Chapter 6

THE MEN OF THE NORTH



"Fifty miles--not too bad, boy, not too bad for a one day's go. We'll camp right here at the portage. How is it, Knight?"

"Good place, Duff, right on that point. Good wood, good landing. Besides there's a deuce of a portage beyond, which we can do after supper to-night. How do you feel, Barry?" asked Knight. "Hard day, eh?"

"Feeling fit, a little tired, of course, but good for another ten miles," answered Barry.

"That's the stuff," replied Knight, looking at him keenly, "but, see here, you must ease up on the carrying. You haven't quite got over that ducking of yours."

"I'm fit enough," answered Barry, rather more curtly than his wont.

They brought the canoes up to the landing, and with the speed of long practice unloaded them, and drew them upon the shore.

Knight approached Duff, and, pointing toward Barry, said quietly:

"I guess we'll have to ease him up a bit. That fight, you know, took it out of him, and he always jumps for the biggest pack. We'd better hold him back to-morrow a bit."

"Can't hold back any one," said Duff, with an oath. "We've got to make it to-morrow night. There's the devil of a trip before us. That big marsh portage is a heartbreaker, and there must be a dozen or fifteen of them awaiting us, and we're going to get through--at least, I am."

"All right," said Knight, with a quick flash of temper. "I'll stay with you, only I thought we might ease him a bit."

"I'm telling you, we're going to get through," said Duff, with another oath.

"You needn't tell me, Duff," said Knight. "Keep your shirt on."

"On or off, wet or dry, sink or swim, we're going to make that train to-morrow, Knight. That's all about it."

Then Knight let himself go.

"See here, Duff. Do you want to go on to-night? If you do, hell and blazes, say the word and I'm with you."

His face was white as he spoke. He seized a tump-line, swung the pack upon his head, and set off across the portage.

"Come on, boys," he yelled. "We're going through to-night."

"Oh, hold up, Knight!" said Duff. "What the hell's eating you? We'll grub first anyway."

"No," said Knight. "The next rapid is a bad bit of water, and if we're going through to-night, I want that bit behind me, before it gets too dark. So come along!"

"Oh, cut it out, Knight," said Duff, in a gruff but conciliatory tone. "We'll camp right here."

"It's all the same to me," said Knight, flinging his pack down. "When you want to go on, say the word. You won't have to ask me twice."