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led the tribe even to thy meat caches。 And he bade the men open them
and be fed。 And lo； the caches were empty。 There was no meat。 They
stood without sound； the people being frightened； and in the silence I lifted
my voice。 〃O Moosu； where is the meat？ That there was meat we
know。 Did we not hunt it and drag it in from the hunt？ And it were a lie
to say one man hath eaten it； yet have we seen nor hide nor hair。 Where
is the meat； O Moosu？ Thou hast the ear of God。 Where is the meat？〃
〃'And the people cried； 〃Thou hast the ear of God。 Where is the
meat？〃 And they put their heads together and were afraid。 Then I went
among them； speaking fearsomely of the unknown things； of the dead that
come and go like shadows and do evil deeds； till they cried aloud in terror
and gathered all together； like little children afraid of the dark。 Neewak
made harangue； laying this evil that had come upon them at the door of
Moosu。 When he had done； there was a furious commotion； and they
took spears in their hands； and tusks of walrus； and clubs； and stones from
the beach。 But Moosu ran away home； and because he had not drunken of
hooch they could not catch him； and fell one over another and made haste
slowly。 Even now they do howl without his igloo； and his woman… folk
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within； and what of the noise； he cannot make himself heard。'
〃'O Angeit； thou hast done well；' I commanded。 'Go now； taking this
empty sled and the lean dogs； and ride fast to the igloo of Moosu； and
before the people； who are drunken； are aware； throw him quick upon the
sled and bring him to me。'
〃I waited and gave good advice to the faithful ones till Angeit returned。
Moosu was on the sled； and I saw by the fingermarks on his face that his
womankind had done well by him。 But he tumbled off and fell in the
snow at my feet； crying： 'O master； thou wilt forgive Moosu； thy servant；
for the wrong things he has done！ Thou art a great man！ Surely wilt
thou forgive！'
〃'Call me 〃brother；〃 Moosucall me 〃brother；〃' I chided； lifting him to
his feet with the toe of my moccasin。 'Wilt thou evermore obey？'
〃'Yea； master；' he whimpered； 'evermore。'
〃'Then dispose thy body； so； across the sled；' I shifted the dogwhip to
my right hand。 'And direct thy face downwards； toward the snow。 And
make haste； for we journey south this day。' And when he was well fixed I
laid the lash upon him； reciting； at every stroke； the wrongs he had done
me。 'This for thy disobedience in generalwhack！ And this for thy
disobedience in particular whack！ whack！ And this for Esanetuk！
And this for thy soul's welfare！ And this for the grace of thy authority！
And this for Kluktu！ And this for thy rights God…given！ And this for
thy fat firstlings！ And this and this for thy income…tax and thy loaves and
fishes！ And this for all thy disobedience！ And this； finally； that thou
mayest henceforth walk softly and with understanding！ Now cease thy
sniffling and get up！ Gird on thy snowshoes and go to the fore and break
trail for the dogs。 CHOOK！ MUSH…ON！ Git！'〃
Thomas Stevens smiled quietly to himself as he lighted his fifth cigar
and sent curling smoke…rings ceilingward。
〃But how about the people of Tattarat？〃 I asked。 〃Kind of rough；
wasn't it； to leave them flat with famine？〃
And he answered； laughing； between two smoke…rings； 〃Were there
not the fat dogs？〃
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THE FAITH OF MEN
〃Tell you what we'll do； we'll shake for it。〃
〃That suits me；〃 said the second man； turning； as he spoke； to the
Indian that was mending snow…shoes in a corner of the cabin。 〃Here； you
Billebedam； take a run down to Oleson's cabin like a good fellow； and tell
him we want to borrow his dice box。〃
This sudden request in the midst of a council on wages of men； wood；
and grub surprised Billebedam。 Besides； it was early in the day； and he
had never known white men of the calibre of Pentfield and Hutchinson to
dice and play till the day's work was done。 But his face was impassive as
a Yukon Indian's should be； as he pulled on his mittens and went out the
door。
Though eight o'clock； it was still dark outside； and the cabin was
lighted by a tallow candle thrust into an empty whisky bottle。 It stood on
the pine…board table in the middle of a disarray of dirty tin dishes。
Tallow from innumerable candles had dripped down the long neck of the
bottle and hardened into a miniature glacier。 The small room； which
composed the entire cabin； was as badly littered as the table； while at one
end； against the wall； were two bunks； one above the other； with the
blankets turned down just as the two men had crawled out in the morning。
Lawrence Pentfield and Corry Hutchinson were millionaires； though
they did not look it。 There seemed nothing unusual about them； while
they would have passed muster as fair specimens of lumbermen in any
Michigan camp。 But outside； in the darkness； where holes yawned in the
ground； were many men engaged in windlassing muck and gravel and gold
from the bottoms of the holes where other men received fifteen dollars per
day for scraping it from off the bedrock。 Each day thousands of dollars'
worth of gold were scraped from bedrock and windlassed to the surface；
and it all belonged to Pentfield and Hutchinson； who took their rank
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The Faith of Men
among the richest kings of Bonanza。
Pentfield broke the silence that followed on Billebedam's departure by
heaping the dirty plates higher on the table and drumming a tattoo on the
cleared space with his knuckles。 Hutchinson snuffed the smoky candle
and reflectively rubbed the soot from the wick between thumb and
forefinger。
〃By Jove； I wish we could both go out！〃 he abruptly exclaimed。 〃That
would settle it all。〃
Pentfield looked at him darkly。
〃If it weren't for your cursed obstinacy； it'd be settled anyway。 All you
have to do is get up and go。 I'll look after things； and next year I can go
out。〃
〃Why should I go？ I've no one waiting for me〃
〃Your people；〃 Pentfield broke in roughly。
〃Like you have；〃 Hutchinson went on。 〃A girl； I mean； and you know
it。〃
Pentfield shrugged his shoulders gloomily。 〃She can wait； I guess。〃
〃But she's been waiting two years now。〃
〃And another won't age her beyond recognition。〃
〃That'd be three years。 Think of it； old man； three years in this end of
the earth； this falling…off place for the damned！〃 Hutchinson threw up his
arm in an almost articulate groan。
He was several years younger than his partner； not more than twenty…
six； and there was a certain wistfulness in his face that comes into the
faces of men when they yearn vainly for the things they have been long
denied。 This same wistfulness was in Pentfield's face； and the groan of it
was articulate in the heave of his shoulders。
〃I dreamed last night I was in Zinkand's；〃 he said。 〃The music
playing； glasses clinking； voices humming； women laughing； and I was
ordering eggsyes； sir； eggs； fried and boiled and poached and scrambled；
and in all sorts of ways； and downing them as fast as they arrived。〃
〃I'd have ordered salads and green things；〃 Hutchinson criticized
hungrily； 〃with a big； rare； Porterhouse； and young onions and radishes；
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The Faith of Men
the kind your teeth sink into with a crunch。〃
〃I'd have followed the eggs with them； I guess； if I hadn't awakened；〃