the red one-第11章

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mail　contract。　　He　did　not　drive　to　Kelterville；　but　turned　off　on

the　main　road　south　to　Santa　Rosa。　　Even　more　remarkable　than　this

was　the　paper…wrapped　parcel　between　his　feet。　　It　contained　his

one　decent　black　suit；　which　Mary　had　been　long　reluctant　to　see

him　wear　any　more；　not　because　it　was　shabby；　but　because；　as　he

guessed　what　was　at　the　back　of　her　mind；　it　was　decent　enough　to

bury　him　in。



And　at　Santa　Rosa；　in　a　second…hand　clothes　shop；　he　sold　the　suit

outright　for　two　dollars　and　a　half。　　From　the　same　obliging

shopman　he　received　four　dollars　for　the　wedding　ring　of　his　long…

dead　wife。　　The　span　of　horses　and　the　wagon　he　disposed　of　for

seventy…five　dollars；　although　twenty…five　was　all　he　received　down

in　cash。　　Chancing　to　meet　Alton　Granger　on　the　street；　to　whom

never　before　had　he　mentioned　the　ten　dollars　loaned　him　in　'74；　he

reminded　Alton　Granger　of　the　little　affair；　and　was　promptly　paid。

Also；　of　all　unbelievable　men　to　be　in　funds；　he　so　found　the　town

drunkard　for　whom　he　had　bought　many　a　drink　in　the　old　and　palmy

days。　　And　from　him　John　Tarwater　borrowed　a　dollar。　　Finally；　he

took　the　afternoon　train　to　San　Francisco。



A　dozen　days　later；　carrying　a　half…empty　canvas　sack　of　blankets

and　old　clothes；　he　landed　on　the　beach　of　Dyea　in　the　thick　of　the

great　Klondike　Rush。　　The　beach　was　screaming　bedlam。　　Ten　thousand

tons　of　outfit　lay　heaped　and　scattered；　and　twice　ten　thousand　men

struggled　with　it　and　clamoured　about　it。　　Freight；　by　Indian…back；

over　Chilcoot　to　Lake　Linderman；　had　jumped　from　sixteen　to　thirty

cents　a　pound；　which　latter　was　a　rate　of　six　hundred　dollars　a

ton。　　And　the　sub…arctic　winter　gloomed　near　at　hand。　　All　knew　it；

and　all　knew　that　of　the　twenty　thousand　of　them　very　few　would　get

across　the　passes；　leaving　the　rest　to　winter　and　wait　for　the　late

spring　thaw。



Such　the　beach　old　John　Tarwater　stepped　upon；　and　straight　across

the　beach　and　up　the　trail　toward　Chilcoot　he　headed；　cackling　his

ancient　chant；　a　very　Grandfather　Argus　himself；　with　no　outfit

worry　in　the　world；　for　he　did　not　possess　any　outfit。　　That　night

he　slept　on　the　flats；　five　miles　above　Dyea；　at　the　head　of　canoe

navigation。　　Here　the　Dyea　River　became　a　rushing　mountain　torrent；

plunging　out　of　a　dark　canyon　from　the　glaciers　that　fed　it　far

above。



And　here；　early　next　morning；　he　beheld　a　little　man　weighing　no

more　than　a　hundred；　staggering　along　a　foot…log　under　all　of　a

hundred　pounds　of　flour　strapped　on　his　back。　　Also；　he　beheld　the

little　man　stumble　off　the　log　and　fall　face…downward　in　a　quiet

eddy　where　the　water　was　two　feet　deep　and　proceed　quietly　to

drown。　　It　was　no　desire　of　his　to　take　death　so　easily；　but　the

flour　on　his　back　weighed　as　much　as　he　and　would　not　let　him　up。



〃Thank　you；　old　man；〃　he　said　to　Tarwater；　when　the　latter　had

dragged　him　up　into　the　air　and　ashore。



While　he　unlaced　his　shoes　and　ran　the　water　out；　they　had　further

talk。　　Next；　he　fished　out　a　ten…dollar　gold…piece　and　offered　it

to　his　rescuer。



