第5章 Love of Life (第1/2页)

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kLondon

Themanhadfallenintothecreekandhadsrainedhisankle.

Hecalledtohisfriend,

"Isay,Bill,waitthere.I&aos;vesrainedmyankle.

"

Therewasnoanswer.Billhaddisaearedinthedamfog.AlthoughitwasstillAugust,theCanadianwildernesslaycoldandlonelyintheweaklightoftheafternoonsun.Everywherewasthedullskyline.Thehillswerealllow-lying.Therewerenotrees.Therewasnothingbutdesolationthatsentfearintotheman&aos;sheart.

"Bill!

"hecalledagain.

"Bill!

"Therewasnoanswer.

Themanrosetohisfeet,shakingasifhehadafever.Hefoughtagainstthefearinhisheart.Hefoundhisgunwherehehaddroeditinthewater.Thenhecontinuedhiswayslowly.Thegunwasnowuseless,forhehadnoammunitionforit,buthedidnotleaveit.

Heshiftedhisacktohisleftshouldersoastofavorhisrightankleandhurriedtothetoofahill.Fromtherehesawabroadvalley,emtyoflife.

Thebottomofthevalleywassoftandswamy.Heushedon,tryingtofollowthetracksofhiscomanion.

Thoughhewasnowalone,hewasnotlost.Fartheralongheknewwheretofindthetrail.Hewouldfollowituntilitcametotheriver,wheretheyhadlefttheircanoe,weighteddownwithrocks.Underthecanoewasacacheofammunitionforhisemtygun,fishhooksandlines,andasmallnet.Hewouldalsofindsomeflour,bacon,andbeans-notmuch,fortheyhadtakenmostoftheirfoodwiththemontheirtriintothenorthcountrylookingforgold.

HeknewBillwouldwaitforhimthere;thentheywouldaddledowntherivertoaHudsonBayComanyost,wheretherewouldbewarmshelterandlentyoffood.

Thesewerethethoughtsofthemanashelimedalongthetrail.ThenhebegantothinkthaterhasBillhaddesertedhim.Themanhadnoteatenfortwodays,andnowwastheaddedfearofstarvation.Hehadstoedafewtimestoeatsomewildberries,buttheyweremostlyseedsandbitter.Hishungerincreasedbythehour.

Alreadythesunhadsliedbeyondthehorizon.Suddenlyhestruckhistoeonarockyledgeandfell.Helaystillforsometimewithoutmovement.Thenhesliedoutofhisackstrasanddraggedhimselftoasittingosition.Itwasnotyetdark,andinthelingeringtwilighthegatheredsomemoss.Whenhehadagood-sizedile,hebuiltafireandsetasmallailofwateroverthefiretoboil.

Heunwraedhisack,andthefirstthinghedidwastocounthismatches.Thereweresixty-seven.Hecountedthemthreetimestomakesure.Hedividedthemintothreesmallacks,wraingtheminoilaer,uttingonebunchinhisemtytobaccoouch,anotherbunchintheinsidebandofhishat,andthethirdbunchunderhisshirtonhischest.Hewasafraidthatifhefellintothewateragain,allofhismatcheswouldbecomewetanduseless.

Hedriedhisfootgearbythefire.Thewetmoccasinshadbeencuttoieces.Thesockswerewornthroughinlaces,andhisanklehadswollentothesizeofhisknee.Hetorealongstrifromoneofhisblanketsandboundtheankletightly.Hetoreotherstrisandboundthemabouthisfeetforfootwear.Hewascold,andheknewthattherewouldsoonbethedangerofsnowandfrost.Afterthewaterheated,hedranksomeofit;thenhewoundhiswatch,andcrawledbetweenhisblankets.Hesletlikeadeadman.

Atsixo&aos;clockheawoke,lyingonhisback.Hegazedstraightuintothegrayskyandknewthathewashungry.Asherolledoveronhiselbow,heheardaloudsnortandsawacariboulookingathimstrangely.Theanimalwasnotmorethanfiftyfeetaway,andinstantlythemanhadthoughtsofacaribousteakfryingoverafire.Hereachedforhisemtygun,aimed,andulledthetrigger.Theanimalsnortedattheclickoftheemtygunandranaway.

Themancursedandgroanedaloudashedraggedhimselftohisfeet.Slowlyherolledhisacktogether.Helookedatthemoose-hidebagthathecarriedinhisack.Itwasextraweight,andhebegantowonderwhatvalueitscontentshadnow.However,herolledittogetherwithhisaceandstartedout.

Theaininhisanklewasterrific,butitwasnoworsethanthatinhisemtystomach.Thehungerhadbecomefrightful.Inalittlewhilehecameuonavalleywheresomebirdsroseonwhirringwings,

"Ker...ker...ker,

"theycriedastheyflewaway.Hethrewstonesbuthecouldnothitaone.Helacedhisackonthegroundandbegantostalkthebirdslikeacat.

Thesharrockscutthroughhisantslegstillhiskneeswerescratchedandbleeding,buthewasnotawareofhishurtsashishungerwassogreat.Hecursedthebirdsandmockedthemwiththeirowncry.

Asthedayworeon,hecameintoavalleywheregamewasmorelentiful.Aherdoftwentycaribouassedbywithinriflerange.Hefeltlikerunningafterthem,butheknewsuchaneffortwouldbesenseless.Oncehesawafoxwithabirdinitsmouth.Hecalledloudly,hoingtofrightenthefoxintodroingthebird;butthefox,leaingawayinfright,didnotdrothebird.

Hewaswearyandoftenwishedtorest-toliedownandslee,buthewasdrivenonbyhishunger.Hesearchedlittleondsforfrogsanddugutheearthwithhisfingernailsforworms,thoughheknewthatneitherfrogsnorwormslivedthatfarnorth.

Inoneareahewalkedalongacreek,lookingforfish.Inaoolhefoundasmallone.Hediedhisarmintothewaterutohisshoulder,butthefishgotaway.Thenhereachedforitwithbothhands,stirringuthemudatthebottom.Inhisexcitementhefellin,wettinghimselftothewaist.Sincehecouldnolongerseethefish,hehadtowaituntilthewatercleared.