Jason's Gold

Charlie is distraught and moody for weeks but begins to insist that he can help. He forces himself to learn to walk on the crutches that Jason made him. He adopts a more positive outlook once he can contribute to chores.

Most evenings, the two talk, play cards, and read from old Scientific American magazines left in the cabin. When they notice the owner’s name in the magazine—George Washington Carmack—they determine that the cabin must belong to him. Charlie tells Jason a tale about Robert Henderson finding gold initially, only to have George Carmack strike it much bigger nearby, unbeknownst to Henderson. According to Charlie’s story, Henderson treated Indigenous people panning for gold with Carmack rudely, so when they staked their successful claims, Carmack and others purposely kept the news from Henderson. Jason tells Charlie that he should consider a career in journalism, as he can tell a good tale.

When food runs low, Jason determines to hike 20 miles upstream to the mouth of the Nordenskjold River, where Henderson mentioned a village of Indigenous people, to procure meat and fish. He hikes in the shocking cold, struggling each night to keep the fire burning. When he discovers the village abandoned, he journeys another 20 miles to the Little Salmon River, but the village that Henderson recalls passing is empty. Jason tracks a moose, lost in his thoughts. In a cabin, he discovers two men, frozen to death, with a note: “Skin boat crushed by ice. Seen no game in two weeks. Lack strength to continue. Samuel Whittaker and Villy Champlain—November 30, 1897” (171). When snow begins to cover the animal tracks, Jason gives up and turns around.

A historical interlude offers examples of Klondikers unprepared for Canadian winter: an Ohio farmer and his daughter on the highest point of Laurier Pass; a traveling circus stuck in British Columbia; a camp (nicknamed “Suckerville”) of stampeders who thought that a route via the Bering Sea was a safer bet. Meanwhile, Dyea and Skagway grow with more Klondikers. Thousands all along the trails, lakes, and rivers wait for spring. Ironically, none realize that no new gold awaits. The interlude mentions that Jack London is holed up only 60 miles from Dawson City; he leaves his party when Sloper becomes angry with him.

Jason and Charlie tell knock-knock jokes to distract themselves, but soon Jason must try hunting again: This time, he will find the bear that took the moose. Taking a thin pole he made, Jason searches without luck for the bear’s den. Then he realizes that the den might be across the river.

Jason and King cross the frozen Yukon in search of the bear’s den. When he finds it, Jason believes that he can hear breathing. He is uncertain how to proceed but desperate. He stations the axe nearby and checks for extra ammunition. He tries to push the pole inside, but it meets with rock. He shouts, and King barks, but no bear emerges. He breaks off a bent spruce, poking it in. This time he hears a growl.

Heartened, he chops the frozen ground over the roof of the den and pokes the rifle in, figuring on firing as soon as he touches the bear. The bear knocks the rifle out of his hands, and it tumbles down into the den. The bear comes out of the upper hole while Jason fumbles for the ax. Though he subdues the bear with the ax, two other bears run out of the den entrance; one attacks King, clawing open the dog’s belly. Jason kills one bear with the axe, then fishes out the rifle. He shoots the third bear, but it is too late for King. He dies in the snow as Jason lies beside him.