the last of the plainsmen-第23章

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pping　from　the　boat。　At　the　hunter's　stern　call；　the　Indian　leaped　ashore；　and　started　to　run。　He　had　stolen　a　parcel；　and　would　have　succeeded　in　eluding　its　owner　but　for　an　unforeseen　obstacle；　as　striking　as　it　was　unexpected。

A　white　man　of　colossal　stature　had　stepped　in　the　thief's　passage；　and　laid　two　great　hands　on　him。　Instantly　the　parcel　flew　from　the　Indian；　and　he　spun　in　the　air　to　fall　into　the　river　with　a　sounding　splash。　Yells　signaled　the　surprise　and　alarm　caused　by　this　unexpected　incident。　The　Indian　frantically　swam　to　the　shore。　Whereupon　the　champion　of　the　stranger　in　a　strange　land　lifted　a　bag；　which　gave　forth　a　musical　clink　of　steel；　and　throwing　it　with　the　camp　articles　on　the　grassy　bench；　he　extended　a　huge；　friendly　hand。

〃My　name　is　Rea；〃　he　said；　in　deep；　cavernous　tones。

〃Mine　is　Jones；〃　replied　the　hunter；　and　right　quickly　did　he　grip　the　proffered　hand。　He　saw　in　Rea　a　giant；　of　whom　he　was　but　a　stunted　shadow。　Six　and　one…half　feet　Rea　stood；　with　yard…wide　shoulders；　a　hulk　of　bone　and　brawn。　His　ponderous；　shaggy　head　rested　on　a　bull　neck。　His　broad　face；　with　its　low　forehead；　its　close…shut　mastiff　under　jaw；　its　big；　opaque　eyes；　pale　and　cruel　as　those　of　a　jaguar；　marked　him　a　man　of　terrible　brute　force。

〃Free…trader！〃　called　the　commandant　〃Better　think　twice　before　you　join　fortunes　with　the　musk…ox　hunter。〃

〃To　hell　with　you　an'　your　rantin'；　dog…eared　redskins！〃　cried　Rea。　〃I've　run　agin　a　man　of　my　own　kind；　a　man　of　my　own　country；　an'　I'm　goin'　with　him。〃

With　this　he　thrust　aside　some　encroaching；　gaping　Indians　so　unconcernedly　and　ungently　that　they　sprawled　upon　the　grass。

Slowly　the　crowd　mounted　and　once　more　lined　the　bank。

Jones　realized　that　by　some　late…turning　stroke　of　fortune；　he　had　fallen　in　with　one　of　the　few　free…traders　of　the　province。　These　free…traders；　from　the　very　nature　of　their　calling；　which　was　to　defy　the　fur　company；　and　to　trap　and　trade　on　their　own　accountwere　a　hardy　and　intrepid　class　of　men。　Rea's　worth　to　Jones　exceeded　that　of　a　dozen　ordinary　men。　He　knew　the　ways　of　the　north；　the　language　of　the　tribes；　the　habits　of　animals；　the　handling　of　dogs；　the　uses　of　food　and　fuel。　Moreover；　it　soon　appeared　that　he　was　a　carpenter　and　blacksmith。

〃There's　my　kit；〃　he　said；　dumping　the　contents　of　his　bag。　It　consisted　of　a　bunch　of　steel　traps；　some　tools；　a　broken　ax；　a　box　of　miscellaneous　things　such　as　trappers　used；　and　a　few　articles　of　flannel。　〃Thievin'　redskins；〃　he　added；　in　explanation　of　his　poverty。　〃Not　much　of　an　outfit。　But　I'm　the　man　for　you。　Besides；　I　had　a　pal　onct　who　knew　you　on　the　plains；　called　you　'Buff'　Jones。　Old　Jim　Bent　he　was。〃

〃I　recollect　Jim；〃　said　Jones。　〃He　went　down　in　Custer's　last　charge。　So　you　were　Jim's　pal。　That'd　be　a　recommendation　if　you　needed　one。　But　the　way　you　chucked　the　Indian　overboard　got　me。〃

Rea　soon　manifested　himself　as　a　man　of　few　words　and　much　action。　With　the　planks　Jones　had　on　board　he　heightened　the　stern　and　bow　of　the　boat　to　keep　out　the　beating　waves　in　the　rapids；　he　fashioned　a　steering…gear　and　a　less　awkward　set　of　oars；　and　shifted　the　cargo　so　as　to　make　more　room　in　the　craft。

〃Buff；　we're　in　for　a　storm。　Set　up　a　tarpaulin　an'　make　a　fire。　We'll　pretend　to　camp　to…night。　These　Indians　won't　dream　we'd　try　to　run　the　river　after　dark；　and　we'll　slip　by　under　cover。〃

The　sun　glazed　over；　clouds　moved　up　from　the　north；　a　cold　wind　swept　the　tips　of　the　spruces；　and　rain　commenced　to　drive　in　gusts。　By　the　time　it　was　dark　not　an　Indian　showed　himself。　They　were　housed　from　the　storm。　Lights　twinkled　in　the　teepees　and　the　big　log　cabins　of　the　trading　company。　Jones　scouted　round　till　pitchy　black　night；　when　a　freezing；　pouring　blast　sent　him　back　to　the　protection　of　the　tarpaulin。　When　he　got　there　he　found　that　Rea　had　taken　it　down　and　awaited　him。　〃Off！〃　said　the　free…trader；　and　with　no　more　noise　than　a　drifting　feather　the　boat　swung　into　the　current　and　glided　down　till　the　twinkling　fires　no　longer　accentuated　the　darkness。

