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joker that was in it。 And they piled it on top of everything else on the
fore…lower…deck； and they didn't pile it any too securely either。 The mate
expected to come back to it again； and then forgot about it。 I thought at the
time that there was something familiar about the big husky dog that
climbed over the baggage and freight and lay down next to the box。 And
then we passed the Glendale； bound up for Dawson。 As she saluted us； I
thought of Dave on board of her and hurrying to Dawson to Flush of Gold。
I turned and looked at her where she stood by the rail。 Her eyes were
bright； but she looked a bit frightened by the sight of the other steamer；
and she was leaning closely to the Count fellow as for protection。 She
needn't have leaned so safely against him； and I needn't have been so sure
of a disappointed Dave Walsh arriving at Dawson。 For Dave Walsh
wasn't on the Glendale。 There were a lot of things I didn't know； but was
soon to knowfor instance； that the pair were not yet married。 Inside
half an hour preparations for the marriage took place。 What of the sick
men in the main cabin； and of the crowded condition of the Golden Rocket；
the likeliest place for the ceremony was found forward； on the lower deck；
in an open space next to the rail and gang…plank and shaded by the
mountain of freight with the big box on top and the sleeping dog beside it。
There was a missionary on board； getting off at Eagle City； which was the
next step； so they had to use him quick。 That's what they'd planned to do；
get married on the boat。
〃But I've run ahead of the facts。 The reason Dave Walsh wasn't on
the Glendale was because he was on the Golden Rocket。 It was this way。
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After loiterin' in Dawson on account of Flush of Gold； he went down to
Mammon Creek on the ice。 And there he found Dusky Burns doing so
well with the claim； there was no need for him to be around。 So he put
some grub on the sled； harnessed the dogs； took an Indian along； and
pulled out for Surprise Lake。 He always had a liking for that section。
Maybe you don't know how the creek turned out to be a four…flusher； but
the prospects were good at the time； and Dave proceeded to build his cabin
and hers。 That's the cabin we slept in。 After he finished it； he went off on
a moose hunt to the forks of the Teelee； takin' the Indian along。
〃And this is what happened。 Came on a cold snap。 The juice went
down forty； fifty； sixty below zero。 I remember that snapI was at Forty
Mile； and I remember the very day。 At eleven o'clock in the morning the
spirit thermometer at the N。 A。 T。 & T。 Company's store went down to
seventy…five below zero。 And that morning； near the forks of the Teelee；
Dave Walsh was out after moose with that blessed Indian of his。 I got it
all from the Indian afterwardswe made a trip over the ice together to
Dyea。 That morning Mr。 Indian broke through the ice and wet himself to
the waist。 Of course he began to freeze right away。 The proper thing
was to build a fire。 But Dave Walsh was a bull。 It was only half a mile
to camp； where a fire was already burning。 What was the good of
building another？ He threw Mr。 Indian over his shoulderand ran with
himhalf a milewith the thermometer at seventy…five below。 You know
what that means。 Suicide。 There's no other name for it。 Why； that buck
Indian weighed over two hundred himself； and Dave ran half a mile with
him。 Of course he froze his lungs。 Must have frozen them near solid。 It
was a tomfool trick for any man to do。 And anyway； after lingering
horribly for several weeks； Dave Walsh died。
〃The Indian didn't know what to do with the corpse。 Ordinarily he'd
have buried him and let it go at that。 But he knew that Dave Walsh was a
big man； worth lots of money； a hi…yu skookum chief。 Likewise he'd
seen the bodies of other hi…yu skookums carted around the country like
they were worth something。 So he decided to take Dave's body to Forty
Mile； which was Dave's headquarters。 You know how the ice is on the
grass roots in this countrywell； the Indian planted Dave under a foot of
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soilin short； he put Dave on ice。 Dave could have stayed there a
thousand years and still been the same old Dave。 You understandjust the
same as a refrigerator。 Then the Indian brings over a whipsaw from the
cabin at Surprise Lake and makes lumber enough for the box。 Also；
waiting for the thaw； he goes out and shoots about ten thousand pounds of
moose。 This he keeps on ice； too。 Came the thaw。 The Teelee broke。
He built a raft and loaded it with the meat； the big box with Dave inside；
and Dave's team of dogs； and away they went down the Teelee。
〃The raft got caught on a timber jam and hung up two days。 It was
scorching hot weather； and Mr。 Indian nearly lost his moose meat。 So
when he got to Teelee Portage he figured a steamboat would get to Forty
Mile quicker than his raft。 He transferred his cargo； and there you are；
fore…lower deck of the Golden Rocket； Flush of Gold being married； and
Dave Walsh in his big box casting the shade for her。 And there's one
thing I clean forgot。 No wonder I thought the husky dog that came
aboard at Teelee Portage was familiar。 It was Pee…lat； Dave Walsh's lead…
dog and favouritea terrible fighter； too。 He was lying down beside the
box。
〃Flush of Gold caught sight of me； called me over； shook hands with
me； and introduced me to the Count。 She was beautiful。 I was as mad
for her then as ever。 She smiled into my eyes and said I must sign as one
of the witnesses。 And there was no refusing her。 She was ever a child；
cruel as children are cruel。 Also； she told me she was in possession of
the only two bottles of champagne in Dawsonor that had been in Dawson
the night before； and before I knew it I was scheduled to drink her and the
Count's health。 Everybody crowded round； the captain of the steamboat；
very prominent； trying to ring in on the wine； I guess。 It was a funny
wedding。 On the upper deck the hospital wrecks； with various feet in the
grave； gathered and looked down to see。 There were Indians all jammed
in the circle； too； big bucks； and their squaws and kids； to say nothing of
about twenty…five snarling wolf…dogs。 The missionary lined the two of
them up and started in with the service。 And just then a dog…fight started；
high up on the pile of freightPee…lat lying beside the big box； and a
white…haired brute belonging to one of the Indians。 The fight wasn't
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explosive at all。 The brutes just snarled at each other from a distance
tapping at each other long…distance； you know； saying dast and dassent；
dast and dassent。 The noise was rather disturbing； but you could hear the
missionary's voice above it。
〃There was no particularly easy way of getting at the two dogs； except
from the other side of the pile。 But nobody was on that side… …everybody
watching the ceremony； you see。 Even then everything might have been
all right if the captain hadn't thrown a club at the dogs。 That was what
precipitated everything。 As I say； if the captain hadn't thrown that club；
nothing might have happened。
〃The missionary had just reached the point where he was saying 'In
sickness and in health；' and 'Till death us do part。' And just then the
captain threw the club。 I saw the whole thing。 It landed on Pee…lat； and
at that instant the white brute jumped him。 The club caus