the red one-第13章

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Klondike。　　Ain't　nothing　can　stop　me；　ain't　nothing　at　all。　　I'm

going　to　ride　that　boat；　with　you　at　the　steering　sweep；　clean　to

Klondike；　and　I'm　going　to　shake　three　hundred　thousand　out　of　the

moss…roots。　　That　being　so；　it's　contrary　to　reason　and　common

sense　for　me　to　sell　out　my　passage。　　But　I　thank　you　kindly；　son；

I　thank　you　kindly。〃



The　young　sailor　shot　out　his　hand　impulsively　and　gripped　the　old

man's。



〃By　God；　dad！〃　he　cried。　　〃You're　sure　going　to　go　then。　　You're

the　real　stuff。〃　　He　looked　with　undisguised　contempt　across　the

sleepers　to　where　Charles　Crayton　snored　in　his　red　beard。　　〃They

don't　seem　to　make　your　kind　any　more；　dad。〃



Into　the　north　they　fought　their　way；　although　old…timers；　coming

out；　shook　their　heads　and　prophesied　they　would　be　frozen　in　on

the　lakes。　　That　the　freeze…up　might　come　any　day　was　patent；　and

delays　of　safety　were　no　longer　considered。　　For　this　reason；

Liverpool　decided　to　shoot　the　rapid　stream　connecting　Linderman　to

Lake　Bennett　with　the　fully　loaded　boat。　　It　was　the　custom　to　line

the　empty　boats　down　and　to　portage　the　cargoes　across。　　Even　then

many　empty　boats　had　been　wrecked。　　But　the　time　was　past　for　such

precaution。



〃Climb　out；　dad；〃　Liverpool　commanded　as　he　prepared　to　swing　from

the　bank　and　enter　the　rapids。



Old　Tarwater　shook　his　white　head。



〃I'm　sticking　to　the　outfit；〃　he　declared。　　〃It's　the　only　way　to

get　through。　　You　see；　son；　I'm　going　to　Klondike。　　If　I　stick　by

the　boat；　then　the　boat　just　naturally　goes　to　Klondike；　too。　　If　I

get　out；　then　most　likely　you'll　lose　the　boat。〃



〃Well；　there's　no　use　in　overloading；〃　Charles　announced；　springing

abruptly　out　on　the　bank　as　the　boat　cast　off。



〃Next　time　you　wait　for　my　orders！〃　Liverpool　shouted　ashore　as　the

current　gripped　the　boat。　　〃And　there　won't　be　any　more　walking

around　rapids　and　losing　time　waiting　to　pick　you　up！〃



What　took　them　ten　minutes　by　river；　took　Charles　half　an　hour　by

land；　and　while　they　waited　for　him　at　the　head　of　Lake　Bennett

they　passed　the　time　of　day　with　several　dilapidated　old…timers　on

their　way　out。　　The　famine　news　was　graver　than　ever。　　The　North…

west　Mounted　Police；　stationed　at　the　foot　of　Lake　Marsh　where　the

gold…rushers　entered　Canadian　territory；　were　refusing　to　let　a　man

past　who　did　not　carry　with　him　seven　hundred　pounds　of　grub。　　In

Dawson　City　a　thousand　men；　with　dog…teams；　were　waiting　the

freeze…up　to　come　out　over　the　ice。　　The　trading　companies　could

not　fill　their　grub…contracts；　and　partners　were　cutting　the　cards

to　see　which　should　go　and　which　should　stay　and　work　the　claims。



〃That　settles　it；〃　Charles　announced；　when　he　learned　of　the　action

of　the　mounted　police　on　the　boundary。　　〃Old　Man；　you　might　as　well

start　back　now。〃



〃Climb　aboard！〃　　Liverpool　commanded。　　〃We're　going　to　Klondike；

and　old　dad　is　going　along。〃



A　shift　of　gale　to　the　south　gave　them　a　fair　wind　down　Lake

Bennett；　before　which　they　ran　under　a　huge　sail　made　by　Liverpool。

The　heavy　weight　of　outfit　gave　such　ballast　that　he　cracked　on　as

a　daring　sailor　should　when　moments　counted。　　A　shift　of　four

points　into　the　south…west；　coming　just　at　the　right　time　as　they

entered　upon　Caribou　Crossing；　drove　them　down　that　connecting　link

to　lakes　Tagish　and　Marsh。　　In　stormy　sunset　and　twilight　…　they

made　the　dangerous　crossing　of　Great　Windy　Arm；　wherein　they　beheld

two　other　boat…loads　of　gold…rushers　capsize　and　drown。



Charles　was　for　beaching　for　the　night；　but　Liverpool　held　on；