By　night　the　river；　in　common　with　all　swift　rivers；　had　a　sullen　voice；　and　murmured　its　hurry；　its　restraint；　its　menace；　its　meaning。　The　two　boat…men；　one　at　the　steering　gear；　one　at　the　oars；　faced　the　pelting　rain　and　watched　the　dim；　dark　line　of　trees。　The　craft　slid　noiselessly　onward　into　the　gloom。

And　into　Jones's　ears；　above　the　storm；　poured　another　sound；　a　steady；　muffled　rumble；　like　the　roll　of　giant　chariot　wheels。　It　had　come　to　be　a　familiar　roar　to　him；　and　the　only　thing　which；　in　his　long　life　of　hazard；　had　ever　sent　the　cold；　prickling；　tight　shudder　over　his　warm　skin。　Many　times　on　the　Athabasca　that　rumble　had　presaged　the　dangerous　and　dreaded　rapids。

〃Hell　Bend　Rapids！〃　shouted　Rea。　〃Bad　water；　but　no　rocks。〃

The　rumble　expanded　to　a　roar；　the　roar　to　a　boom　that　charged　the　air　with　heaviness；　with　a　dreamy　burr。　The　whole　indistinct　world　appeared　to　be　moving　to　the　lash　of　wind；　to　the　sound　of　rain；　to　the　roar　of　the　river。　The　boat　shot　down　and　sailed　aloft；　met　shock　on　shock；　breasted　leaping　dim　white　waves；　and　in　a　hollow；　unearthly　blend　of　watery　sounds；　rode　on　and　on；　buffeted；　tossed；　pitched　into　a　black　chaos　that　yet　gleamed　with　obscure　shrouds　of　light。　Then　the　convulsive　stream　shrieked　out　a　last　defiance；　changed　its　course　abruptly　to　slow　down　and　drown　the　sound　of　rapids　in　muffling　distance。　Once　more　the　craft　swept　on　smoothly；　to　the　drive　of　the　wind　and　the　rush　of　the　rain。

By　midnight　the　storm　cleared。　Murky　cloud　split　to　show　shining；　blue…white　stars　and　a　fitful　moon；　that　silvered　the　crests　of　the　spruces　and　sometimes　hid　like　a　gleaming；　black…threaded　peak　behind　the　dark　branches。

Jones；　a　plainsman　all　his　days；　wonderingly　watched　the　moon…blanched　water。　He　saw　it　shade　and　darken　under　shadowy　walls　of　granite；　where　it　swelled　with　hollow　song　and　gurgle。　He　heard　again　the　far…off　rumble；　faint　on　the　night。　High　cliff　banks　appeared；　walled　out　the　mellow；　light；　and　the　river　suddenly　narrowed。　Yawning　holes；　whirlpools　of　a　second；　opened　with　a　gurgling　suck　and　raced　with　the　boat。

On　the　craft　flew。　Far　ahead；　a　long；　declining　plane　of　jumping　frosted　waves　played　dark　and　white　with　the　moonbeams。　The　Slave　plunged　to　his　freedom；　down　his　riven；　stone…spiked　bed；　knowing　no　patient　eddy；　and　white…wreathed　his　dark　shiny　rocks　in　spume　and　spray。



CHAPTER　9。　THE　LAND　OF　THE　MUSK…OX

A　far　cry　it　was　from　bright　June　at　Port　Chippewayan　to　dim　October　on　Great　Slave　Lake。

Two　long；　laborious　months　Rea　and　Jones　threaded　the　crooked　shores　of　the　great　inland　sea；　to　halt　at　the　extreme　northern　end；　where　a　plunging　rivulet　formed　the　source　of　a　river。　Here　they　found　a　stone　chimney　and　fireplace　standing　among　the　darkened；　decayed　ruins　of　a　cabin。

〃We　mustn't　lose　no　time；〃　said　Rea。　〃I　feel　the　winter　in　the　wind。　An'　see　how　dark　the　days　are　gettin'　on　us。〃

〃I'm　for　hunting　musk…oxen；〃　replied　Jones。

〃Man；　we're　facin'　the　northern　night；　we're　in　the　land　of　the　midnight　sun。　Soon　we'll　be　shut　in　for　seven　months。　A　cabin　we　want；　an'　wood；　an'　meat。〃

A　forest　of　stunted　spruce　trees　edged　on　the　lake；　and　soon　its　dreary　solitudes　rang　to　the　strokes　of　axes。　The　trees　were　small　and　uniform　in　size。　Black　stumps　protruded；　here　and　there；　from　the　ground；　showing　work　of　the　steel　in　time　gone　by。　Jones　observed　that　the　living　trees　were　no　larger　in　diameter　than　the　stumps；　and　questioned　Rea　in　regard　to　the　difference　in　age。

〃Cut　twenty…five；　mebbe　fifty　years　ago；〃　said　the　trapper。

〃But　the　living　trees　are　no　bigger。〃

〃Trees　an'　things　don't　grow　fast　in　the　north　land。〃

They　erected　a　fifteen…foot　cabin　round　the　stone　chimney；　roofed　it　with　poles　and　branches　of　spruce　and　a　layer　of　sand。　In　digging　near　the　fireplace　Jones　unearthed　a　rusty　file　and　the　head　of　a　whisky　keg；　upon　which　was　a　sunken　word　in　unintelligible　letters。

〃We've　found　the　place；〃　said　Rea。　〃Frank　built　a　cabin　here　in　1819。　An'　in　1833　Captain　Back　wintered　here　when　he　was　in　search　of　Captain　Ross　of　the　vessel　Fury。　It　was　those　explorin'