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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
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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 notice on the door
of the Post to the effect that no steamer had been up the Yukon for two
years； and in consequence grub was beyond price。 He offered to swap
flour； however； at the rate of a cupful of each egg； but Rasmunsen shook
his head and hit the trail。 Below the Post he managed to buy frozen horse
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hide for the dogs； the horses having been slain by the Chilkat cattle men；
and the scraps and offal preserved by the Indians。 He tackled the hide
himself； but the hair worked into the bean sores of his mouth； and was
beyond endurance。
Here at Selkirk he met the forerunners of the hungry exodus of
Dawson； and from there on they crept over the trail； a dismal throng。
〃No grub！〃 was the song they sang。 〃No grub； and had to go。〃
〃Everybody holding candles for a rise in the spring。〃 〃Flour dollar 'n a
half a pound； and no sellers。〃
〃Eggs？〃 one of them answered。 〃Dollar apiece； but there ain't none。〃
Rasmunsen made a rapid calculation。 〃Twelve thousand dollars；〃 he
said aloud。
〃Hey？〃 the man asked。
〃Nothing；〃 he answered； and MUSHED the dogs along。
When he arrived at Stewart River； seventy from Dawson； five of his
dogs were gone； and the remainder were falling in the traces。 He； also；
was in the traces； hauling with what little strength was left in him。 Even
then he was barely crawling along ten miles a day。 His cheek…bones and
nose； frost…bitten again and again； were turned bloody…black and hideous。
The thumb； which was separated from the fingers by the gee…pole； had
likewise been nipped and gave him great pain。 The monstrous moccasin
still incased his foot； and strange pains were beginning to rack the leg。
At Sixty Mile； the last beans； which he had been rationing for some time；
were finished； yet he steadfastly refused to touch the eggs。 He could not
reconcile his mind to the legitimacy of it； and staggered and fell along the
way to Indian River。 Here a fresh…killed moose and an open…handed old…
timer gave him and his dogs new strength； and at Ainslie's he felt repaid
for it all when a stampede； ripe from Dawson in five hours； was sure he
could get a dollar and a quarter for every egg he possessed。
He came up the steep bank by the Dawson barracks with fluttering
heart and shaking knees。 The dogs were so weak that he was forced to
rest them； and； waiting； he leaned limply against the gee…pole。 A man； an
eminently decorous…looking man； came sauntering by in a great bearskin
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coat。 He glanced at Rasmunsen curiously； then stopped and ran a
speculative eye over the dogs and the three lashed sleds。
〃What you got？〃 he asked。
〃Eggs；〃 Rasmunsen answered huskily； hardly able to pitch his voice
above a whisper。
〃Eggs！ Whoopee！ Whoopee！〃 He sprang up into the air； gyrated
madly； and finished with half…a…dozen war steps。 〃You don't say all of
'em？〃
〃All of 'em。〃
〃Say； you must be the Egg Man。〃 He walked around and viewed
Rasmunsen from the other side。 〃