按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
with the arrangement。
〃One other thing； old man。 We're a party of four； and we all have
a vote on questions like this。 Young Liverpool is ahead with the
main outfit。 He's got a say so； and he isn't here to say it。〃
〃What kind of a party might he be？〃 Tarwater inquired。
〃He's a rough…neck sailor； and he's got a quick； bad temper。〃
〃Some turbulent；〃 Anson contributed。
〃And the way he can cuss is simply God…awful；〃 Big Bill testified。
〃But he's square；〃 Big Bill added。
Anson nodded heartily to this appraisal。
〃Well； boys；〃 Tarwater summed up； 〃I set out for Californy and I
got there。 And I'm going to get to Klondike。 Ain't a thing can
stop me； ain't a thing。 I'm going to get three hundred thousand
outa the ground； too。 Ain't a thing can stop me； ain't a thing；
because I just naturally need the money。 I don't mind a bad temper
so long's the boy is square。 I'll take my chance； an' I'll work
along with you till we catch up with him。 Then； if he says no to
the proposition； I reckon I'll lose。 But somehow I just can't see
'm sayin' no； because that'd mean too close up to freeze…up and too
late for me to find another chance like this。 And； as I'm sure
going to get to Klondike； it's just plumb impossible for him to say
no。〃
Old John Tarwater became a striking figure on a trail unusually
replete with striking figures。 With thousands of men； each back…
tripping half a ton of outfit； retracing every mile of the trail
twenty times； all came to know him and to hail him as 〃Father
Christmas。〃 And； as he worked； ever he raised his chant with his
age…falsetto voice。 None of the three men he had joined could
complain about his work。 True； his joints were stiff … he admitted
to a trifle of rheumatism。 He moved slowly； and seemed to creak
and crackle when he moved； but he kept on moving。 Last into the
blankets at night； he was first out in the morning； so that the
other three had hot coffee before their one before…breakfast pack。
And； between breakfast and dinner and between dinner and supper； he
always managed to back…trip for several packs himself。 Sixty
pounds was the limit of his burden； however。 He could manage
seventy…five； but he could not keep it up。 Once； he tried ninety；
but collapsed on the trail and was seriously shaky for a couple of
days afterward。
Work！ On a trail where hard…working men learned for the first time
what work was； no man worked harder in proportion to his strength
than Old Tarwater。 Driven desperately on by the near…thrust of
winter； and lured madly on by the dream of gold； they worked to
their last ounce of strength and fell by the way。 Others； when
failure made certain； blew out their brains。 Some went mad； and
still others； under the irk of the man…destroying strain； broke
partnerships and dissolved life…time friendships with fellows just
as good as themselves and just as strained and mad。
Work！ Old Tarwater could shame them all； despite his creaking and
crackling and the nasty hacking cough he had developed。 Early and
late； on trail or in camp beside the trail he was ever in evidence；
ever busy at something； ever responsive to the hail of 〃Father
Christmas。〃 Weary back…trippers would rest their packs on a log or
rock alongside of where he rested his； and would say： 〃Sing us
that song of yourn； dad； about Forty…Nine。〃 And； when he had
wheezingly complied； they would arise under their loads； remark
that it was real heartening； and hit the forward trail again。
〃If ever a man worked his passage and earned it；〃 Big Bill confided
to his two partners； 〃that man's our old Skeezicks。〃
〃You bet；〃 Anson confirmed。 〃He's a valuable addition to the
party； and I； for one； ain't at all disagreeable to the notion of
making him a regular partner … 〃
〃None of that！〃 Charles Crayton cut in。 〃When we get to Dawson
we're quit of him … that's the agreement。 We'd only have to bury
him if we let him stay on with us。 Besides； there's going to be a
famine； and every ounce of grub'll count。 Remember； we're feeding
him out of our own supply all the way in。 And if we run short in
the pinch next year； you'll know the reason。 Steamboats can't get
up grub to Dawson till the middle of June； and that's nine months
away。〃
〃Well； you put as much money and outfit in as the rest of us；〃 Big
Bill conceded； 〃and you've a say according。〃
〃And I'm going to have my say；〃 Charles asserted with increasing
irritability。 〃And it's lucky for you with your fool sentiments
that you've got somebody to think ahead for you； else you'd all
starve to death。 I tell you that famine's coming。 I've been
studying the situation。 Flour will be two dollars a pound； or ten；
and no sellers。 You mark my words。〃
Across the rubble…covered flats； up the dark canyon to Sheep Camp；
past the over…hanging and ever…threatening glaciers to the Scales；
and from the Scales up the steep pitches of ice…scoured rock where
packers climbed with hands and feet； Old Tarwater camp…cooked and
packed and sang。 He blew across Chilcoot Pass； above timberline；
in the first swirl of autumn snow。 Those below； without firewood；
on the bitter rim of Crater Lake； heard from the driving obscurity
above them a weird voice chanting：
〃Like Argus of the ancient times；
We leave this modern Greece；
Tum…tum； tum…tum； tum； tum； tum…tum；
To shear the Golden Fleece。〃
And out of the snow flurries they saw appear a tall； gaunt form；
with whiskers of flying white that blended with the storm； bending
under a sixty…pound pack of camp dunnage。
〃Father Christmas！〃 was the hail。 And then： 〃Three rousing cheers
for Father Christmas！〃
Two miles beyond Crater Lake lay Happy Camp … so named because here
was found the uppermost fringe of the timber line； where men might
warm themselves by fire again。 Scarcely could it be called timber；
for it was a dwarf rock…spruce that never raised its loftiest
branches higher than a foot above the moss； and that twisted and
grovelled like a pig…vegetable under the moss。 Here； on the trail
leading into Happy Camp； in the first sunshine of half a dozen
days； Old Tarwater rested his pack against a huge boulder and
caught his breath。 Around this boulder the trail passed； laden men
toiling slowly forward and men with empty pack…straps limping
rapidly back for fresh loads。 Twice Old Tarwater essayed to rise
and go on； and each time； warned by his shakiness； sank back to
recover more strength。 From around the boulder he heard voices in
greeting； recognized Charles Crayton's voice； and realized that at
last they had met up with Young Liverpool。 Quickly； Charles
plunged into business； and Tarwater heard with great distinctness
every word of Charles' unflattering description of him and the
proposition to give him passage to Dawson。
〃A dam fool proposition；〃 was Liverpool's judgment； when Charles
had concluded。 〃An old grandda