the faith of men(人们的信任)-第15章
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Northland was capable of swallowing up a man and a thousand dozen eggs；
surely there was room and to spare for whatever else he might happen to
possess。 So she thought； but she said nothing。 She knew David
Rasmunsen too well to say anything。
〃Doubling the time because of chance delays； I should make the trip in
two months。 Think of it； Alma！ Four thousand in two months！ Beats
the paltry hundred a month I'm getting now。 Why； we'll build further out
where we'll have more space； gas in every room； and a view； and the rent
of the cottage'll pay taxes； insurance； and water； and leave something over。
And then there's always the chance of my striking it and coming out a
millionaire。 Now tell me； Alma； don't you think I'm very moderate？〃
And Alma could hardly think otherwise。 Besides； had not her own
cousin；though a remote and distant one to be sure； the black sheep； the
harum…scarum； the ne'er…do…well；had not he come down out of that weird
North country with a hundred thousand in yellow dust； to say nothing of a
half…ownership in the hole from which it came？
David Rasmunsen's grocer was surprised when he found him weighing
eggs in the scales at the end of the counter； and Rasmunsen himself was
more surprised when he found that a dozen eggs weighed a pound and a
halffifteen hundred pounds for his thousand dozen！ There would be no
weight left for his clothes； blankets； and cooking utensils； to say nothing
of the grub he must necessarily consume by the way。 His calculations
were all thrown out； and he was just proceeding to recast them when he hit
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upon the idea of weighing small eggs。 〃For whether they be large or
small； a dozen eggs is a dozen eggs；〃 he observed sagely to himself； and a
dozen small ones he found to weigh but a pound and a quarter。 Thereat
the city of San Francisco was overrun by anxious…eyed emissaries； and
commission houses and dairy associations were startled by a sudden
demand for eggs running not more than twenty ounces to the dozen。
Rasmunsen mortgaged the little cottage for a thousand dollars；
arranged for his wife to make a prolonged stay among her own people；
threw up his job； and started North。 To keep within his schedule he
compromised on a second…class passage； which； because of the rush； was
worse than steerage； and in the late summer； a pale and wabbly man； he
disembarked with his eggs on the Dyea beach。 But it did not take him
long to recover his land legs and appetite。 His first interview with the
Chilkoot packers straightened him up and stiffened his backbone。 Forty
cents a pound they demanded for the twenty…eight…mile portage； and while
he caught his breath and swallowed； the price went up to forty…three。
Fifteen husky Indians put the straps on his packs at forty…five； but took
them off at an offer of forty…seven from a Skaguay Croesus in dirty shirt
and ragged overalls who had lost his horses on the White Pass trail and
was now making a last desperate drive at the country by way of Chilkoot。
But Rasmunsen was clean grit； and at fifty cents found takers； who；
two days later； set his eggs down intact at Linderman。 But fifty cents a
pound is a thousand dollars a ton； and his fifteen hundred pounds had
exhausted his emergency fund and left him stranded at the Tantalus point
where each day he saw the fresh…whipsawed boats departing for Dawson。
Further； a great anxiety brooded over the camp where the boats were built。
Men worked frantically； early and late； at the height of their endurance；
caulking； nailing； and pitching in a frenzy of haste for which adequate
explanation was not far to seek。 Each day the snow…line crept farther
down the bleak； rock…shouldered peaks； and gale followed gale； with sleet
and slush and snow； and in the eddies and quiet places young ice formed
and thickened through the fleeting hours。 And each morn； toil…stiffened
men turned wan faces across the lake to see if the freeze…up had come。
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For the freeze…up heralded the death of their hopethe hope that they
would be floating down the swift river ere navigation closed on the chain
of lakes。
To harrow Rasmunsen's soul further； he discovered three competitors
in the egg business。 It was true that one； a little German； had gone broke
and was himself forlornly back…tripping the last pack of the portage； but
the other two had boats nearly completed； and were daily supplicating the
