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〃I heard you were in town；〃 Breck said hurriedly； as they shook hands。
〃Been looking for you for half an hour。 Come outside； I want to talk with
you。〃
Smoke looked regretfully at the roaring； red…hot stove。
〃Won't this do？〃
〃No； it's important。 Come outside。〃
As they emerged； Smoke drew off one mitten； lighted a match； and
glanced at the thermometer that hung beside the door。 He re… mittened
his naked hand hastily as if the frost had burnt him。 Overhead arched the
flaming aurora borealis； while from all Dawson arose the mournful
howling of thousands of wolf…dogs。
〃What did it say？〃 Breck asked。
〃Sixty below。〃 Kit spat experimentally； and the spittle crackled in the
air。 〃And the thermometer is certainly working。 It's falling all the time。
An hour ago it was only fifty…two。 Don't tell me it's a stampede。〃
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〃It is；〃 Breck whispered back cautiously； casting anxious eyes about in
fear of some other listener。 〃You know Squaw Creek？empties in on the
other side the Yukon thirty miles up？〃
〃Nothing doing there；〃 was Smoke's judgment。 〃It was prospected
years ago。〃
〃So were all the other rich creeks。 Listen！ It's big。 Only eight to
twenty feet to bedrock。 There won't be a claim that don't run to half a
million。 It's a dead secret。 Two or three of my close friends let me in
on it。 I told my wife right away that I was going to find you before I
started。 Now； so long。 My pack's hidden down the bank。 In fact；
when they told me； they made me promise not to pull out until Dawson
was asleep。 You know what it means if you're seen with a stampeding
outfit。 Get your partner and follow。 You ought to stake fourth or fifth
claim from Discovery。 Don't forget Squaw Creek。 It's the third after
you pass Swede Creek。〃
II。
When Smoke entered the little cabin on the hillside back of Dawson；
he heard a heavy familiar breathing。
〃Aw； go to bed；〃 Shorty mumbled； as Smoke shook his shoulder。
〃I'm not on the night shift；〃 was his next remark； as the rousing hand
became more vigorous。 〃Tell your troubles to the bar…keeper。〃
〃Kick into your clothes；〃 Smoke said。 〃We've got to stake a couple
of claims。〃
Shorty sat up and started to explode； but Smoke's hand covered his
mouth。
〃Ssh！〃 Smoke warned。 〃It's a big strike。 Don't wake the
neighbourhood。 Dawson's asleep。〃
〃Huh！ You got to show me。 Nobody tells anybody about a strike；
of course not。 But ain't it plum amazin' the way everybody hits the trail
just the same？〃
〃Squaw Creek；〃 Smoke whispered。 〃It's right。 Breck gave me the
tip。 Shallow bedrock。 Gold from the grass…roots down。 Come on。
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We'll sling a couple of light packs together and pull out。〃
Shorty's eyes closed as he lapsed back into sleep。 The next moment
his blankets were swept off him。
〃If you don't want them； I do；〃 Smoke explained。
Shorty followed the blankets and began to dress。
〃Goin' to take the dogs？〃 he asked。
〃No。 The trail up the creek is sure to be unbroken； and we can make
better time without them。〃
〃Then I'll throw 'em a meal； which'll have to last 'em till we get back。
Be sure you take some birch…bark and a candle。〃
Shorty opened the door； felt the bite of the cold； and shrank back to
pull down his ear…flaps and mitten his hands。
Five minutes later he returned； sharply rubbing his nose。
〃Smoke； I'm sure opposed to makin' this stampede。 It's colder than
the hinges of hell a thousand years before the first fire was lighted。
Besides； it's Friday the thirteenth； an' we're goin' to trouble as the sparks
fly upward。〃
With small stampeding packs on their backs； they closed the door
behind them and started down the hill。 The display of the aurora borealis
had ceased； and only the stars leaped in the great cold； and by their
uncertain light made traps for the feet。 Shorty floundered off a turn of
the trail into deep snow； and raised his voice in blessing of the date of the
week and month and year。
〃Can't you keep still？〃 Smoke chided。 〃Leave the almanac alone。
You'll have all Dawson awake and after us。〃
〃Huh！ See the light in that cabin？ And in that one over there？ An'
hear that door slam？ Oh； sure Dawson's asleep。 Them lights？ Just
buryin' their dead。 They ain't stampedin'； betcher life they ain't。〃
By the time they reached the foot of the hill and were fairly in Dawson；
lights were springing up in the cabins； doors were slamming； and from
behind came the sound of many moccasins on the hard…packed snow。
Again Shorty delivered himself。
〃But it beats hell the amount of mourners there is。〃
They passed a man who stood by the path and was calling anxiously in
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a low voice： 〃Oh； Charley； get a move on。〃
〃See that pack on his back； Smoke？ The graveyard's sure a long
ways off when the mourners got to pack their blankets。〃
By the time they reached the main street a hundred men were in line
behind them； and while they sought in the deceptive starlight for the trail
that dipped down the bank to the river； more men could be heard arriving。
Shorty slipped and shot down the thirty…foot chute into the soft snow。
Smoke followed； knocking him over as he was rising to his feet。
〃I found it first；〃 he gurgled； taking off his mittens to shake the snow
out of the gauntlets。
The next moment they were scrambling wildly out of the way of the
hurtling bodies of those that followed。 At the time of the freeze… up； a
jam had occurred at this point； and cakes of ice were up…ended in snow…
covered confusion。 After several hard falls； Smoke drew out his candle
and lighted it。 Those in the rear hailed it with acclaim。 In the windless
air it burned easily； and he led the way more quickly。
〃It's a sure stampede；〃 Shorty decided。 〃Or might all them be sleep…
walkers？〃
〃We're at the head of the procession at any rate；〃 was Smoke's answer。
〃Oh； I don't know。 Mebbe that's a firefly ahead there。 Mebbe
they're all firefliesthat one； an' that one。 Look at 'em。 Believe me； they
is whole strings of processions ahead。〃
It was a mile across the jams to the west bank of the Yukon； and
candles flickered the full length of the twisting trail。 Behind them； clear
to the top of the bank they had descended； were more candles。
〃Say； Smoke； this ain't no stampede。 It's a exode…us。 They must be
a thousand men ahead of us an' ten thousand behind。 Now； you listen to
your uncle。 My medicine's good。 When I get a hunch it's sure right。
An' we're in wrong on this stampede。 Let's turn back an' hit the sleep。〃
〃You'd better save your breath if you intend to keep up；〃 Smoke
retorted gruffly。
〃Huh！ My legs is short； but I slog along slack at the knees an' don't
worry my muscles none； an' I can sure walk every piker here off the ice。〃
And Smoke knew he was right； for he had long since learned his
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comrade's phenomenal walking powers。
〃I've been holding back to give you a chance；〃 Smoke jeered。
〃An' I'm plum troddin' on your heels。 If you can't do better； let me go
ahead and set pace。〃
Smoke quickened； and was soon at the rear of the nearest bunch of
stampeders。
〃Hike along； you； Smoke；〃 the other