,,*APT] ,,VII
  ,? "T ! TRAIL 0 EASI]4 ,X 0 BETT]
PACK$1 & !Y 7 N C>RY+ MAIL AG/ "T4 ,!
"D'S RUN 0 %ORT]1 & LIKEWISE ! H\RS ON
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?REE ,9DIANS2 B 8 PRES5T "PN]S KNEW T !Y
M/ N 2 PLAY$ \ :5 !Y >RIV$ AT ! ,/EW>T
B>S1 S !Y SET ! SL[] PACE4 ,& "U ? MILD]
TOIL1 ": 8 -PANIONS N"E!.S GREW WE>Y1
,"DLI<T RECUP]AT$ & RE/$ UP4 ,AT ,=TY
,MILE !Y LAID OV] TWO "DS =! SAKE (!
DOGS1 & AT ,SIXTY ,MILE ,"DLI<T'S T1M 0
LEFT )! TRAD]4 ,UNLIKE ,"DLI<T1 AF !
T]RI# RUN F ,SELKIRK 6,CIRCLE ,C;Y1 !Y
_H BE5 UNA# 6RECUP]ATE ON ! BACK TRAIL4
,S ! F\R M5 PULL$ ON F ,SIXTY ,MILE )A
FRE% T1M ( DOGS ON ,"DLI<T'S SL$4
  ,! FOLL[+ NI<T !Y CAMP$ 9 ! CLU/] (
ISL&S AT ! M\? (! ,/EW>T4 ,"DLI<T TALK$
T[N SITES1 &1 ?\< ! O!RS LAU<$ AT HM1 HE
/AK$ ! :OLE MAZE ( HI<1 WOOD$ ISL&S4
  8,J SUPPOS+ ! BIG /RIKE DOES -E ON !
,/EW>T10 HE >GU$4 8,ME2E Y-ALL'LL 2 9 ON
X1 & !N AG ME2E Y-ALL WON'T4 ,B ,I SURE
W4 ,Y-ALL'D BETT] RECONSID] & G 9 ) ME
ON X40
  ,B !Y 7 /U2ORN4
  8,Y'RE Z BAD Z ,H>P] & ,JOE ,LADUE10
SD ,JOE ,H9ES4 8,!Y'RE ALW AT T GAME4 ,Y
"K T BIG FLAT JE/ 2L ! ,KLONDIKE & "U
,MOOSEHIDE ,M.TA98 ,WELL1 ! RECORD] AT
,=TY ,MILE 0 TELL9' ME !Y /AK$ T N A
MON? AGO--,! ,H>P] & ,LADUE ,T[N ,SITE4
,HA6 ,HA6 ,HA60
  ,ELIJAH & ,F9N JO9$ HM 9 8 LAU<T]2 B
,"DLI<T 0 GRAVELY 9 E>NE/4
  8,"! %E IS60 HE CRI$4 8,! HUN* IS "W+6
,X'S 9 ! AIR1 ,I TELL Y-ALL6 ,:AT'D !Y-
ALL /AKE ! BIG FLAT = IF !Y-ALL DIDN'T
GET ! HUN*8 ,WI% ,I'D /AK$ X40
  ,! REGRET 9 8 VOICE 0 PROVOCATIVE (A
SECOND BUR/ ( LAU<T]4
  8,LAU<1 Y-ALL1 LAU<6 ,T'S :AT'S ! TR\#
) Y-ALL4 ,Y-ALL ?9K GOLD-HUNT+ IS ! ONLY
WAY 6MAKE A /AKE4 ,B LET ME TELL Y-ALL T
:5 ! BIG /RIKE SURE DOES -E1 Y-ALL'LL D
A LL SURFACE-SCRAT*9' & MUCK-RAK+1 B
DANG$ LL Y-ALL'LL H 6%[ = X4 ,Y-ALL LAU<
AT QKSILV] 9 ! RI6LES & ?9K FL\R GOLD 0
MANUFACTUR$ 0,GOD ,ALMI<TY =! EXPRESS
PURPOSE ( FOOL+ SUCK]S & *E*AQUOS4 ,NO?+
B CO>SE GOLD = Y-ALL1 T'S YR WAY1 N
GETT+ HALF ( X \ (! GR.D & LOS+ 96!
