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〃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…trip for several packs himself。 Sixty pounds was the
limit of his burden； however。 He could manage seventy…five； but he
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could not keep it up。 Once； he tried ninety； but collapsed on the trail and
was seriously shaky for a couple of days afterward。
Work！ On a trail where hard…working men learned for the first time
what work was； no man worked harder in proportion to his strength than
Old Tarwater。 Driven desperately on by the near…thrust of winter； and
lured madly on by the dream of gold； they worked to their last ounce of
strength and fell by the way。 Others； when failure made certain； blew out
their brains。 Some went mad； and still others； under the irk of the man…
destroying strain； broke partnerships and dissolved life…time friendships
with fellows just as good as themselves and just as strained and mad。
Work！ Old Tarwater could shame them all； despite his creaking and
crackling and the nasty hacking cough he had developed。 Early and late；
on trail or in camp beside the trail he was ever in evidence； ever busy at
something； ever responsive to the hail of 〃Father Christmas。〃 Weary
back…trippers would rest their packs on a log or rock alongside of where he
rested his； and would say： 〃Sing us that song of yourn； dad； about Forty…
Nine。〃 And； when he had wheezingly complied； they would arise under
their loads； remark that it was real heartening； and hit the forward trail
again。
〃If ever a man worked his passage and earned it；〃 Big Bill confided to
his two partners； 〃that man's our old Skeezicks。〃
〃You bet；〃 Anson confirmed。 〃He's a valuable addition to the party；
and I； for one； ain't at all disagreeable to the notion of making him a
regular partner … 〃
〃None of that！〃 Charles Crayton cut in。 〃When we get to Dawson
we're quit of him … that's the agreement。 We'd only have to bury him if
we let him stay on with us。 Besides； there's going to be a famine； and
every ounce of grub'll count。 Remember； we're feeding him out of our
own supply all the way in。 And if we run short in the pinch next year；
you'll know the reason。 Steamboats can't get up grub to Dawson till the
middle of June； and that's nine months away。〃
〃Well； you put as much money and outfit in as the rest of us；〃 Big Bill
conceded； 〃and you've a say according。〃
〃And I'm going to have my say；〃 Charles asserted with increasing
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irritability。 〃And it's lucky for you with your fool sentiments that you've
got somebody to think ahead for you； else you'd all starve to death。 I tell
you that famine's coming。 I've been studying the situation。 Flour will
be two dollars a pound； or ten； and no sellers。 You mark my words。〃
Across the rubble…covered flats； up the dark canyon to Sheep Camp；
past the over…hanging and ever…threatening glaciers to the Scales； and from
the Scales up the steep pitches of ice…scoured rock where packers climbed
with hands and feet； Old Tarwater camp…cooked and packed and sang。
He blew across Chilcoot Pass； above timberline； in the first swirl of
autumn snow。 Those below； without firewood； on the bitter rim of Crater
Lake； heard from the driving obscurity above them a weird voice chanting：
〃Like Argus of the ancient times； We leave this modern Greece； Tum…
tum； tum…tum； tum； tum； tum…tum； To shear the Golden Fleece。〃
And out of the snow flurries they saw appear a tall； gaunt form； with
whiskers of flying white that blended with the storm； bending under a
sixty…pound pack of camp dunnage。
〃Father Christmas！〃 was the hail。 And then： 〃Three rousing cheers
for Father Christmas！〃
Two miles beyond Crater Lake lay Happy Camp … so named because
here was found the uppermost fringe of the timber line； where men might
warm themselves by fire again。 Scarcely could it be called timber； for it
was a dwarf rock…spruce that never raised its loftiest branches higher than
a foot above the moss； and that twisted and grovelled like a pig…vegetable
under the moss。 Here； on the trail leading into Happy Camp； in the first
sunshine of half a dozen days； Old Tarwater rested his pack against a huge
boulder and caught his breath。 Around this boulder the trail passed； laden
men toiling slowly forward and men with empty pack…straps limping
rapidly back for fresh loads。 Twice Old Tarwater essayed to rise and go
on； and each time； warned by his shakiness； sank back to recover more
strength。 From around the boulder he heard voices in greeting；
recognized Charles Crayton's voice； and realized that at last they had met
up with Young Liverpool。 Quickly； Charles plunged into business； and
Tarwater heard with great distinctness every word of Charles' unflattering
description of him and the proposition to give him passage to Dawson。
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〃A dam fool proposition；〃 was Liverpool's judgment； when Charles
had concluded。 〃An old granddad of seventy！ If he's on his last legs；
why in hell did you hook up with him？ If there's going to be a famine；
and it looks like it； we need every ounce of grub for ourselves。 We only
out…fitted for four； not five。〃
〃It's all right；〃 Tarwater heard Charles assuring the other。 〃Don't get
excited。 The old codger agreed to leave the final decision to you when
we caught up with you。 All you've got to do is put your foot down and
say no。〃
〃You mean it's up to me to turn the old one down； after your
encouraging him and taking advantage of his work clear from Dyea here？〃
〃It's a hard trail； Liverpool； and only the men that are hard will get
through；〃 Charles strove to palliate。
〃And I'm to do the dirty work？〃 Liverpool c