god of merchants and traders to stay the iron hand of winter for just
another day。 But the iron hand closed down over the land。 Men were
being frozen in the blizzard which swept Chilkoot； and Rasmunsen frosted
his toes ere he was aware。 He found a chance to go passenger with his
freight in a boat just shoving off through the rubble； but two hundred hard
cash； was required； and he had no money。
〃Ay tank you yust wait one leedle w'ile；〃 said the Swedish boat…
builder； who had struck his Klondike right there and was wise enough to
know it〃one leedle w'ile und I make you a tam fine skiff boat； sure Pete。〃
With this unpledged word to go on； Rasmunsen hit the back trail to
Crater Lake； where he fell in with two press correspondents whose tangled
baggage was strewn from Stone House； over across the Pass； and as far as
Happy Camp。
〃Yes；〃 he said with consequence。 〃I've a thousand dozen eggs at
Linderman； and my boat's just about got the last seam caulked。 Consider
myself in luck to get it。 Boats are at a premium； you know； and none to
be had。〃
Whereupon and almost with bodily violence the correspondents
clamoured to go with him； fluttered greenbacks before his eyes； and
spilled yellow twenties from hand to hand。 He could not hear of it； but
they over…persuaded him； and he reluctantly consented to take them at
three hundred apiece。 Also they pressed upon him the passage money in
advance。 And while they wrote to their respective journals concerning
the Good Samaritan with the thousand dozen eggs； the Good Samaritan
was hurrying back to the Swede at Linderman。
〃Here； you！ Gimme that boat！〃 was his salutation； his hand jingling
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the correspondents' gold pieces and his eyes hungrily bent upon the
finished craft。
The Swede regarded him stolidly and shook his head。
〃How much is the other fellow paying？ Three hundred？ Well；
here's four。 Take it。〃
He tried to press it upon him； but the man backed away。
〃Ay tank not。 Ay say him get der skiff boat。 You yust wait〃
'Here's six hundred。 Last call。 Take it or leave it。 Tell 'm it's a
mistake。'
The Swede wavered。 〃Ay tank yes；〃 he finally said； and the last
Rasmunsen saw of him his vocabulary was going to wreck in a vain effort
to explain the mistake to the other fellows。
The German slipped and broke his ankle on the steep hogback above
Deep Lake； sold out his stock for a dollar a dozen； and with the proceeds
hired Indian packers to carry him back to Dyea。 But on the morning
Rasmunsen shoved off with his correspondents； his two rivals followed
suit。
'How many you got？〃 one of them； a lean little New Englander； called
out。
〃One thousand dozen；〃 Rasmunsen answered proudly。
〃Huh！ I'll go you even stakes I beat you in with my eight hundred。〃
The correspondents offered to lend him the money； but Rasmunsen
declined； and the Yankee closed with the remaining rival； a brawny son of
the sea and sailor of ships and things； who promised to show them all a
wrinkle or two when it came to cracking on。 And crack on he did； with a
large tarpaulin square…sail which pressed the bow half under at every jump。
He was the first to run out of Linderman； but； disdaining the portage； piled
his loaded boat on the rocks in the boiling rapids。 Rasmunsen and the
Yankee； who likewise had two passengers； portaged across on their backs
and then lined their empty boats down through the bad water to Bennett。
Bennett was a twenty…five…mile lake； narrow and deep； a funnel
between the mountains through which storms ever romped。 Rasmunsen
camped on the sand…pit at its head； where were many men and boats bound
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north in the teeth of the Arctic winter。 He awoke in the morning to find a
piping gale from the south； which caught the chill from the whited peaks
and glacial valleys and blew as cold as north wind ever blew。 But it was
fair； and he also found the Yankee staggering past the first bold headland
with all sail set。 Boat after boat was getting under way； and the
correspondents fell to with enthusiasm。
〃We'll catch him before Cariboo Crossing；〃 they assured Rasmunsen；
as they ran up the sail and the Alma took the first icy spray over her bow。
Now Rasmunsen all his life had been prone to cowardice on water； but
he clung to the kicking steering…oar with set face and determined jaw。
His thousand dozen were there in the boat before his eyes； safely secured
beneath the correspondents' baggage； and somehow； before his eyes were
the little cottage and the mortgage for a thousand dollars。
It was bitter cold。 Now an