steering　down　Tagish　by　the　sound　of　the　surf　on　the　shoals　and　by

the　occasional　shore…fires　that　advertised　wrecked　or　timid

argonauts。　　At　four　in　the　morning；　he　aroused　Charles。　　Old

Tarwater；　shiveringly　awake；　heard　Liverpool　order　Crayton　aft

beside　him　at　the　steering…sweep；　and　also　heard　the　one…sided

conversation。



〃Just　listen；　friend　Charles；　and　keep　your　own　mouth　shut；〃

Liverpool　began。　　〃I　want　you　to　get　one　thing　into　your　head　and

keep　it　there：　　OLD　DAD'S　GOING　BY　THE　POLICE。　　UNDERSTAND？　HE'S

GOING　BY。　　When　they　examine　our　outfit；　old　dad's　got　a　fifth

share　in　it；　savvee？　　That'll　put　us　all　'way　under　what　we　ought

to　have；　but　we　can　bluff　it　through。　　Now　get　this；　and　get　it

hard：　　THERE　AIN'T　GOING　TO　BE　ANY　FALL…DOWN　ON　THIS　BLUFF　…　〃



〃If　you　think　I'd　give　away　on　the　old　codger　…　〃　Charles　began

indignantly。



〃You　thought　that；〃　Liverpool　checked　him；　〃because　I　never

mentioned　any　such　thing。　　Now　…　get　me　and　get　me　hard：　　I　don't

care　what　you've　been　thinking。　　It's　what　you're　going　to　think。

We'll　make　the　police　post　some　time　this　afternoon；　and　we've　got

to　get　ready　to　pull　the　bluff　without　a　hitch；　and　a　word　to　the

wise　is　plenty。〃



〃If　you　think　I've　got　it　in　my　mind　…　〃　Charles　began　again。



〃Look　here；〃　Liverpool　shut　him　off。　　〃I　don't　know　what's　in　your

mind。　　I　don't　want　to　know。　　I　want　you　to　know　what's　in　my　mind。

If　there's　any　slip…up；　if　old　dad　gets　turned　back　by　the　police；

I'm　going　to　pick　out　the　first　quiet　bit　of　landscape　and　take　you

ashore　on　it。　　And　then　I'm　going　to　beat　you　up　to　the　Queen's

taste。　　Get　me；　and　get　me　hard。　　It　ain't　going　to　be　any　half…way

beating；　but　a　real；　two…legged；　two…fisted；　he…man　beating。　　I

don't　expect　I'll　kill　you；　but　I'll　come　damn　near　to　half…killing

you。〃



〃But　what　can　I　do？〃　Charles　almost　whimpered。



〃Just　one　thing；〃　was　Liverpool's　final　word。　　〃You　just　pray。　　You

pray　so　hard　that　old　dad　gets　by　the　police　that　he　does　get　by。

That's　all。　　Go　back　to　your　blankets。〃



Before　they　gained　Lake　Le　Barge；　the　land　was　sheeted　with　snow

that　would　not　melt　for　half　a　year。　　Nor　could　they　lay　their　boat

at　will　against　the　bank；　for　the　rim…ice　was　already　forming。

Inside　the　mouth　of　the　river；　just　ere　it　entered　Lake　Le　Barge；

they　found　a　hundred　storm…bound　boats　of　the　argonauts。　　Out　of

the　north；　across　the　full　sweep　of　the　great　lake；　blew　an

unending　snow　gale。　　Three　mornings　they　put　out　and　fought　it　and

the　cresting　seas　it　drove　that　turned　to　ice　as　they　fell　in…

board。　　While　the　others　broke　their　hearts　at　the　oars；　Old

Tarwater　managed　to　keep　up　just　sufficient　circulation　to　survive

by　chopping　ice　and　throwing　it　overboard。



Each　day　for　three　days；　beaten　to　helplessness；　they　turned　tail

on　the　battle　and　ran　back　into　the　sheltering　river。　　By　the

fourth　day；　the　hundred　boats　had　increased　to　three　hundred；　and

the　two　thousand　argonauts　on　board　knew　that　the　great　gale

heralded　the　freeze…up　of　Le　Barge。　　Beyond；　the　rapid　rivers　would

continue　to　run　for　days；　but　unless　they　got　beyond；　and

immediately；　they　were　doomed　to　be　frozen　in　for　six　months　to

come。



〃This　day　we　go　through；〃　Liverpool　announced。　　〃We　turn　back　for

nothing。　　And　those　of　us　that　dies　at　the　oars　will　live　again　and

go　on　pulling。〃



And　they　went　through；　winning　half　the　length　of　the　lake　by

nightfall　and　pulling　on　through　all　the　night　hours　as　the　wind

went　down；　falling　asleep　at　the　oars　and　being　rapped　awake　by

Liverpool；　toiling　on　through　an　age…long　nightmare　while　the　stars

