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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。 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 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 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 and again he hauled in the steering…sweep
and put out a fresh one while his passengers chopped the ice from
the blade。 Wherever the spray struck； it turned instantly to
frost； and the dipping boom of the spritsail was quickly fringed
with icicles。 The Alma strained and hammered through the big seas
till the seams and butts began to spread； but in lieu of bailing
the correspondents chopped ice and flung it overboard。 There was
no let…up。 The mad race with winter was on； and the boats tore
along in a desperate string。
〃W…w…we can't stop to save our souls！〃 one of the correspondents
chattered； from cold； not fright。
〃That's right！ Keep her down the middle； old man！〃 the other
encouraged。
Rasmunsen replied with an idiotic grin。 The iron…bound shores were
in a lather of foam； and even down the middle the only hope was to
keep