Ah, my friens, he said softly, mebbe it mek you mad dog, dose many bites[37]. Mebbe all mad dog, sacredam! Wot you tink, eh, Perrault?
The courier shook his head dubiously. With four hundred miles of trail still between him and Dawson, he could ill afford to have madness break out among his dogs. Two hours of cursing and exertion got the harnesses into shape, and the wound-stiffened team was under way, struggling painfully over the hardest part of the trail they had yet encountered, and for that matter, the hardest between them and Dawson.
The Thirty Mile River was wide open. Its wild water defied the frost, and it was in the eddies only and in the quiet places that the ice held at all. Six days of exhausting toil were required to cover those thirty terrible miles. And terrible they were, for every foot of them was accomplished at the risk of life to dog and man. A dozen times, Perrault, nosing the way broke through the ice bridges, being saved by the long pole he carried, which he so held that it fell each time across the hole made by his body. But a cold snap was on, the thermometer registering fifty below zero[38]
26
administered a sound trouncing (разг.) хорошенько его проучил
27
guiding the sled at the gee-pole (разг.) управлял нартами с помощью поворотного шеста
28
swiftly lost the fastidiousness (разг.) быстро перестал привередничать
29
no matter what the odds (зд.) даже когда силы были неравны
30
leeward, sheltered and snug (разг.) с подветренной стороны, в тепле и уюте
31
divers small copies of himself (разг.) ватага отпрысков, маленьких копий его самого
32
was not prone to rashness and precipitate action (разг.) не был склонен к стремительным и опрометчивым поступкам (действиям)
33
They could hardly have fared worse (разг.) Худшего места для ночлега было не придумать
34
Gif it to heem (искаж.) Задай ему как следует
35
They were crazed by the smell of the food (разг.) От запаха еды они совсем обезумели
36
to save the grub (разг.) спасать оставшуюся еду 40
37
mebbe it mek you mad dog, dose many bites (искаж.) вы так искусаны, что, может, теперь взбеситесь?
38
fifty below zero (зд. и далее) температура воздуха дается по Фаренгейту (~ 40 °С)