea and gave him a chance to fight the water out。
Three hours later； numbed； exhausted； blathering like a lunatic； but
still bailing； he went ashore on an ice…strewn beach near Cariboo Crossing。
Two men； a government courier and a half…breed voyageur； dragged him
out of the surf； saved his cargo； and beached the Alma。 They were
paddling out of the country in a Peterborough； and gave him shelter for the
night in their storm…bound camp。 Next morning they departed； but he
elected to stay by his eggs。 And thereafter the name and fame of the man
with the thousand dozen eggs began to spread through the land。 Gold…
seekers who made in before the freeze…up carried the news of his coming。
Grizzled old… timers of Forty Mile and Circle City； sour doughs with
leathern jaws and bean…calloused stomachs； called up dream memories of
chickens and green things at mention of his name。 Dyea and Skaguay
took an interest in his being； and questioned his progress from every man
who came over the passes； while Dawsongolden； omeletless Dawson
fretted and worried； and way…laid every chance arrival for word of him。
But of this Rasmunsen knew nothing。 The day after the wreck he
patched up the Alma and pulled out。 A cruel east wind blew in his teeth
from Tagish； but he got the oars over the side and bucked manfully into it；
though half the time he was drifting backward and chopping ice from the
blades。 According to the custom of the country； he was driven ashore at
Windy Arm； three times on Tagish saw him swamped and beached； and
Lake Marsh held him at the freeze… up。 The Alma was crushed in the
jamming of the floes； but the eggs were intact。 These he back…tripped
two miles across the ice to the shore； where he built a cache； which stood
for years after and was pointed out by men who knew。
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Half a thousand frozen miles stretched between him and Dawson； and
the waterway was closed。 But Rasmunsen； with a peculiar tense look in
his face； struck back up the lakes on foot。 What he suffered on that lone
trip； with nought but a single blanket； an axe； and a handful of beans； is
not given to ordinary mortals to know。 Only the Arctic adventurer may
understand。 Suffice that he was caught in a blizzard on Chilkoot and left
two of his toes with the surgeon at Sheep Camp。 Yet he stood on his feet
and washed dishes in the scullery of the PAWONA to the Puget Sound；
and from there passed coal on a P。 S。 boat to San Francisco。
It was a haggard； unkempt man who limped across the shining office
floor to raise a second mortgage from the bank people。 His hollow
cheeks betrayed themselves through the scraggy beard； and his eyes
seemed to have retired into deep caverns where they burned with cold fires。
His hands were grained from exposure and hard work； and the nails were
rimmed with tight…packed dirt and coal…dust。 He spoke vaguely of eggs
and ice…packs； winds and tides； but when they declined to let him have
more than a second thousand； his talk became incoherent； concerning itself
chiefly with the price of dogs and dog…food； and such things as snowshoes
and moccasins and winter trails。 They let him have fifteen hundred；
which was more than the cottage warranted； and breathed easier when he
scrawled hi
