按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
When Kink had signed； it took the united efforts of the three to
arouse Bill。 Pen in hand； he swayed long over the document； and；
each time he rocked back and forth； in Ans Handerson's eyes flashed
and faded a wondrous golden vision。 When the precious signature
was at last appended and the dust paid over； he breathed a great
sigh； and sank to sleep under a table； where he dreamed immortally
until morning。
But the day was chill and grey。 He felt bad。 His first act；
unconscious and automatic； was to feel for his sack。 Its lightness
startled him。 Then； slowly； memories of the night thronged into
his brain。 Rough voices disturbed him。 He opened his eyes and
peered out from under the table。 A couple of early risers； or；
rather； men who had been out on trail all night； were vociferating
their opinions concerning the utter and loathsome worthlessness of
Eldorado Creek。 He grew frightened； felt in his pocket； and found
the deed to 24 ELDORADO。
Ten minutes later Hootchinoo Bill and Kink Mitchell were roused
from their blankets by a wild…eyed Swede that strove to force upon
them an ink…scrawled and very blotty piece of paper。
〃Ay tank Ay take my money back；〃 he gibbered。 〃Ay tank Ay take my
money back。〃
Tears were in his eyes and throat。 They ran down his cheeks as he
knelt before them and pleaded and implored。 But Bill and Kink did
not laugh。 They might have been harder hearted。
〃First time I ever hear a man squeal over a minin' deal；〃 Bill
said。 〃An' I make free to say 'tis too onusual for me to savvy。〃
〃Same here；〃 Kink Mitchell remarked。 〃Minin' deals is like horse…
tradin'。〃
They were honest in their wonderment。 They could not conceive of
themselves raising a wail over a business transaction； so they
could not understand it in another man。
〃The poor； ornery chechaquo；〃 murmured Hootchinoo Bill； as they
watched the sorrowing Swede disappear up the trail。
〃But this ain't Too Much Gold；〃 Kink Mitchell said cheerfully。
And ere the day was out they purchased flour and bacon at
exorbitant prices with Ans Handerson's dust and crossed over the
divide in the direction of the creeks that lie between Klondike and
Indian River。
Three months later they came back over the divide in the midst of a
snow…storm and dropped down the trail to 24 ELDORADO。 It merely
chanced that the trail led them that way。 They were not looking
for the claim。 Nor could they see much through the driving white
till they set foot upon the claim itself。 And then the air
lightened； and they beheld a dump； capped by a windlass that a man
was turning。 They saw him draw a bucket of gravel from the hole
and tilt it on the edge of the dump。 Likewise they saw another；
man； strangely familiar； filling a pan with the fresh gravel。 His
hands were large； his hair wets pale yellow。 But before they
reached him； he turned with the pan and fled toward a cabin。 He
wore no hat； and the snow falling down his neck accounted for his
haste。 Bill and Kink ran after him； and came upon him in the
cabin； kneeling by the stove and washing the pan of gravel in a tub
of water。
He was too deeply engaged to notice more than that somebody had
entered the cabin。 They stood at his shoulder and looked on。 He
imparted to the pan a deft circular motion； pausing once or twice
to rake out the larger particles of gravel with his fingers。 The
water was muddy； and； with the pan buried in it； they could see
nothing of its contents。 Suddenly he lifted the pan clear and sent
the water out of it with a flirt。 A mass of yellow； like butter in
a churn； showed across the bottom。
Hootchinoo Bill swallowed。 Never in his life had he dreamed of so
rich a test…pan。
〃Kind of thick； my friend；〃 he said huskily。 〃How much might you
reckon that…all to be？〃
Ans Handerson did not look up as he replied； 〃Ay tank fafty
ounces。〃
〃You must be scrumptious rich； then； eh？〃
Still Ans Handerson kept his head down； absorbed in putting in the
fine touches which wash out the last particles of dross； though he
answered； 〃Ay tank Ay ban wort' five hundred t'ousand dollar。〃
〃Gosh！〃 said Hootchinoo Bill； and he said it reverently。
〃Yes； Bill； gosh！〃 said Kink Mitchell； and they went out softly and
closed the door。
THE ONE THOUSAND DOZEN
David Rasmunsen was a hustler； and； like many a greater man； a man
of the one idea。 Wherefore； when the clarion call of the North
rang on his ear； he conceived an adventure in eggs and bent all his
energy to its achievement。 He figured briefly and to the point；
and the adventure became iridescent…hued； splendid。 That eggs
would sell at Dawson for five dollars a dozen was a safe working
premise。 Whence it was incontrovertible that one thousand dozen
would bring； in the Golden Metropolis； five thousand dollars。
On the other hand； expense was to be considered； and he considered
it well； for he was a careful man； keenly practical； with a hard
head and a heart that imagination never warmed。 At fifteen cents a
dozen； the initial cost of his thousand dozen would be one hundred
and fifty dollars； a mere bagatelle in face of the enormous profit。
And suppose； just suppose； to be wildly extravagant for once； that
transportation for himself and eggs should run up eight hundred and
fifty more； he would still have four thousand clear cash and clean
when the last egg was disposed of and the last dust had rippled
into his sack
〃You see； Alma；〃he figured it over with his wife； the cosy
dining…room submerged in a sea of maps； government surveys； guide…
books； and Alaskan itineraries；〃you see； expenses don't really
begin till you make Dyeafifty dollars'll cover it with a first…
class passage thrown in。 Now from Dyea to Lake Linderman； Indian
packers take your goods over for twelve cents a pound； twelve
dollars a hundred； or one hundred and twenty dollars a thousand。
Say I have fifteen hundred pounds； it'll cost one hundred and
eighty dollarscall it two hundred and be safe。 I am creditably
informed by a Klondiker just come out that I can buy a boat for
three hundred。 But the same man says I'm sure to get a couple of
passengers for one hundred and fifty each； which will give me the
boat for nothing； and； further； they can help me manage it。 And 。
。 。 that's all； I put my eggs ashore from the boat at Dawson。 Now
let me see how much is that？〃
〃Fifty dollars from San Francisco to Dyea； two hundred from Dyea to
Linderman； passengers pay for the boattwo hundred and fifty all
told；〃 she summed up swiftly。
〃And a hundred for my clothes and personal outfit；〃 he went on
happily； 〃that leaves a margin of five hundred for emergencies。
And what possible emergencies can arise？〃
Alma shrugged her shoulders and elevated her brows。 If that vast
Northland was capable of swallowing up a man and a thousand dozen
eggs； surely there was room and to