TAIL+S HALF ( :AT Y-ALL D GET4
  8,B ! M5 T L& BIG W 2 !M T /AKE ! T[N
SITES1 ORGANIZE ! TRAD9' -PANIES1 />T !
BANKS--0
  ,"H ! EXPLO.N ( MIR? DR[N$ HM \4
,BANKS 9 ,ALASKA6 ,! IDEA ( X 0
EXCRUCIAT+4
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  ,AG !Y 7 3VULS$4 ,JOE ,H9ES ROLL$ OV]
ON 8 SLEEP+-ROBE1 HOLD+ 8 SIDES4
  8,& AF !M W -E ! BIG M9+ %>KS T BUY
:OLE CREEKS ": Y-ALL H BE5 SCRAT*+ L A
LOT ( PICAYUNE H5S1 & !Y-ALL W G
6HYDRAULICK+ 9 SUMM] & /1M-?AW+ 9 W9T]--
0
  ,/1M-?AW+6 ,T 0 ! LIMIT4 ,"DLI<T 0
C]TA9LY EXCE$+ HMF 9 8 3SUMMATE FUN-
MAK+4 ,/1M-?AW+--:5 EV5 WOOD-BURN+ 0 AN
UNTRI$ EXP]I;T1 A DR1M 9 ! AIR6
  8,LAU<1 DANG Y1 LAU<6 ,:Y YR EYES A9'T
OP5 YET4 ,Y-ALL >E A BUN* ( LL MEW+
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,KLONDIKE1 ,H>P] & ,LADUE W 2
MILLIONAIRES4 ,& IF X -ES ON ,/EW>T1
Y-ALL WAT* ! ,ELAM ,H>NI% T[N SITE BOOM4
,9 !M "DS1 :5 Y-ALL -E >.D MAK9' POOR
M\?S'''0 ,HE H1V$ A SI< ( RESIGN,N4
8,WELL1 ,I SUPPOSE ,I'LL H 6GIVE Y-ALL A
GRUB-/AKE OR S\P1 OR "S?+ OR O!R40
  ,"DLI<T _H VI.N4 ,8 SCOPE _H BE5
RIGIDLY LIMIT$1 YET :AT"E HE SAW1 HE SAW
BIG4 ,8 M9D 0 ORD]LY1 8 IMAG9,N
PRACTICAL1 & HE N"E DR1M$ IDLY4 ,:5 HE
SUP]IMPOS$ A FEV]I% METROPOLIS ON A WA/E
( TIMB]$1 SN[-COV]$ FLAT1 HE PR$ICAT$ F/
! GOLD-/RIKE T MADE ! C;Y POSSI#1 & NEXT
HE _H AN EYE = /1MBOAT L&+S1 SAWMILL &
W>EH\SE LOC,NS1 & ALL ! NE$S (A F>-
NOR!RN M9+ C;Y4 ,B ?1 9 TURN1 0 ! M]E
SETT+ = "S?+ BI7]1 "NLY1 ! PLAY (
TEMP]A;T4 ,OPPORTUNITIES SW>M$ 9 !
/REETS & BUILD+S & HUMAN & ECONOMIC
REL,NS (! C;Y ( 8 DR1M4 ,X 0 A L>G] TA#
= GAMBL+4 ,! LIMIT 0 ! SKY1 )! ,S\?L& ON
"O SIDE &! AURORA BOR1LIS ON ! O!R4 ,!
PLAY WD 2 BIG1 BI7] ?AN ANY ,YUKON] _H
"E IMAG9$1 & HE1 ,BURN+ ,"DLI<T1 WD SEE
T HE GOT 9 ON T PLAY4
  ,9 ! M1N"T "! 0 NAU<T 6%[ = X B !
