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Smoke Bellew
to content himself with eight teams。 Big Olaf had seven； which was the
complement of Smoke。 In addition； over two…score of other men were in
the running。 Not every day； even in the golden north； was a million
dollars the prize for a dog race。 The country had been swept of dogs。
No animal of speed and endurance escaped the fine…tooth comb that had
raked the creeks and camps； and the prices of dogs had doubled and
quadrupled in the course of the frantic speculation。
Number Three Below Discovery was ten miles up Mono Creek from
its mouth。 The remaining hundred miles was to be run on the frozen
breast of the Yukon。 On Number Three itself were fifty tents and over
three hundred dogs。 The old stakes； blazed and scrawled sixty days
before by Cyrus Johnson； still stood； and every man had gone over the
boundaries of the claim again and again； for the race with dogs was to be
preceded by a foot and obstacle race。 Each man had to re…locate the
claim for himself； and this meant that he must place two centre…stakes and
four corner…stakes and cross the creek twice； before he could start for
Dawson with his dogs。
Furthermore； there were to be no 'sooners。' Not until the stroke of
midnight of Friday night was the claim open for re…location； and not until
the stroke of midnight could a man plant a stake。 This was the ruling of
the Gold Commissioner at Dawson； and Captain Consadine had sent up a
squad of mounted police to enforce it。 Discussion had arisen about the
difference between sun…time and police…time； but Consadine had sent forth
his fiat that police time went； and； further； that it was the watch of
Lieutenant Pollock that went。
The Mono trail ran along the level creek…bed； and； less than two feet in
width； was like a groove； walled on either side by the snow… fall of months。
The problem of how forty…odd sleds and three hundred dogs were to start
in so narrow a course was in everybody's mind。
〃Huh！〃 said Shorty。 〃It's goin' to be the gosh…dangdest mix…up that
ever was。 I can't see no way out； Smoke； except main strength an' sweat
an' to plow through。 If the whole creek was glare…ice they ain't room for
a dozen teams abreast。 I got a hunch right now they's goin' to be a heap
of scrappin' before they get strung out。 An' if any of it comes our way you
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Smoke Bellew
got to let me do the punchin'。〃
Smoke squared his shoulders and laughed non…committally。
〃No you don't！〃 his partner cried in alarm。 〃No matter what happens；
you don't dast hit。 You can't handle dogs a hundred miles with a busted
knuckle； an' that's what'll happen if you land on somebody's jaw。〃
Smoke nodded his head。
〃You're right； Shorty。 I couldn't risk the chance。〃
〃An' just remember；〃 Shorty went on； 〃that I got to do all the shovin'
for them first ten miles an' you got to take it easy as you can。 I'll sure
jerk you through to the Yukon。 After that it's up to you an' the dogs。
Saywhat d'ye think Schroeder's scheme is？ He's got his first team a
quarter of a mile down the creek an' he'll know it by a green lantern。 But
we got him skinned。 Me for the red flare every time。〃
IV。
The day had been clear and cold； but a blanket of cloud formed across
the face of the sky and the night came on warm and dark； with the hint of
snow impending。 The thermometer registered fifteen below zero； and in
the Klondike…winter fifteen below is esteemed very warm。
At a few minutes before midnight； leaving Shorty with the dogs five
hundred yards down the creek； Smoke joined the racers on Number Three。
There were forty…five of them waiting the start for the thousand…thousand
dollars Cyrus Johnson had left lying in the frozen gravel。 Each man
carried six stakes and a heavy wooden mallet； and was clad in a smock…
like parka of heavy cotton drill。
Lieutenant Pollock； in a big bearskin coat； looked at his watch by the
light of a fire。 It lacked a minute of midnight。
〃Make ready；〃 he said； as he raised a revolver in his right hand and
watched the second hand tick around。
Forty…five hoods were thrown back from the parkas。 Forty…five pairs
of hands unmittened； and forty…five pairs of moccasins pressed tensely
into the packed snow。 Also； forty…five stakes were thrust into the snow；
and the same number of mallets lifted in the air。
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Smoke Bellew
The shots rang out； and the mallets fell。 Cyrus Johnson's right to the
million had expired。 To prevent confusion； Lieutenant Pollock had
insisted that the lower centre…stake be driven first； next the south…eastern；
and so on around the four sides； including the upper centre…stake on the
way。
Smoke drove in his stake and was away with the leading dozen。
Fires had been lighted at the corners； and by each fire stood a policeman；
list in hand； checking off the names of the runners。 A man was supposed
to call out his name and show his face。 There was to be no staking by
proxy while the real racer was off and away down the creek。
At the first corner； beside Smoke's stake； Von Schroeder placed his。
The mallets struck at the same instant。 As they hammered； more arrived
from behind and with such impetuosity as to get in one another's way and
cause jostling and shoving。 Squirming through the press and calling his
name to the policeman； Smoke saw the Baron； struck in collision by one
of the rushers； hurled clean off his feet into the snow。 But Smoke did not
wait。 Others were still ahead of him。 By the light of the vanishing fire
he was certain that he saw the back； hugely looming； of Big Olaf； and at
the south…western corner Big Olaf and he drove their stakes side by side。
It was no light work； this preliminary obstacle race。 The boundaries
of the claim totalled nearly a mile； and most of it was over the uneven
surface of a snow…covered； niggerhead f