came　out　and　the　surface　of　the　lake　turned　to　the　unruffledness　of

a　sheet　of　paper　and　froze　skin…ice　that　tinkled　like　broken　glass

as　their　oar…blades　shattered　it。



As　day　broke　clear　and　cold；　they　entered　the　river；　with　behind

them　a　sea　of　ice。　　Liverpool　examined　his　aged　passenger　and　found

him　helpless　and　almost　gone。　　When　he　rounded　the　boat　to　against

the　rim…ice　to　build　a　fire　and　warm　up　Tarwater　inside　and　out；

Charles　protested　against　such　loss　of　time。



〃This　ain't　business；　so　don't　you　come　horning　in；〃　Liverpool

informed　him。　　〃I'm　running　the　boat　trip。　　So　you　just　climb　out

and　chop　firewood；　and　plenty　of　it。　　I'll　take　care　of　dad。　　You；

Anson；　make　a　fire　on　the　bank。　　And　you；　Bill；　set　up　the　Yukon

stove　in　the　boat。　　Old　dad　ain't　as　young　as　the　rest　of　us；　and

for　the　rest　of　this　voyage　he's　going　to　have　a　fire　on　board　to

sit　by。〃



All　of　which　came　to　pass；　and　the　boat；　in　the　grip　of　the

current；　like　a　river　steamer　with　smoke　rising　from　the　two　joints

of　stove…pipe；　grounded　on　shoals；　hung　up　on　split　currents；　and

charged　rapids　and　canyons；　as　it　drove　deeper　into　the　Northland

winter。　　The　Big　and　Little　Salmon　rivers　were　throwing　mush…ice

into　the　main　river　as　they　passed；　and；　below　the　riffles；　anchor…

ice　arose　from　the　river　bottom　and　coated　the　surface　with　crystal

scum。　　Night　and　day　the　rim…ice　grew；　till；　in　quiet　places；　it

extended　out　a　hundred　yards　from　shore。　　And　Old　Tarwater；　with

all　his　clothes　on；　sat　by　the　stove　and　kept　the　fire　going。

Night　and　day；　not　daring　to　stop　for　fear　of　the　imminent　freeze…

up；　they　dared　to　run；　an　increasing　mushiness　of　ice　running　with

them。



〃What　ho；　old　hearty？〃　Liverpool　would　call　out　at　times。



〃Cheer　O；〃　Old　Tarwater　had　learned　to　respond。



〃What　can　I　ever　do　for　you；　son；　in　payment？〃　Tarwater；　stoking

the　fire；　would　sometimes　ask　Liverpool；　beating　now　one　released

hand　and　now　the　other　as　he　fought　for　circulation　where　he

steered　in　the　freezing　stern…sheets。



〃Just　break　out　that　regular　song　of　yours；　old　Forty…Niner；〃　was

the　invariable　reply。



And　Tarwater　would　lift　his　voice　in　the　cackling　chant；　as　he

lifted　it　at　the　end；　when　the　boat　swung　in　through　driving　cake…

ice　and　moored　to　the　Dawson　City　bank；　and　all　waterfront　Dawson

pricked　its　ears　to　hear　the　triumphant　paean：





Like　Argus　of　the　ancient　times；

We　leave　this　modern　Greece；

Tum…tum；　tum…tum；　tum；　tum；　tum…tum；

To　shear　the　Golden　Fleece；





Charles　did　it；　but　he　did　it　so　discreetly　that　none　of　his　party；

least　of　all　the　sailor；　ever　learned　of　it。　　He　saw　two　great　open

barges　being　filled　up　with　men；　and；　on　inquiry；　learned　that

these　were　grubless　ones　being　rounded　up　and　sent　down　the　Yukon

by　the　Committee　of　Safety。　　The　barges　were　to　be　towed　by　the

last　little　steamboat　in　Dawson；　and　the　hope　was　that　Fort　Yukon；

where　lay　the　stranded　steamboats；　would　be　gained　before　the　river

froze。　　At　any　rate；　no　matter　what　happened　to　them；　Dawson　would

be　relieved　of　their　grub…consuming　presence。　　So　to　the　Committee

of　Safety　Charles　went；　privily　to　drop　a　flea　in　its　ear

concerning　Tarwater's　grubless；　moneyless；　and　aged　condition。

Tarwater　was　one　of　the　last　gathered　in；　and　when　Young　Liverpool

returned　to　the　boat；　from　the　bank　he　saw　the　barges　in　a　run　of

cake…ice；　disappearing　around　the　bend　below　Moose…hide　Mountain。



Running　in　cake…ice　all　the　way；　and　several　times　escaping　jams　in

the　Yukon　Flats；　the　barges　made　their　hundreds　of　miles　of

progress　farther　into　the　north　and　froze　up　cheek　by　jowl　with　the

grub…fleet。　　Here；　i