Old　Tarwater　shook　his　head　and　shivered；　for　the　ice…water　had　wet

him　to　his　knees。



〃But　I　reckon　I　wouldn't　object　to　settin'　down　to　a　friendly　meal

with　you。〃



〃Ain't　had　breakfast？〃　the　little　man；　who　was　past　forty　and　who

had　said　his　name　was　Anson；　queried　with　a　glance　frankly　curious。



〃Nary　bite；〃　John　Tarwater　answered。



〃Where's　your　outfit？　　Ahead？〃



〃Nary　outfit。〃



〃Expect　to　buy　your　grub　on　the　Inside？〃



〃Nary　a　dollar　to　buy　it　with；　friend。　　Which　ain't　so　important　as

a　warm　bite　of　breakfast　right　now。〃



In　Anson's　camp；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　on；　Tarwater　found　a　slender；

red…whiskered　young　man　of　thirty　cursing　over　a　fire　of　wet　willow

wood。　　Introduced　as　Charles；　he　transferred　his　scowl　and　wrath　to

Tarwater；　who；　genially　oblivious；　devoted　himself　to　the　fire；

took　advantage　of　the　chill　morning　breeze　to　create　a　draught

which　the　other　had　left　stupidly　blocked　by　stones；　and　soon

developed　less　smoke　and　more　flame。　　The　third　member　of　the

party；　Bill　Wilson；　or　Big　Bill　as　they　called　him；　came　in　with　a

hundred…and…forty…pound　pack；　and　what　Tarwater　esteemed　to　be　a

very　rotten　breakfast　was　dished　out　by　Charles。　　The　mush　was　half

cooked　and　mostly　burnt；　the　bacon　was　charred　carbon；　and　the

coffee　was　unspeakable。



Immediately　the　meal　was　wolfed　down　the　three　partners　took　their

empty　pack…straps　and　headed　down　trail　to　where　the　remainder　of

their　outfit　lay　at　the　last　camp　a　mile　away。　　And　old　Tarwater

became　busy。　　He　washed　the　dishes；　foraged　dry　wood；　mended　a

broken　pack…strap；　put　an　edge　on　the　butcher…knife　and　camp…axe；

and　repacked　the　picks　and　shovels　into　a　more　carryable　parcel。



What　had　impressed　him　during　the　brief　breakfast　was　the　sort　of

awe　in　which　Anson　and　Big　Bill　stood　of　Charles。　　Once；　during　the

morning；　while　Anson　took　a　breathing　spell　after　bringing　in

another　hundred…pound　pack；　Tarwater　delicately　hinted　his

impression。



〃You　see；　it's　this　way；〃　Anson　said。　　〃We've　divided　our

leadership。　　We've　got　specialities。　　Now　I'm　a　carpenter。　　When　we

get　to　Lake　Linderman；　and　the　trees　are　chopped　and　whipsawed　into

planks；　I'll　boss　the　building　of　the　boat。　　Big　Bill　is　a　logger

and　miner。　　So　he'll　boss　getting　out　the　logs　and　all　mining

operations。　　Most　of　our　outfit's　ahead。　　We　went　broke　paying　the

Indians　to　pack　that　much　of　it　to　the　top　of　Chilcoot。　　Our　last

partner　is　up　there　with　it；　moving　it　along　by　himself　down　the

other　side。　　His　name's　Liverpool；　and　he's　a　sailor。　　So；　when　the

boat's　built；　he's　the　boss　of　the　outfit　to　navigate　the　lakes　and

rapids　to　Klondike。



〃And　Charles　…　this　Mr。　Crayton　…　what　might　his　speciality　be？〃

Tarwater　asked。



〃He's　the　business　man。　　When　it　comes　to　business　and　organization

he's　boss。〃



〃Hum；〃　Tarwater　pondered。　　〃Very　lucky　to　get　such　a　bunch　of

specialities　into　one　outfit。〃



〃More　than　luck；〃　Anson　agreed。　　〃It　was　all　accident；　too。　　Each

of　us　started　alone。　　We　met　on　the　steamer　coming　up　from　San

Francisco；　and　formed　the　party。　…　Well；　I　got　to　be　goin'。

Charles　is　liable　to　get　kicking　because　I　ain't　packin'　my　share'

