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in a lather of foam； and even down the middle the only hope was to
keep running away from the big seas。 To lower sail was to be
overtaken and swamped。 Time and again they passed boats pounding
among the rocks； and once they saw one on the edge of the breakers
about to strike。 A little craft behind them； with two men； jibed
over and turned bottom up。
〃W…w…watch out； old man；〃 cried he of the chattering teeth。
Rasmunsen grinned and tightened his aching grip on the sweep。
Scores of times had the send of the sea caught the big square stern
of the Alma and thrown her off from dead before it till the after
leach of the spritsail fluttered hollowly； and each time； and only
with all his strength； had he forced her back。 His grin by then
had become fixed； and it disturbed the correspondents to look at
him。
They roared down past an isolated rock a hundred yards from shore。
From its wave…drenched top a man shrieked wildly； for the instant
cutting the storm with his voice。 But the next instant the Alma
was by； and the rock growing a black speck in the troubled froth。
〃That settles the Yankee！ Where's the sailor？〃 shouted one of his
passengers。
Rasmunsen shot a glance over his shoulder at a black square…sail。
He had seen it leap up out of the grey to windward； and for an
hour； off and on； had been watching it grow。 The sailor had
evidently repaired damages and was making up for lost time。
〃Look at him come！〃
Both passengers stopped chopping ice to watch。 Twenty miles of
Bennett were behind themroom and to spare for the sea to toss up
its mountains toward the sky。 Sinking and soaring like a storm…
god； the sailor drove by them。 The huge sail seemed to grip the
boat from the crests of the waves； to tear it bodily out of the
water； and fling it crashing and smothering down into the yawning
troughs。
〃The sea'll never catch him！〃
〃But he'll r…r…run her nose under！〃
Even as they spoke； the black tarpaulin swooped from sight behind a
big comber。 The next wave rolled over the spot； and the next； but
the boat did not reappear。 The Alma rushed by the place。 A little
riffraff of oats and boxes was seen。 An arm thrust up and a shaggy
head broke surface a score of yards away。
For a time there was silence。 As the end of the lake came in
sight； the waves began to leap aboard with such steady recurrence
that the correspondents no longer chopped ice but flung the water
out with buckets。 Even this would not do； and； after a shouted
conference with Rasmunsen； they attacked the baggage。 Flour；
bacon； beans； blankets； cooking…stove； ropes； odds and ends；
everything they could get hands on； flew overboard。 The boat
acknowledged it at once； taking less water and rising more
buoyantly。
〃That'll do！〃 Rasmunsen called sternly； as they applied themselves
to the top layer of eggs。
〃The h…hell it will！〃 answered the shivering one； savagely。 With
the exception of their notes； films； and cameras； they had
sacrificed their outfit。 He bent over； laid hold of an egg…box；
and began to worry it out from under the lashing。
〃Drop it！ Drop it； I say！〃
Rasmunsen had managed to draw his revolver； and with the crook of
his arm over the sweep head； was taking aim。 The correspondent
stood up on the thwart； balancing back and forth； his face twisted
with menace and speechless anger。
〃My God！〃
So cried his brother correspondent； hurling himself； face downward；
into the bottom of the boat。 The Alma； under the divided attention
of Rasmunsen； had been caught by a great mass of water and whirled
around。 The after leach hollowed； the sail emptied and jibed； and
the boom； sweeping with terrific force across the boat； carried the
angry correspondent overboard with a broken back。 Mast and sail
had gone over the side as well。 A drenching sea followed； as the
boat lost headway； and Rasmunsen sprang to the bailing bucket
Several boats hurtled past them in the next half…hour；small
boats； boats of their own size； boats afraid； unable to do aught
but run madly on。 Then a ten…ton barge； at imminent risk of
destruction； lowered sail to windward and lumbered down upon them。
〃Keep off！ Keep off！〃 Rasmunsen screamed。
But his low gunwale ground against the heavy craft； and the
remaining correspondent clambered aboard。 Rasmunsen was over the
eggs like a cat and in the bow of the Alma； striving with numb
fingers to bend the hauling…lines together。
〃Come on！〃 a red…whiskered man yelled at him。
〃I've a thousand dozen eggs here；〃 he shouted back。 〃Gimme a tow！
I'll pay you！〃
〃Come on！〃 they howled in chorus。
A big whitecap broke just beyond； washing over the barge and
leaving the Alma half swamped。 The men cast off； cursing him as
they ran up their sail。 Rasmunsen cursed back and fell to bailing。
The mast and sail； like a sea anchor； still fast by the halyards；
held the boat head on to wind and sea and gave him a chance to
fight the water out。
Three hours later； numbed； exhausted； blathering like a lunatic；
but still bailing； he went ashore on an ice…strewn beach near
Cariboo Crossing。 Two men； a government courier and a half…breed
voyageur； dragged him out of the surf； saved his cargo； and beached
the Alma。 They were paddling out of the country in a Peterborough；
and gave him shelter for the night in their storm…bound camp。 Next
morning they departed； but he elected to stay by his eggs。 And
thereafter the name and fame of the man with the thousand dozen
eggs began to spread through the land。 Gold…seekers who made in
before the freeze…up carried the news of his coming。 Grizzled old…
timers of Forty Mile and Circle City； sour doughs with leathern
jaws and bean…calloused stomachs； called up dream memories of
chickens and green things at mention of his name。 Dyea and Skaguay
took an interest in his being； and questioned his progress from
every man who came over the passes； while Dawsongolden；
omeletless Dawsonfretted and worried； and way…laid every chance
arrival for word of him。
But of this Rasmunsen knew nothing。 The day after the wreck he
patched up the Alma and pulled out。 A cruel east wind blew in his
teeth from Tagish； but he got the oars over the side and bucked
manfully into it； though half the time he was drifting backward and
chopping ice from the blades。 According to the custom of the
country； he was driven ashore at Windy Arm； three times on Tagish
saw him swamped and beached； and Lake Marsh held him at the freeze…
up。 The Alma was crushed in the jamming of the floes； but the eggs
were intact。 These he back…tripped two miles across the ice to the
shore； where he built a cache； which stood for years after and was
pointed out by men who knew。
Half a thousand frozen miles stretched between him and Dawson； and
the waterway was closed。 But Rasmunsen； with a peculiar tense look
in his face； struck back up the lakes on foot。 What he suffered on
that lone trip； with nought but a single blanket； an axe； and a
handful of beans； is not given to ordinary mortals to know。 Only
the Arctic adventurer may understand。 Suffice that he was caught
in a blizzard on Chilkoot and left two of his toes with the surgeon
at Sheep Camp。 Yet he stood on his feet and washed dishes in the
scullery of the PAWONA to the Puget Sound； and from there passed
coal on a P。 S。 boat to San Francisco。
It was a haggard； unkempt man who limped across the shining office
floor to raise a second mortgage from the bank people。 His hollow
cheeks betrayed themselves through the scraggy beard； and his eyes
seemed to have retired into deep caverns where they burned with
cold fires。 His hands were grained from exposure and hard work；
and the nails were rimmed with tight…packed dirt and coal…dust。 He
spoke vaguely of eggs and ice…packs； winds and tides； but when they
declined to let him have more than a second