the last of the plainsmen-第25章

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was　no　other　indication　of　unusual　exertion。

Jones　laughed；　and　again　gave　thanks　for　the　comradeship　of　this　strange　man。

Shortly　afterward；　he　went　out　for　wood；　and　as　usual　scanned　the　expanse　of　the　lake。　The　sun　shone　mistier　and　warmer；　and　frost　feathers　floated　in　the　air。　Sky　and　sun　and　plain　and　lakeall　were　gray。　Jones　fancied　he　saw　a　distant　moving　mass　of　darker　shade　than　the　gray　background。　He　called　the　trapper。

〃Caribou；〃　said　Rea　instantly。　〃The　vanguard　of　the　migration。　Hear　the　Indians！　Hear　their　cry：　〃Aton！　Aton！　they　mean　reindeer。　The　idiots　have　scared　the　herd　with　their　infernal　racket；　an'　no　meat　will　they　get。　The　caribou　will　keep　to　the　ice；　an'　man　or　Indian　can't　stalk　them　there。〃

For　a　few　moments　his　companion　surveyed　the　lake　and　shore　with　a　plainsman's　eye；　then　dashed　within；　to　reappear　with　a　Winchester　in　each　hand。　Through　the　crowd　of　bewailing；　bemoaning　Indians；　he　sped；　to　the　low；　dying　bank。　The　hard　crust　of　snow　upheld　him。　The　gray　cloud　was　a　thousand　yards　out　upon　the　lake　and　moving　southeast。　If　the　caribou　did　not　swerve　from　this　course　they　would　pass　close　to　a　projecting　point　of　land；　a　half…mile　up　the　lake。　So；　keeping　a　wary　eye　upon　them；　the　hunter　ran　swiftly。　He　had　not　hunted　antelope　and　buffalo　on　the　plains　all　his　life　without　learning　how　to　approach　moving　game。　As　long　as　the　caribou　were　in　action；　they　could　not　tell　whether　he　moved　or　was　motionless。　In　order　to　tell　if　an　object　was　inanimate　or　not；　they　must　stop　to　see；　of　which　fact　the　keen　hunter　took　advantage。　Suddenly　he　saw　the　gray　mass　slow　down　and　bunch　up。　He　stopped　running；　to　stand　like　a　stump。　When　the　reindeer　moved　again；　he　moved；　and　when　they　slackened　again；　he　stopped　and　became　motionless。　As　they　kept　to　their　course；　he　worked　gradually　closer　and　closer。　Soon　he　distinguished　gray；　bobbing　heads。　When　the　leader　showed　signs　of　halting　in　his　slow　trot　the　hunter　again　became　a　statue。　He　saw　they　were　easy　to　deceive；　and；　daringly　confident　of　success；　he　encroached　on　the　ice　and　closed　up　the　gap　till　not　more　than　two　hundred　yards　separated　him　from　the　gray；　bobbing；　antlered　mass。

Jones　dropped　on　one　knee。　A　moment　only　his　eyes　lingered　admiringly　on　the　wild　and　beautiful　spectacle；　then　he　swept　one　of　the　rifles　to　a　level。　Old　habit　made　the　little　beaded　sight　cover　first　the　stately　leader。　Bang！　The　gray　monarch　leaped　straight　forward；　forehoofs　up；　antlered　head　back；　to　fall　dead　with　a　crash。　Then　for　a　few　moments　the　Winchester　spat　a　deadly　stream　of　fire；　and　when　emptied　was　thrown　down　for　the　other　gun；　which　in　the　steady；　sure　hands　of　the　hunter　belched　death　to　the　caribou。

The　herd　rushed　on；　leaving　the　white　surface　of　the　lake　gray　with　a　struggling；　kicking；　bellowing　heap。　When　Jones　reached　the　caribou　he　saw　several　trying　to　rise　on　crippled　legs。　With　his　knife　he　killed　these；　not　without　some　hazard　to　himself。　Most　of　the　fallen　ones　were　already　dead；　and　the　others　soon　lay　still。　Beautiful　gray　creatures　they　were；　almost　white；　with　wide…reaching；　symmetrical　horns。

A　medley　of　yells　arose　from　the　shore；　and　Rea　appeared　running　with　two　sleds；　with　the　whole　tribe　of　Yellow　Knives　pouring　out　of　the　forest　behind　him。

〃Buff；　you're　jest　what　old　Jim　said　you　was；〃　thundered　Rea；　as　he　surveyed　the　gray　pile。　〃Here's　winter　meat；　an'　I'd　not　have　given　a　biscuit　for　all　the　meat　I　thought　you'd　get。〃

〃Thirty　shots　in　less　than　thirty　seconds；〃　said　Jones；　〃An'　I'll　bet　every　ball　I　sent　touched　hair。　How　many　reindeer？〃

〃Twenty！　twenty！　Buff；　or　I've　forgot　how　to　count。　I　guess　mebbe　you　can't　handle　them　shootin'　arms。　Ho！　here　comes　the　howlin'　redskins。〃

