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〃Do you mind removing that sack from my foot？〃 she said coldly。
He looked； and lifted his weight quickly。
〃It wasn't a sack。 It was my elbow。 Pardon me。〃
The information did not perturb her； and her coolness was a challenge。
〃It was a mercy you did not overturn the stove；〃 she said。
He followed her glance and saw a sheet…iron stove and a coffee…pot；
attended by a young squaw。 He sniffed the coffee and looked back to the
girl。
〃I'm a chechaquo；〃 he said。
Her bored expression told him that he was stating the obvious。 But
he was unabashed。
〃I've shed my shooting…irons；〃 he added。
Then she recognized him； and her eyes lighted。
〃I never thought you'd get this far；〃 she informed him。
Again； and greedily； he sniffed the air。
〃As I live； coffee！〃 He turned and directly addressed her。 〃I'll give
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you my little fingercut it right off now； I'll do anything； I'll be your slave
for a year and a day or any other odd time； if you'll give me a cup out of
that pot。〃
And over the coffee he gave his name and learned hersJoy Gastell。
Also； he learned that she was an old…timer in the country。 She had been
born in a trading post on the Great Slave； and as a child had crossed the
Rockies with her father and come down to the Yukon。 She was going in；
she said； with her father； who had been delayed by business in Seattle； and
who had then been wrecked on the ill…fated Chanter and carried back to
Puget Sound by the rescuing steamer。
In view of the fact that she was still in her blankets； he did not make it
a long conversation； and； heroically declining a second cup of coffee； he
removed himself and his quarter of a ton of baggage from her tent。
Further； he took several conclusions away with him： she had a fetching
name and fetching eyes； could not be more than twenty； or twenty…one or …
two； her father must be French； she had a will of her own and
temperament to burn； and she had been educated elsewhere than on the
frontier。
VI。
Over the ice…scoured rocks； and above the timber…line； the trail ran
around Crater Lake and gained the rocky defile that led toward Happy
Camp and the first scrub pines。 To pack his heavy outfit around would
take days of heart…breaking toil。 On the lake was a canvas boat employed
in freighting。 Two trips with it； in two hours； would see him and his ton
across。 But he was broke； and the ferryman charged forty dollars a ton。
〃You've got a gold…mine； my friend； in that dinky boat；〃 Kit said to the
ferryman。 〃Do you want another gold…mine？〃
〃Show me；〃 was the answer。
〃I'll sell it to you for the price of ferrying my outfit。 It's an idea； not
patented； and you can jump the deal as soon as I tell you it。 Are you
game？〃
The ferryman said he was； and Kit liked his looks。
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〃Very well。 You see that glacier。 Take a pick…axe and wade into it。
In a day you can have a decent groove from top to bottom。 See the point？
The Chilcoot and Crater Lake Consolidated Chute Corporation； Limited。
You can charge fifty cents a hundred； get a hundred tons a day； and have
no work to do but collect the coin。〃
Two hours later； Kit's ton was across the lake； and he had gained three
days on himself。 And when John Bellew overtook him； he was well
along toward Deep Lake； another volcanic pit filled with glacial water。
VII。
The last pack； from Long Lake to Linderman； was three miles； and the
trail； if trail it could be called； rose up over a thousand…foot hogback；
dropped down a scramble of slippery rocks； and crossed a wide stretch of
swamp。 John Bellew remonstrated when he saw Kit arise with a hundred
pounds in the straps and pick up a fifty…pound sack of flour and place it on
top of the pack against the back of his neck。
〃Come on； you chunk of the hard；〃 Kit retorted。 〃Kick in on your
bear…meat fodder and your one suit of underclothes。〃
But John Bellew shook his head。
〃I'm afraid I'm getting old； Christopher。〃
〃You're only forty…eight。 Do you realize that my grandfather； sir；
your father； old Isaac Bellew； killed a man with his fist when he was sixty…
nine years old？〃
John Bellew grinned and swallowed his medicine。
〃Avuncular； I want to tell you something important。 I was raised a
Lord Fauntleroy； but I can outpack you； outwalk you； put you on your
back； or lick you with my fists right now。〃
John Bellew thrust out his hand and spoke solemnly。
〃Christopher； my boy； I believe you can do it。 I believe you can do it
with that pack on your back at the same time。 You've made good； boy；
though it's too unthinkable to believe。〃
Kit made the round trip of the last pack four times a day； which is to
say that he daily covered twenty…four miles of mountain climbing； twelve
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miles of it under one hundred and fifty pounds。 He was proud； hard； and
tired； but in splendid physical condition。 He ate and slept as he had never
eaten and slept in his life； and as the end of the work came in sight； he was
almost half sorry。
One problem bothered him。 He had learned that he could fall with a
hundredweight on his back and survive； but he was confident； if he fell
with that additional fifty pounds across the back of his neck； that it would
break it clean。 Each trail through the swamp was quickly churned
bottomless by the thousands of packers； who were compelled continually
to make new trails。 It was while pioneering such a new trail； that he
solved the problem of the extra fifty。
The soft； lush surface gave way under him； he floundered； and pitched
forward on his face。 The fifty pounds crushed his face in the mud and
went clear without snapping his neck。 With the remaining hundred
pounds on his back； he arose on hands and knees。 But