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spoke vaguely of eggs and ice…packs； winds and tides； but when they
declined to let him have more than a second thousand； his talk
became incoherent； concerning itself chiefly with the price of dogs
and dog…food； and such things as snowshoes and moccasins and winter
trails。 They let him have fifteen hundred； which was more than the
cottage warranted； and breathed easier when he scrawled his
signature and passed out the door。
Two weeks later he went over Chilkoot with three dog sleds of five
dogs each。 One team he drove； the two Indians with him driving the
others。 At Lake Marsh they broke out the cache and loaded up。 But
there was no trail。 He was the first in over the ice； and to him
fell the task of packing the snow and hammering away through the
rough river jams。 Behind him he often observed a camp…fire smoke
trickling thinly up through the quiet air； and he wondered why the
people did not overtake him。 For he was a stranger to the land and
did not understand。 Nor could he understand his Indians when they
tried to explain。 This they conceived to be a hardship； but when
they balked and refused to break camp of mornings； he drove them to
their work at pistol point。
When he slipped through an ice bridge near the White Horse and
froze his foot； tender yet and oversensitive from the previous
freezing； the Indians looked for him to lie up。 But he sacrificed
a blanket； and； with his foot incased in an enormous moccasin； big
as a water…bucket； continued to take his regular turn with the
front sled。 Here was the cruellest work； and they respected him；
though on the side they rapped their foreheads with their knuckles
and significantly shook their heads。 One night they tried to run
away； but the zip…zip of his bullets in the snow brought them back；
snarling but convinced。 Whereupon； being only savage Chilkat men；
they put their heads together to kill him； but he slept like a cat；
and； waking or sleeping； the chance never came。 Often they tried
to tell him the import of the smoke wreath in the rear； but he
could not comprehend and grew suspicious of them。 And when they
sulked or shirked； he was quick to let drive at them between the
eyes； and quick to cool their heated souls with sight of his ready
revolver。
And so it wentwith mutinous men； wild dogs； and a trail that
broke the heart。 He fought the men to stay with him； fought the
dogs to keep them away from the eggs； fought the ice； the cold； and
the pain of his foot； which would not heal。 As fast as the young
tissue renewed； it was bitten and scared by the frost； so that a
running sore developed； into which he could almost shove his fist。
In the mornings； when he first put his weight upon it； his head
went dizzy； and he was near to fainting from the pain； but later on
in the day it usually grew numb； to recommence when he crawled into
his blankets and tried to sleep。 Yet he； who had been a clerk and
sat at a desk all his days； toiled till the Indians were exhausted；
and even out…worked the dogs。 How hard he worked； how much he
suffered； he did not know。 Being a man of the one idea； now that
the idea had come； it mastered him。 In the foreground of his
consciousness was Dawson； in the background his thousand dozen
eggs； and midway between the two his ego fluttered； striving always
to draw them together to a glittering golden point。 This golden
point was the five thousand dollars； the consummation of the idea
and the point of departure for whatever new idea might present
itself。 For the rest； he was a mere automaton。 He was unaware of
other things； seeing them as through a glass darkly； and giving
them no thought。 The work of his hands he did with machine…like
wisdom； likewise the work of his head。 So the look on his face
grew very tense； till even the Indians were afraid of it； and
marvelled at the strange white man who had made them slaves and
forced them to toil with such foolishness。
Then came a snap on Lake Le Barge； when the cold of outer space
smote the tip of the planet； and the force ranged sixty and odd
degrees below zero。 Here； labouring with open mouth that he might
breathe more freely； he chilled his lungs； and for the rest of the
trip he was troubled with a dry； hacking cough； especially
irritable in smoke of camp or under stress of undue exertion。 On
the Thirty Mile river he found much open water； spanned by
precarious ice bridges and fringed with narrow rim ice； tricky and
uncertain。 The rim ice was impossible to reckon on； and he dared
it without reckoning； falling back on his revolver when his drivers
demurred。 But on the ice bridges； covered with snow though they
were； precautions could be taken。 These they crossed on their
snowshoes； with long poles； held crosswise in their hands； to which
to cling in case of accident。 Once over； the dogs were called to
follow。 And on such a bridge； where the absence of the centre ice
was masked by the snow； one of the Indians met his end。 He went
through as quickly and neatly as a knife through thin cream； and
the current swept him from view down under the stream ice。
That night his mate fled away through the pale moonlight； Rasmunsen
futilely puncturing the silence with his revolvera thing that he
handled with more celerity than cleverness。 Thirty…six hours later
the Indian made a police camp on the Big Salmon。
〃Umumum funny manswhat you call？top um head all loose；〃 the
interpreter explained to the puzzled captain。 〃Eh？ Yep； clazy；
much clazy mans。 Eggs； eggs； all a time eggssavvy？ Come bime…
by。〃
It was several days before Rasmunsen arrived； the three sleds
lashed together； and all the dogs in a single team。 It was
awkward； and where the going was bad he was compelled to back…trip
it sled by sled； though he managed most of the time； through
herculean efforts； to bring all along on the one haul。 He did not
seem moved when the captain of police told him his man was hitting
the high places for Dawson； and was by that time； probably； half…
way between Selkirk and Stewart。 Nor did he appear interested when
informed that the police had broken the trail as far as Pelly； for
he had attained to a fatalistic acceptance of all natural
dispensations； good or ill。 But when they told him that Dawson was
in the bitter clutch of famine； he smiled； threw the harness on his
dogs； and pulled out。
But it was at his next halt that the mystery of the smoke was
explained。 With the word at Big Salmon that the trail was broken
to Pelly； there was no longer any need for the smoke wreath to
linger in his wake； and Rasmunsen； crouching over lonely fire； saw
a motley string of sleds go by。 First came the courier and the
half…breed who had hauled him out from Bennett； then mail…carriers
for Circle City； two sleds of them； and a mixed following of
ingoing Klondikers。 Dogs and men were fresh and fat； while
Rasmunsen and his brutes were jaded and worn down to the skin and
bone。 They of the smoke wreath had travelled one day in three；
resting and reserving their strength for the dash to come when
broken trail was met with； while each day he had plunged and
floundered forward； breaking the spirit of his dogs and robbing
them of their mettle。
As for himself； he was unbreakable。 They thanked him kindly for
his efforts in their behalf； those fat； fresh men；thanked him
kindly； with broad grins and ribald laughter； and now； when he
understood； he made no answer。 Nor did he cherish silent
bitterness。 It was immaterial。 The ideathe fact behind the
ideawas not changed。 Here he was and his thousand dozen； there
was Dawson； the problem was unaltered。
At the Little Salmon； being short of dog food； the dogs got into
his grub； and from there to Selkirk he lived on beanscoarse；
brown beans； big beans； grossly nutritive； which griped his stomach
and doubled him up at two…hour intervals。 But the Factor at
Selkirk had a noti