the last of the plainsmen-第24章

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〃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'　parties　thet　cut　the　trees。　I　seen　Indian　sign　out　there；　made　last　winter；　I　reckon；　but　Indians　never　cut　down　no　trees。〃

The　hunters　completed　the　cabin；　piled　cords　of　firewood　outside；　stowed　away　the　kegs　of　dried　fish　and　fruits；　the　sacks　of　flour；　boxes　of　crackers；　canned　meats　and　vegetables；　sugar；　salt；　coffee；　tobaccoall　of　the　cargo；　then　took　the　boat　apart　and　carried　it　up　the　bank；　which　labor　took　them　less　than　a　week。

Jones　found　sleeping　in　the　cabin；　despite　the　fire；　uncomfortably　cold；　because　of　the　wide　chinks　between　the　logs。　It　was　hardly　better　than　sleeping　under　the　swaying　spruces。　When　he　essayed　to　stop　up　the　crack；　a　task　by　no　means　easy；　considering　the　lack　of　materialRea　laughed　his　short　〃Ho！　Ho！〃　and　stopped　him　with　the　word；　〃Wait。〃　Every　morning　the　green　ice　extended　farther　out　into　the　lake；　the　sun　paled　dim　and　dimmer；　the　nights　grew　colder。　On　October　8th　the　thermometer　registered　several　degrees　below　zero；　it　fell　a　little　more　next　night　and　continued　to　fall。

〃Ho！　Ho！〃　cried　Rea。　〃She's　struck　the　toboggan；　an'　presently　she'll　commence　to　slide。　Come　on；　Buff；　we've　work　to　do。〃

He　caught　up　a　bucket；　made　for　their　hole　in　the　ice；　rebroke　a　six…inch　layer；　the　freeze　of　a　few　hours；　and　filling　his　bucket；　returned　to　the　cabin。　Jones　had　no　inkling　of　the　trapper's　intention；　and　wonderingly　he　soused　his　bucket　full　of　water　and　followed。

By　the　time　he　had　reached　the　cabin；　a　matter　of　some　thirty　or　forty　good　paces；　the　water　no　longer　splashed　from　his　pail；　for　a　thin　film　of　ice　prevented。　Rea　stood　fifteen　feet　from　the　cabin；　his　back　to　the　wind；　and　threw　the　water。　Some　of　it　froze　in　the　air；　most　of　it　froze　on　the　logs。　The　simple　plan　of　the　trapper　to　incase　the　cabin　with　ice　was　easily　divined。　All　day　the　men　worked；　easing　only　when　the　cabin　resembled　a　glistening　mound。　It　had　not　a　sharp　corner　nor　a　crevice。　Inside　it　was　warm　and　snug；　and　as　light　as　when　the　chinks　were　open。

A　slight　moderation　of　the　weather　brought　the　snow。　Such　snow！　A　blinding　white　flutter　of　grey　flakes；　as　large　as　feathers！　All　day　they　rustle　softly；　all　night　they　swirled；　sweeping；　seeping　brushing　against　the　cabin。　〃Ho！　Ho！〃　roared　Rea。　〃'Tis　good；　let　her　snow；　an'　the　reindeer　will　migrate。　We'll　have　fresh　meat。〃　The　sun　shone　again；　but　not　brightly。　A　nipping　wind　came　down　out　of　the　frigid　north　and　crusted　the　snows。　The　third　night　following　the　storm；　when　the　hunters　lay　snug　under　their　blankets；　a　commotion　outside　aroused　them。

〃Indians；〃　said　Rea；　〃come　north　for　reindeer。〃

Half　the　night；　shouting　and　yelling；　barking　dogs；　hauling　of　sleds　and　cracking　of　dried…skin　tepees　murdered　sleep　for　those　in　the　cabin。　In　the　morning　the　level　plain　and　edge　of　the　forest　held　an　Indian　village。　Caribou　hides；　strung　on　forked　poles；　constituted　tent…like　habitations　with　no　distinguishable　doors。　Fires　smoked　in　the　holes　in　the　snow。　Not　till　late　in　the　day　did　any　life　manifest　itself　round　the　tepees；　and　then　a　group　of　children；　poorly　clad　in　ragged　pieces　of　blankets　and　skins；　gaped　at　Jones。　He　saw　their　pinched；　brown　faces；　staring；　hungry　eyes；　naked　legs　and　throats；　and　noted　particularly　their　dwarfish　size。　When　he　spoke　they　fled　precipitously　a　little　way；　then　turned。　He　called　again；　and　all　ran　except　one　small　lad。　Jones　went　into　the　cabin　and　came　out　with　a　handful　of　sugar　in　square　lumps。

〃Yellow　Knife　Indians；〃　said　Rea。　〃A　starved　tribe！　We're　in　for　it。〃

Jones　made　motions　to　the　lad；　but　he　remained　still；　as　if　transfixed；　and　his　black　eyes　stared　wonderingly。

〃Molar　nasu　（white　man　good）；〃　said　Rea。

The　lad　came　out　of　his　trance　and　looked　back　at　his　companions；　who　edged　nearer。　Jones　ate　a　lump　of　sugar；　then　handed　one　to　the　little　Indian。　He　took　it　gingerly；　put　it　into　his　mouth　and　immediately　jumped　up　and　down。

