out, shook their heads and prophesied they would be frozen in on
the lakes. That the freeze-up might come any day was patent, and
delays of safety were no longer considered. For this reason,
Liverpool decided to shoot the rapid stream connecting Linderman to
Lake Bennett with the fully loaded boat. It was the custom to line
the empty boats down and to portage the cargoes across. Even then
many empty boats had been wrecked. But the time was past for such
precaution.

"Climb out, dad," Liverpool commanded as he prepared to swing from
the bank and enter the rapids.

Old Tarwater shook his white head.

"I'm sticking to the outfit," he declared. "It's the only way to
get through. You see, son, I'm going to Klondike. If I stick by
the boat, then the boat just naturally goes to Klondike, too. If I
get out, then most likely you'll lose the boat."

"Well, there's no use in overloading," Charles announced, springing
abruptly out on the bank as the boat cast off.

"Next time you wait for my orders!" Liverpool shouted ashore as the
current gripped the boat. "And there won't be any more walking
around rapids and losing time waiting to pick you up!"

What took them ten minutes by river, took Charles half an hour by
land, and while they waited for him at the head of Lake Bennett
they passed the time of day with several dilapidated old-timers on
their way out. The famine news was graver than ever. The North-