HUN*4 ,B X 0 -+4 ,Z HE WD /AKE 8 LA/
\NCE ON A GD POK] H&1 S HE /AK$ 8 LIFE &
EF=T ON ! HUN* T ! FUTURE HELD 9 /ORE A
BIG /RIKE ON ! ,UPP] ,RIV]4 ,S HE & 8
?REE -PANIONS1 ) DOGS1 & SL$S1 &
SN[%OES1 TOIL$ UP ! FROZ5 BR1/ (!
,/EW>T1 TOIL$ ON & ON "? ! :ITE WILD];S
": ! UN5D+ /ILL;S 0 N"E BROK5 0! VOICES
( M51 ! /ROKE ( AN AX1 OR ! 4TANT CRACK
(A RIFLE4 ,!Y AL"O MOV$ "? ! VA/ & FROZ5
QUIET1 LL MITES ( E>?-M51 CRAWL+ _!
SCORE ( MILES A "D1 MELT+ ! ICE T !Y
MI<T H WAT] 6DR9K1 CAMP+ 9 ! SN[ AT
NI<T1 _! WOLF-DOGS CURL$ 9 FRO/-RIM$1
HAIRY BUN*ES1 _! EI<T SN[%OES /UCK ON 5D
9 ! SN[ 2S ! SL$S4
  ,NO SIGNS ( O!R M5 DID !Y SEE1 ?\<
ONCE !Y PASS$ A RUDE POL+-BOAT1 CA*$ ON
A PLAT=M 0! RIV] BANK4 ,:O"E _H CA*$ X
_H N"E -E BACK = X2 & !Y WOND]$ & MU%$
ON4 ,ANO!R "T !Y *.ED ^U ! SITE ( AN
,9DIAN VILLAGE1 B ! ,9DIANS _H 4APPE>$2
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9 PURSUIT (! MOOSE-H]DS4 ,TWO HUNDR$
MILES UP F ! ,YUKON1 !Y CAME ^U :AT
,ELIJAH DECID$ 7 ! B>S M5;N$ 0,AL ,MAYO4
,A P]MAN5T CAMP 0 MADE1 _! \TFIT ( FOOD
CA*$ ON A HI< PLAT=M 6KEEP X F ! DOGS1 &
!Y />T$ "W ON ! B>S1 CUTT+ _! WAY D[N
6GRAVEL "? ! RIM ( ICE4
  ,X 0 A H>D & SIMPLE LIFE4 ,BR1KFA/
OV]1 & !Y 7 AT "W 0! F/ GRAY LI<T2 & :5
NI<T DESC5D$1 !Y DID _! COOK+ & CAMP-
*ORES1 SMOK$ & Y>N$ =A :ILE1 !N ROLL$ UP
9 _! SLEEP+-ROBES1 & SLEPT :ILE ! AURORA
BOR1LIS FLAM$ OV]H1D &! />S L1P$ & D.ED
9 ! GRT COLD4 ,_! F>E 0 MONOTON\S3 S\R-
D\< BR1D1 BACON1 B1NS1 & AN O3A.NAL DI%
( RICE COOK$ AL;G )A H&;L ( PRUNES4
,FRE% M1T !Y FAIL$ 6OBTA94 ,"! 0 AN
UNWONT$ ABS;E ( ANIMAL LIFE4 ,AT R>E
9T]VALS !Y *.ED ^U ! TRAIL (A SN[%OE
RA2IT OR AN ]M9E2 B 9 ! MA9 X SEEM$ T
ALL LIFE _H FL$ ! L&4 ,X 0 A 3DI;N N
UN"KN 6!M1 = 9 ALL _! EXP]I;E1 AT "O "T
OR ANO!R1 !Y _H TRAVELL$ "O YE> "? A
REGION TEEM+ ) GAME1 ":1 A YE> OR TWO OR
?REE YE>S LAT]1 NO GAME AT ALL WD 2 F.D4
  ,GOLD !Y F.D ON ! B>S1 B N 9 PAY+
QUANTITIES4 ,ELIJAH1 :ILE ON A HUNT =
MOOSE FIFTY MILES AWAY1 _H PANN$ !