just　the　same；　you　can't　expect　a　hundred…pound　man　to　pack　as　much

as　a　hundred…and…sixty…pounder。〃



〃Stick　around　and　cook　us　something　for　dinner；〃　Charles；　on　his

next　load　in　and　noting　the　effects　of　the　old　man's　handiness；

told　Tarwater。



And　Tarwater　cooked　a　dinner　that　was　a　dinner；　washed　the　dishes；

had　real　pork　and　beans　for　supper；　and　bread　baked　in　a　frying…pan

that　was　so　delectable　than　the　three　partners　nearly　foundered

themselves　on　it。　　Supper　dishes　washed；　he　cut　shavings　and

kindling　for　a　quick　and　certain　breakfast　fire；　showed　Anson　a

trick　with　foot…gear　that　was　invaluable　to　any　hiker；　sang　his

〃Like　Argus　of　the　Ancient　Times；〃　and　told　them　of　the　great

emigration　across　the　Plains　in　Forty…nine。



〃My　goodness；　the　first　cheerful　and　hearty…like　camp　since　we　hit

the　beach；〃　Big　Bill　remarked　as　he　knocked　out　his　pipe　and　began

pulling　off　his　shoes　for　bed。



〃Kind　of　made　things　easy；　boys；　eh？〃　　Tarwater　queried　genially。



All　nodded。　　〃Well；　then；　I　got　a　proposition；　boys。　　You　can　take

it　or　leave　it；　but　just　listen　kindly　to　it。　　You're　in　a　hurry　to

get　in　before　the　freeze…up。　　Half　the　time　is　wasted　over　the

cooking　by　one　of　you　that　he　might　be　puttin'　in　packin'　outfit。

If　I　do　the　cookin'　for　you；　you　all'll　get　on　that　much　faster。

Also；　the　cookin'　'll　be　better；　and　that'll　make　you　pack　better。

And　I　can　pack　quite　a　bit　myself　in　between　times；　quite　a　bit；

yes；　sir；　quite　a　bit。〃



Big　Bill　and　Anson　were　just　beginning　to　nod　their　heads　in

agreement；　when　Charles　stopped　them。



〃What　do　you　expect　of　us　in　return？〃　he　demanded　of　the　old　man。



〃Oh；　I　leave　it　up　to　the　boys。〃



〃That　ain't　business；〃　Charles　reprimanded　sharply。　　〃You　made　the

proposition。　　Now　finish　it。〃



〃Well；　it's　this　way　…　〃



〃You　expect　us　to　feed　you　all　winter；　eh？〃　Charles　interrupted。



〃No；　siree；　I　don't。　　All　I　reckon　is　a　passage　to　Klondike　in　your

boat　would　be　mighty　square　of　you。〃



〃You　haven't　an　ounce　of　grub；　old　man。　　You'll　starve　to　death

when　you　get　there。〃



〃I've　been　feedin'　some　long　time　pretty　successful；〃　Old　Tarwater

replied；　a　whimsical　light　in　his　eyes。　　〃I'm　seventy；　and　ain't

starved　to　death　never　yet。〃



〃Will　you　sign　a　paper　to　the　effect　that　you　shift　for　yourself　as

soon　as　you　get　to　Dawson？〃　the　business　one　demanded。



〃Oh；　sure；〃　was　the　response。



Again　Charles　checked　his　two　partners'　expressions　of　satisfaction

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…t