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！
fought on alone； arriving at the police post at the head of Bennett in the
early afternoon。 He tried to help Antonsen out of the canoe； but failed。
He listened to the exhausted man's heavy breathing； and envied him when
he thought of what he himself had yet to undergo。 Antonsen could lie there
and sleep； but he； behind time； must go on over mighty Chilcoot and down
to the sea。 The real struggle lay before him； and he almost regretted the
strength that resided in his frame because of the torment it could inflict
upon that frame。
20
… Page 21…
LOST FACE
Churchill pulled the canoe up on the beach； seized Bondell's grip； and
started on a limping dog…trot for the police post。
〃There's a canoe down there； consigned to you from Dawson；〃 he
hurled at the officer who answered his knock。 〃And there's a man in it
pretty near dead。 Nothing serious； only played out。 Take care of him。
I've got to rush。 Good…bye。 Want to catch the Athenian。〃
A mile portage connected Lake Bennett and Lake Linderman； and his
last words he flung back after him as he resumed the trot。 It was a very
painful trot； but he clenched his teeth and kept on； forgetting his pain most
of the time in the fervent heat with which he regarded the gripsack。 It
was a severe handicap。 He swung it from one hand to the other； and back
again。 He tucked it under his arm。 He threw one hand over the
opposite shoulder； and the bag bumped and pounded on his back as he ran
along。 He could scarcely hold it in his bruised and swollen fingers； and
several times he dropped it。 Once； in changing from one hand to the
other； it escaped his clutch and fell in front of him； tripped him up； and
threw him violently to the ground。
At the far end of the portage he bought an old set of pack…straps for a
dollar； and in them he swung the grip。 Also； he chartered a launch to run
him the six miles to the upper end of Lake Linderman； where he arrived at
four in the afternoon。 The Athenian was to sail from Dyea next morning
at seven。 Dyea was twenty…eight miles away； and between towered
Chilcoot。 He sat down to adjust his foot…gear for the long climb； and
woke up。 He had dozed the instant he sat down； though he had not slept
thirty seconds。 He was afraid his next doze might be longer； so he
finished fixing his foot…gear standing up。 Even then he was overpowered
for a fleeting moment。 He experienced the flash of unconsciousness；
becoming aware of it； in mid…air； as his relaxed body was sinking to the
ground and as he caught himself together； he stiffened his muscles with a
spasmodic wrench； and escaped the fall。 The sudden jerk back to
consciousness left him sick and trembling。 He beat his head with the heel
of his hand； knocking wakefulness into the numbed brain。
Jack Burns's pack…train was starting back light for Crater Lake； and
Churchill was invited to a mule。 Burns wanted to put the gripsack on
21
… Page 22…
LOST FACE
another animal； but Churchill held on to it； carrying it on his saddle…
pommel。 But he dozed； and the grip persisted in dropping off the
pommel； one side or the other； each time wakening him with a sickening
start。 Then； in the early darkness； Churchill's mule brushed him against a
projecting branch that laid his cheek open。 To cap it； the mule blundered
off the trail and fell； throwing rider and gripsack out upon the rocks。
After that； Churchill walked； or stumbled rather； over the apology for a
trail； leading the mule。 Stray and awful odours； drifting from each side of
the trail； told of the horses that had died in the rush for gold。 But he did
not mind。 He was too sleepy。 By the time Long Lake was reached；
however； he had recovered from his sleepiness； and at Deep Lake he
resigned the gripsack to Burns。 But thereafter； by the light of the dim
stars； he kept his eyes on Burns。 There were not going to be any
accidents with that bag。
At Crater Lake； the pack…train went into camp； and Churchill； slinging
the grip on his back； started the steep climb for the summit。 For the first
time； on that precipitous wall； he realized how tired he was。 He crept and
crawled like a crab； burdened by the weight of his limbs。 A distinct and
painful effort of will was required each time he lifted a foot。 An
hallucination came to him that he was shod with lead； like a deep…sea diver；
and it was all he could do to resist the desire to reach down and feel the
lead。 As for Bondell's gripsack； it was inconceivable that forty pounds
could weigh so much。 It pressed him down like a mountain； and he
looked back with unbelief to the year before； when he had climbed that
same pass with a hundred and fifty pounds on his back。 If those loads
had weighed a hundred and fifty pounds； then Bondell's grip weighed five
hundred。
The first rise of the divide from Crater Lake was across a small glacier。
Here was a well…defined trail。 But above the glacier； which was also
above timber…line； was naught but a chaos of naked rock and enormous
boulders。 There was no way of seeing the trail in the darkness； and he
blundered on； paying thrice the ordinary exertion for all that he
accomplished。 He won the summit in the thick of howling wind and
driving snow； providentially stumbling upon a small； deserted tent； into
22
… Page 23…
LOST FACE
which he crawled。 There he found and bolted some ancient fried
potatoes and half a dozen raw eggs。
When the snow ceased and the wind eased down； he began the almost
impossible descent。 There was no trail； and he stumbled and blundered；
often finding himself； at the last moment； on the edge of rocky walls and
steep slopes the depth of which he had no