SURFACE GRAVEL (A L>GE CREEK & F.D GD
COLORS4 ,!Y H>;S$ _! DOGS1 &) LI<T
\TFITS SL$D$ 6! PLACE4 ,"H1 & POSSIBLY
=! F/ "T 9 ! HI/ORY (! ,YUKON1 WOOD-
BURN+1 9 S9K+ A %AFT1 0 TRI$4 ,X 0
,"DLI<T'S 9ITIATIVE4 ,AF CLE>+ AWAY !
MOSS & GRASS1 A FIRE ( DRY SPRUCE 0
BUILT4 ,SIX H\RS ( BURN+ ?AW$ EI<T 9*ES
( MUCK4 ,_! PICKS DROVE FULL DEP? 96X1
&1 :5 !Y _H %OVEL$ \1 ANO!R FIRE 0 />T$4
,!Y "W$ E>LY & LATE1 EXCIT$ OV] ! SU3ESS
(! EXP]I;T4 ,SIX FEET ( FROZ5 MUCK BR"\
!M 6GRAVEL1 LIKEWISE FROZ54 ,"H PROGRESS
0 SL[]4 ,B !Y LE>N$ 6H&LE _! FIRES
BETT]1 & 7 SOON A# 6?AW FIVE & SIX 9*ES
AT A BURN+4 ,FL\R GOLD 0 9 ? GRAVEL1 &
AF TWO FEET X GAVE AWAY AG 6MUCK4 ,AT
SEV5TE5 FEET !Y /RUCK A ?9 /R1K (
GRAVEL1 & 9 X CO>SE GOLD1 TE/PANS RUNN+
Z HI< Z SIX & EI<T DOLL>S4 ,UN=TUNATELY1
? /R1K ( GRAVEL 0 N M ?AN AN 9* ?ICK4
,2N X 0 M MUCK1 TANGL$ )! TRUNKS (
ANCI5T TREES & 3TA9+ FOSSIL B"OS (
=GOTT5 MON/]S4 ,B GOLD !Y _H F.D--CO>SE
GOLD2 & :AT M LIKELY ?AN T ! BIG DEPOSIT
WD 2 F.D ON B$-ROCK8 ,D[N 6B$-ROCK !Y WD
G1 IF X 7 =TY FEET AWAY4 ,!Y DIVID$
96TWO %IFTS1 "W+ "D & NI<T1 ON TWO
%AFTS1 &! SMOKE ( _! BURN+ ROSE 3T9U,Y4
  ,X 0 AT ? "T T !Y RAN %ORT ( B1NS & T
,ELIJAH 0 DESPAT*$ 6! MA9 CAMP 6BR+ UP M
GRUB4 ,ELIJAH 0 "O (! H>D-BITT5 OLD-"T
TRAVEL]S HMF4 ,! R.D TRIP 0 A HUNDR$
MILES1 B HE PROMIS$ 6BE BACK ON ! ?IRD
"D1 "O "D GO+ LI<T1 TWO "DS RETURN+
H1VY4 ,9/1D1 HE >RIV$ ON ! NI<T (!
SECOND "D4 ,!Y _H J G"O 6B$ :5 !Y HE>D
HM -+4
  8,:AT 9 HELL'S ! MATT] N[80 ,H5RY ,F9N
DEM&$1 Z ! EMPTY SL$ CAME 96! CIRCLE (
FIRELI<T & Z HE NOT$ T ,ELIJAH'S L;G1
S]I\S FACE 0 L;G] & EV5 M S]I\S4
  ,JOE ,H9ES ?REW WOOD ON ! FIRE1 &!
?REE M51 WRAPP$ 9 _! ROBES1 HU4L$ UP
CLOSE 6! W>M?4 ,ELIJAH'S :ISK]$ FACE 0
MATT$ ) ICE1 Z 7 8 EYEBR[S1 S T1 :AT ( 8
FUR G>B1 HE LOOK$ L A ,NEW ,5GL&
C>ICATURE ( ,"F ,*RI/MAS4
  8,Y RECOLLECT T BIG SPRUCE T HELD UP !
