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Smoke Bellew
Two men were guarding Schroeder's dogs； with short clubs interposed
between them and the trail。
〃Come on； you Smoke！ Come on； you Smoke！〃 he could hear Shorty
calling anxiously。
〃Coming！〃 he gasped。
By the red flare he could see the snow torn up and trampled； and from
the way his partner breathed he knew a battle had been fought。 He
staggered to the sled； and； in a moment he was falling on it； Shorty's whip
snapped as he yelled： 〃Mush！ you devils！ Mush！〃
The dogs sprang into the breast…bands； and the sled jerked abruptly
ahead。 They were big animalsHanson's prize team of Hudson Bays
and Smoke had selected them for the first stage； which included the ten
miles of Mono； the heavy…going of the cut…off across the flat at the mouth；
and the first ten miles of the Yukon stretch。
〃How many are ahead？〃 he asked。
〃You shut up an' save your wind；〃 Shorty answered。 〃Hi！ you brutes！
Hit her up！ Hit her up！〃
He was running behind the sled； towing on a short rope。 Smoke
could not see him； nor could he see the sled on which he lay at full length。
The fires had been left in the rear； and they were tearing through a wall of
blackness as fast as the dogs could spring into it。 This blackness was
almost sticky； so nearly did it take on the seeming of substance。
Smoke felt the sled heel up on one runner as it rounded an invisible
curve； and from ahead came the snarls of beasts and the oaths of men。
This was known afterward as the Barnes…Slocum Jam。 It was the teams
of these two men which first collided； and into it； at full career； piled
Smoke's seven big fighters。 Scarcely more than semi… domesticated
wolves； the excitement of that night on Mono Creek had sent every dog
fighting…mad。 The Klondike dogs； driven without reins； cannot be
stopped except by voice； so that there was no stopping this glut of struggle
that heaped itself between the narrow rims of the creek。 From behind；
sled after sled hurled into the turmoil。 Men who had their teams nearly
extricated were overwhelmed by fresh avalanches of dogseach animal
well…fed； well…rested； and ripe for battle。
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Smoke Bellew
〃It's knock down an' drag out an' plow through！〃 Shorty yelled in his
partner's ear。 〃An' watch out for your knuckles！ You drag out an' let me
do the punchin'！〃
What happened in the next half hour Smoke never distinctly
remembered。 At the end he emerged exhausted； sobbing for breath； his
jaw sore from a first…blow； his shoulder aching from the bruise of a club；
the blood running warmly down one leg from the rip of a dog's fangs； and
both sleeves of his parka torn to shreds。 As in a dream； while the battle
still raged behind； he helped Shorty reharness the dogs。 One； dying； they
cut from the traces； and in the darkness they felt their way to the repair of
the disrupted harnesses。
〃Now you lie down an' get your wind back；〃 Shorty commanded。
And through the darkness the dogs sped； with unabated strength； down
Mono Creek； across the long cut…off； and to the Yukon。 Here； at the
junction with the main river…trail； somebody had lighted a fire； and here
Shorty said good bye。 By the light of the fire； as the sled leaped behind
the flying dogs； Smoke caught another of the unforgettable pictures of the
North Land。 It was of Shorty； swaying and sinking down limply in the
snow； yelling his parting encouragement； one eye blackened and closed；
knuckles bruised and broken； and one arm； ripped and fang…torn； gushing
forth a steady stream of blood。
V。
〃How many ahead？〃 Smoke asked； as he dropped his tired Hudson
Bays and sprang on the waiting sled at the first relay station。
〃I counted eleven；〃 the man called after him； for he was already away
behind the leaping dogs。
Fifteen miles they were to carry him on the next stage； which would
fetch him to the mouth of White River。 There were nine of them； but
they composed his weakest team。 The twenty…five miles between White
River and Sixty Mile he had broken into two stages because of ice… jams；
and here two of his heaviest； toughest teams were stationed。
He lay on the sled at full length； face…down； holding on with both
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Smoke Bellew
hands。 Whenever the dogs slacked from topmost speed he rose to his
knees； and； yelling and urging； clinging precariously with one hand； threw
his whip into them。 Poor team that it was； he passed two sleds before
White River was reached。 Here； at the freeze…up； a jam had piled a
barrier allowing the open water； that formed for half a mile below； to
freeze smoothly。 This smooth stretch enabled the racers to make flying
exchanges of sleds； and down all the course they had placed their relays
below the jams。
Over the jam and out on to the smooth； Smoke tore along； calling
loudly； 〃Billy！ Billy！〃
Billy heard and answered； and by the light of the many fires on the ice；
Smoke saw a sled swing in from the side and come abreast。 Its dogs
were fresh and overhauled his。 As the sleds swerved toward each other
he leaped across and Billy promptly rolled off。
〃Where's Big Olaf？〃 Smoke cried。
〃Leading！〃 Billy's voice answered； and the fires were left behind and
Smoke was again flying through the wall of blackness。
In the jams of that relay； where the way led across a chaos of up…
ended ice…cakes； and where Smoke slipped off the forward end of the sled
and with a haul…rope toiled behind the wheel…dog； he passed three sleds。
Accidents had happened； and he could hear the men cutting out dogs and
mending harnesses。
Among the jams of the next short relay into Sixty Mile； he passed two
more teams。 And that he might know adequately what had happened to
them； one of his own dogs wrenched a shoulder； was unable to keep up；
and was dragged in the harness。 Its team…mates； angered； fell upon it
with their fangs； and Smoke was forced to club them off with the heavy
butt of his whip。 As he cut the injured animal out； he heard the whining
cries of dogs behind him and the voice of a man that was familiar。 It was
Von Schroeder。 Smoke called a warning to prevent a rear…end collision；
and the Baron； hawing his animals and swinging on the gee…pole； went by
a dozen feet to the side。 Yet so impenetrable was the blackness that
Smoke heard him pass but never saw him。
On the smooth stretch of ice beside the trading post at Sixty Mile；
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Smoke overtook two more sleds。 All had just changed teams； and for
five minutes they ran abreast； each man on his knees and pouring whip
and voice into the maddened dogs。 But Smoke had studied out that
portion of the trail； and now marked the tall pine on the bank that showed
faintly in the light of the many fires。 Below that pine was not merely
darkness； but an abrupt cessation of the smooth stretch。 There the trail；
he knew； narrowed to a single sled…width。 Leaning out ahead； he caught
the haul…rope and drew his leaping sled up to the wheel…dog。 He caught
the animal by the hind…legs and threw it。 With a snarl of rage it tried to
slash him with its fangs； but was dragged on by the rest of the team。 Its
body proved an efficient brake； and the two other teams； still abreast；
dashed ahead into the darkness for the narrow way。
Smoke heard the cras