THE ONE THOUSAND DOZEN I63

captain of police told him his man was hit-
ting the high places for Dawson, and was by
that time, probably, halfway between Selkirk
and Stewart. Nor did he appear interested
when informed that the police had broken
the trail as far as Pelly; for he had attained
to a fatalistic acceptance of all natural dis-
pensations, good or ill. But when they told
him that Dawson was in the bitter clutch of
famine, he smiled, threw the harness on his
dogs, and pulled out.

But it was at his next halt that the mys-
tery of the smoke was explained. With the
word at Big Salmon that the trail was broken
to Pelly, there was no longer any need for
the smoke wreath to linger in his wake; and
Rasmunsen, crouching over his lonely fire,
saw a motley string of sleds go by. First
came the courier and the half-breed who had
hauled him out from Bennett; then mail-carriers
foriCircle City, two sleds of them, and a mixed
following of ingoing Klondikers. Dogs and
men were fresh and fat, while Rasmunsen
and his brutes were jaded and worn down