CORN] (! CA*E NEXT 6! RIV]80 ,ELIJAH
2GAN4
  ,! 4A/] 0 QKLY TOLD4 ,! BIG TREE1 )
ALL ! SEEM+ ( H>DIHOOD1 PROMIS+ 6/& =
C5TURIES 6-E1 _H SU6]$ F A HI45 DECAY4
,9 "S WAY XS ROOT$ GRIP ON ! E>? _H
W1K5$4 ,! A4$ BURD5 (! CA*E &! W9T] SN[
_H BE5 TOO M* = X2 ! BAL.E X _H S L;G
MA9TA9$ )! =CES ( XS 5VIRON;T _H BE5
OV]?R[N2 X _H TOPPL$ & CRA%$ 6! GR.D1
WRECK+
! CA*E &1 9 TURN1 OV]?R[+ ! BAL.E )
5VIRON;T T ! F\R M5 & ELEV5 DOGS _H BE5
MA9TA9+4 ,_! SUPPLY ( GRUB 0 G"O4 ,!
WOLV]9ES _H GOT 96! WRECK$ CA*E1 & :AT
!Y _H N EAT5 !Y _H DE/ROY$4
  8,!Y PLUMB E'T ALL ! BACON & PRUNES &
SUG> & DOG-FOOD10 ,ELIJAH REPORT$1 8&
GO% D>N MY BUTTONS1 IF !Y DIDN'T GNAW
OP5 ! SACKS & SCATT] ! FL\R & B1NS &
RICE F ,DAN 6,BE]%EBA4 ,I F.D EMPTY
SACKS ": !Y'D DRA7$ !M A QU>T] (A MILE
AWAY40
  ,NOBODY SPOKE =A L;G M9UTE4 ,X 0 NO?+
LESS ?AN A CATA/ROPHE1 9 ! D1D ( AN
,>CTIC W9T] & 9 A GAME-AB&ON$ L&1 6LOSE
_! GRUB4 ,!Y 7 N PANIC-/RICK51 B !Y 7
BUSY LOOK+ ! SITU,N SQU>ELY 9 ! FACE &
3SID]+4 ,JOE ,H9ES 0 ! F/ 6SP1K4
  8,WE C PAN ! SN[ =! B1NS & RICE''' ?\<
"! WA'N'T MORE'N EI<T OR T5 P.DS ( RICE
LEFT40
  8,& "SBODY W H 6TAKE A T1M & PULL =
,SIXTY ,MILE10 ,"DLI<T SD NEXT4
  8,I'LL G10 SD ,F9N4
  ,!Y 3SID]$ A :ILE L;G]4
  8,B H[ >E WE GO+ 6FE$ ! O!R T1M & ?REE
M5 TILL HE GETS BACK80 ,H9ES DEM&$4
  8,ONLY "O ?+ 6X10 0 ,ELIJAH'S
3TRIBU;N4 8,Y'LL H 6TAKE ! O!R T1M1
,JOE1 & PULL UP ! ,/EW>T TILL Y F9D !M
,9DIANS4 ,!N Y -E BACK )A LOAD ( M1T4
,Y'LL GET "H L;G 2F ,H5RY C MAKE X F
,SIXTY ,MILE1 & :ILE Y'RE G"O "!'LL ONLY
2 ,"DLI<T & ME 6FE$1 & WE'LL FE$ GD &
SMALL40
  8,& 9 ! MORN+ WE-ALL'LL PULL =! CA*E &
PAN SN[ 6F9D :AT GRUB WE'VE GOT40
,"DLI<T LAY BACK1 Z HE SPOKE1 & ROLL$ 9
8 ROBE 6SLEEP1 !N A4$3 8,BETT] TURN 9 =
AN E>LY />T4 ,TWO ( Y C TAKE ! DOGS D[N4
,ELIJAH & ME'LL SK9 \ ON BO? SIDES & SEE
IF WE-ALL C SC>E UP A MOOSE ON ! WAY
D[N40