〃Hoppiesharnpoolie！　Hoppiesharnpoolie！〃　he　shouted　to　his　brothers　and　sisters。　They　came　on　the　run。

〃Think　he　means　sweet　salt；〃　interpreted　Rea。　〃Of　course　these　beggars　never　tasted　sugar。〃

The　band　of　youngsters　trooped　round　Jones；　and　after　tasting　the　white　lumps；　shrieked　in　such　delight　that　the　braves　and　squaws　shuffled　out　of　the　tepees。

In　all　his　days　Jones　had　never　seen　such　miserable　Indians。　Dirty　blankets　hid　all　their　person；　except　straggling　black　hair；　hungry；　wolfish　eyes　and　moccasined　feet。　They　crowded　into　the　path　before　the　cabin　door　and　mumbled　and　stared　and　waited。　No　dignity；　no　brightness；　no　suggestion　of　friendliness　marked　this　peculiar　attitude。

〃Starved！〃　exclaimed　Rea。　〃They've　come　to　the　lake　to　invoke　the　Great　Spirit　to　send　the　reindeer。　Buff；　whatever　you　do；　don't　feed　them。　If　you　do；　we'll　have　them　on　our　hands　all　winter。　It's　cruel；　but；　man；　we're　in　the　north！〃

Notwithstanding　the　practical　trapper's　admonition　Jones　could　not　resist　the　pleading　of　the　children。　He　could　not　stand　by　and　see　them　starve。　After　ascertaining　there　was　absolutely　nothing　to　eat　in　the　tepees；　he　invited　the　little　ones　into　the　cabin；　and　made　a　great　pot　of　soup；　into　which　he　dropped　compressed　biscuits。　The　savage　children　were　like　wildcats。　Jones　had　to　call　in　Rea　to　assist　him　in　keeping　the　famished　little　aborigines　from　tearing　each　other　to　pieces。　When　finally　they　were　all　fed；　they　had　to　be　driven　out　of　the　cabin。

〃That's　new　to　me；〃　said　Jones。　〃Poor　little　beggars！〃

Rea　doubtfully　shook　his　shaggy　head。

Next　day　Jones　traded　with　the　Yellow　Knives。　He　had　a　goodly　supply　of　baubles；　besides　blankets；　gloves　and　boxes　of　canned　goods；　which　he　had　brought　for　such　trading。　He　secured　a　dozen　of　the　large…boned；　white　and　black　Indian　dogs；　huskies；　Rea　called　themtwo　long　sleds　with　harness　and　several　pairs　of　snowshoes。　This　trade　made　Jones　rub　his　hands　in　satisfaction；　for　during　all　the　long　journey　north　he　had　failed　to　barter　for　such　cardinal　necessities　to　the　success　of　his　venture。

〃Better　have　doled　out　the　grub　to　them　in　rations；〃　grumbled　Rea。

Twenty…four　hours　sufficed　to　show　Jones　the　wisdom　of　the　trapper's　words；　for　in　just　that　time　the　crazed；　ignorant　savages　had　glutted　the　generous　store　of　food；　which　should　have　lasted　them　for　weeks。　The　next　day　they　were　begging　at　the　cabin　door。　Rea　cursed　and　threatened　them　with　his　fists；　but　they　returned　again　and　again。

Days　passed。　All　the　time；　in　light　and　dark；　the　Indians　filled　the　air　with　dismal　chant　and　doleful　incantations　to　the　Great　Spirit；　and　the　tum！　tum！　tum！　tum！　of　tomtoms；　a　specific　feature　of　their　wild　prayer　for　food。

But　the　white　monotony　of　the　rolling　land　and　level　lake　remained　unbroken。　The　reindeer　did　not　come。　The　days　became　shorter；　dimmer；　darker。　The　mercury　kept　on　the　slide。

Forty　degrees　below　zero　did　not　trouble　the　Indians。　They　stamped　till　they　dropped；　and　sang　till　their　voices　vanished；　and　beat　the　tomtoms　everlastingly。　Jones　fed　the　children　once　each　day；　against　the　trapper's　advice。

One　day；　while　Rea　was　absent；　a　dozen　braves　succeeded　in　forcing　an　entrance；　and　clamored　so　fiercely；　and　threatened　so　desperately；　that　Jones　was　on　the　point　of　giving　them　food　when　the　door　opened　to　admit　Rea。

With　a　glance　he　saw　the　situation。　He　dropped　the　bucket　he　carried；　threw　the　door　wide　open　and　commenced　action。　Because　of　his　great　bulk　he　seemed　slow；　but　every　blow　of　his　sledge…hammer　fist　knocked　a　brave　against　the　wall；　or　through　the　door　into　the　snow。　When　he　could　reach　two　savages　at　once；　by　way　of　diversion；　he　swung　their　heads　together　with　a　crack。　They　dropped　like　dead　things。　Then　he　handled　them　as　if　they　were　sacks　of　corn；　pitching　them　out　into　the　snow。　In　two　minutes　the　cabin　was　clear。　He　banged　the　door　and　slipped　the　bar　in　place。

〃Buff；　I'm　goin'　to　get　mad　at　these　thievin'　red；　skins　some　day；〃　he　said　gruffly。　The　expanse　of　his　chest　heaved　slightly；　like　the　slow　swell　of　a　calm　ocean；　but　there　was　no　ot