CHAPTER IV

BEYOND THE GREAT WHITE PASS

“All aboard!”

The train was on the point of pulling out from the little coast town of Skagway on its run inland of one hundred and ten miles.  There had been much bustle and excitement ever since the steamer landed early that morning.  But now everything was in readiness, the signal had been given, and the train began to move.

Reynolds was comfortably seated and looking out of the open window, when Frontier Samson came and sat down by his side.  The old prospector was much out of breath and panting heavily.

“I nearly missed the train,” he explained.  “She was movin’ when I swung on board.”

“Sight-seeing, eh?” Reynolds queried.

“That’s about it, I guess.  Watchin’ a mix-up, an’ gittin’ Curly out of a scrape.  That’s what delayed me.”

“What was the trouble?”

“Oh, the same old story.  Curly kin never mind his own bizness.  He’s allus pokin’ his nose into other people’s affairs.  He’s too sassy.”

“Where is he now?”

“In the smoker.  I had to drag him along with me, an’ that’s what made me late.”

“Why didn’t you leave him behind?”

“I should have done that.  But it’s the Brotherhood, ye see, that made me do it.  That feller ain’t safe runnin’ at large, an’ somebody’s got to keep an eye on him, ’specially up here.”

“It seems to me that you have undertaken a big task,” and Reynolds smiled.

“Indeed I have an’ no one knows that better’n me.  If I had my way, he’d be shipped off to some Penitentiary.  That’s the right place for the likes of him.  An’ he’ll land thar some day, as sure as guns.  But in the meantime somebody’s got to watch him.”

Reynolds made no reply.  In fact, he hardly heard his companion’s last words, for his eyes were riveted upon the wonderful sights around him.  Above towered the peaks of the White Pass Range, grand and majestic.  Away to the left, and far above, could be seen the railway track, twisting along the mountain side like a thin dark thread.  It seemed incredible that the train could make such a tremendous climb.

“Do we go up there?” he asked in amazement.

“Sure.  We’ll be thar in a short time, but it takes four engines, though, to tug us up.  Then ye’ll see something that’ll make ye wonder.  Guess thar’s nuthin’ like it in the hull world.  We’ll go up three thousand feet, an’ it’ll be the nearest to heaven that some of the chaps on this train’ll ever be.  Jist look at that, now!”

Reynolds was indeed looking.  Far down below a few cabins appeared like little toy houses, while away beyond could be seen the blue cold waters of the North Pacific.  The air was becoming keen.  But it was bracing and stimulating.

“Say, I’d like to paint that!” he mused half aloud.  “It is grand, stupendous, appalling!  And what a work to build this road!  How was it ever done!”