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WritingPermanent catalogue Work

Eighttoes Makes a Play

2textual states22Characters
Genre
Humor

Introduction

“Eighttoes Makes a Play,” by Robert E. Howard and Tevis Clyde Smith, is a dog-team racing story set during the Alaskan gold rush. Two different endings were written.

Textual states

Shown in a practical developmental order where possible: synopsis/outline, numbered drafts, submission states, then published or posthumous states. This display order does not itself assert exact chronology or textual authority.

Alternate endingEighttoes Makes a Play — Alternate ending
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Primary textEighttoes Makes a Play
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From the letters:

In a letter (#136) to Tevis Clyde Smith circa July 1930 we learn:

I haven’t heard from our story but that’s not unusual, seeing that I haven’t heard from a story I sent to Weird Tales some time before I sent the other; the editor may be taking a vacation or something.
I believe you’ll sell that story to Fiction House. Have you heard from the stories you had out to Snappy and the like? I hope you’ll have sold something by the time you get this letter.

The first story is probably "Red Blades of Black Cathay", and the other one is most likely "Eighttoes".

Another letter (#146) was written circa November 1930 :

I’m working on the second draft of our collaborate story and will try to get it to you in a few days.

It's either "Eighttoes" or "Diogenes of Today".

Characters in this Work

Counts are across exact Textual Versions currently represented. Additional textual research may add further appearances.

BillA member of Kearney’s group who spreads a misleading report about their dogs.1 textual stateBillingsMatthews’s first relay helper, who hands over a moving sled.1 textual stateBoscoColvin’s powerful lead dog, hired for Hennigan’s race team.2 textual statesBosco’s fatherA Saint Bernard identified as Bosco’s father.1 textual stateBosco’s motherA large husky identified as Bosco’s mother.1 textual stateCoogleA prospector who holds the race stakes and secretly bets them on his friend.2 textual statesCooto ColvinBosco’s owner, who agrees to help Matthews interfere with the race.2 textual statesGrey EarsKearney’s celebrated lead dog, whose identity is concealed when Matthews hires his team.1 textual stateHenleyMatthews’s second relay helper, whose dogs become entangled during the changeover.1 textual stateHenniganA prospector who challenges Matthews to a dog-sled race.2 textual statesHennigan’s first relay helperA relay helper who prepares Hennigan’s replacement sled.1 textual stateJack KearneyAn owner of racing dogs whose companions conceal their team’s reputation.1 textual stateJimpkinsThe race starter who signals the departure with a gunshot.1 textual stateJohnsonA companion who enters the Elkhorn with Hennigan and Williams.1 textual stateMatthewsA prospector who enters a dog-sled race against Hennigan.2 textual statesMountie who stops the racers’ fightA mounted policeman who prevents Matthews and Hennigan from fighting.1 textual stateProspector beside Matthews’s claimA successful prospector whom Matthews says he struck after an offer to buy his claim.1 textual stateRabbit chased by BoscoA snowshoe rabbit that escapes over a hill when Colvin recalls Bosco.1 textual stateRoulette operator at the ElkhornA gambling-house worker who takes Matthews’s losing roulette stakes.1 textual stateSpectator cheering BoscoA spectator on the riverbank who cheers Bosco during the race.1 textual stateUnnamed companion of Jack KearneyA member of Kearney’s group who discusses their betting profits.1 textual stateWilliamsA companion of Hennigan who mocks Matthews.2 textual states

Publication appearances

Red Blades of Black CathayDonald M. Grant1971↗The Howard Collector #15 (Volume 3 Number 3)Glenn LordAutumn 1971↗The "New" Howard Reader #6Joe & Mona MarekAutumn 1999↗Sentiment: An Olio of Rarer WorksREH Foundation PressDecember 2009↗"So Far the Poet" and Other WritingsREH Foundation PressDecember 2010↗Малое собрание сочинений. Книга вторая (Maloe sobranie sochinenii. Kniga vtoraia) (Small Collected Works. Book Two) Cover and publication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Independently Published2015↗