Rea　whipped　out　a　bowie　knife　and　began　disemboweling　the　reindeer。　He　had　not　proceeded　far　in　his　task　when　the　crazed　savages　were　around　him。　Every　one　carried　a　basket　or　receptacle；　which　he　swung　aloft；　and　they　sang；　prayed；　rejoiced　on　their　knees。　Jones　turned　away　from　the　sickening　scenes　that　convinced　him　these　savages　were　little　better　than　cannibals。　Rea　cursed　them；　and　tumbled　them　over；　and　threatened　them　with　the　big　bowie。　An　altercation　ensued；　heated　on　his　side；　frenzied　on　theirs。　Thinking　some　treachery　might　befall　his　comrade；　Jones　ran　into　the　thick　of　the　group。

〃Share　with　them；　Rea；　share　with　them。〃

Whereupon　the　giant　hauled　out　ten　smoking　carcasses。　Bursting　into　a　babel　of　savage　glee　and　tumbling　over　one　another；　the　Indians　pulled　the　caribou　to　the　shore。

〃Thievin'　fools。〃　growled　Rea；　wiping　the　sweat　from　his　brow。　〃Said　they'd　prevailed　on　the　Great　Spirit　to　send　the　reindeer。　Why；　they'd　never　smelled　warm　meat　but　for　you。　Now；　Buff；　they'll　gorge　every　hair；　hide　an'　hoof　of　their　share　in　less　than　a　week。　Thet's　the　last　we　do　for　the　damned　cannibals。　Didn't　you　see　them　eatin'　of　the　raw　innards？faugh！　I'm　calculatin'　we'll　see　no　more　reindeer。　It's　late　for　the　migration。　The　big　herd　has　driven　southward。　But　we're　lucky；　thanks　to　your　prairie　trainin'。　Come　on　now　with　the　sleds；　or　we'll　have　a　pack　of　wolves　to　fight。〃

By　loading　three　reindeer　on　each　sled；　the　hunters　were　not　long　in　transporting　them　to　the　cabin。　〃Buff；　there　ain't　much　doubt　about　them　keepin'　nice　and　cool；〃　said　Rea。　〃They'll　freeze；　an'　we　can　skin　them　when　we　want。〃

That　night　the　starved　wolf　dogs　gorged　themselves　till　they　could　not　rise　from　the　snow。　Likewise　the　Yellow　Knives　feasted。　How　long　the　ten　reindeer　might　have　served　the　wasteful　tribe；　Rea　and　Jones　never　found　out。　The　next　day　two　Indians　arrived　with　dog…trains；　and　their　advent　was　hailed　with　another　feast；　and　a　pow…wow　that　lasted　into　the　night。

〃Guess　we're　goin'　to　get　rid　of　our　blasted　hungry　neighbors；〃　said　Rea；　coming　in　next　morning　with　the　water　pail；　〃An'　I'll　be　durned；　Buff；　if　I　don't　believe　them　crazy　heathen　have　been　told　about　you。　Them　Indians　was　messengers。　Grab　your　gun；　an'　let's　walk　over　and　see。〃

The　Yellow　Knives　were　breaking　camp；　and　the　hunters　were　at　once　conscious　of　the　difference　in　their　bearing。　Rea　addressed　several　braves；　but　got　no　reply。　He　laid　his　broad　hand　on　the　old　wrinkled　chief；　who　repulsed　him；　and　turned　his　back。　With　a　growl；　the　trapper　spun　the　Indian　round；　and　spoke　as　many　words　of　the　language　as　he　knew。　He　got　a　cold　response；　which　ended　in　the　ragged　old　chief　starting　up；　stretching　a　long；　dark　arm　northward；　and　with　eyes　fixed　in　fanatical　subjection；　shouting：　〃Naza！　Naza！　Naza！〃

〃Heathen！〃　Rea　shook　his　gun　in　the　faces　of　the　messengers。　〃It'll　go　bad　with　you　to　come　Nazain'　any　longer　on　our　trail。　Come；　Buff；　clear　out　before　I　get　mad。〃

When　they　were　once　more　in　the　cabin；　Rea　told　Jones　that　the　messengers　had　been　sent　to　warn　the　Yellow　Knives　not　to　aid　the　white　hunters　in　any　way。　That　night　the　dogs　were　kept　inside；　and　the　men　took　turns　in　watching。　Morning　showed　a　broad　trail　southward。　And　with　the　going　of　the　Yellow　Knives　the　mercury　dropped　to　fifty；　and　the　long；　twilight　winter　night　fell。

So　with　this　agreeable　riddance　and　plenty　of　meat　and　fuel　to　cheer　them；　the　hunters　sat　down　in　their　snug　cabin　to　wait　many　months　for　daylight。

Those　few　intervals　when　the　wind　did　not　blow　were　the　only　times　Rea　and　Jones　got　out　of　doors。　To　the　plainsman；　new　to　the　north；　the　dim　gray　world　about　him　was　of　exceeding　interest。　Out　of　the　twilight　shone　a　wan；　round；　lusterless　ring　that　Rea　said　was　the　sun。　The　silence　and　desolation　were　heart…numbing。

〃Where　are　the　wolves？〃　asked　Jones　of　Rea。

〃Wolves　can't　live　on　snow。　They're　farther　south　after　caribou；　or　farther　north　after　musk…ox。〃

In　those　few　still　intervals　Jones　remained　out　as　long　as　he　dared；　with　the　mercury　sinking　to　…sixty　degrees。　He　turned　from　the　wonder　of　the　unreal；　remote　sun；　to　the　marvel　in　the　northAurora　borealisever…present；　ever…changing；　ever…beautiful！　and　he　gazed　in　rapt　attention。

〃Polar　lights；〃　said　Rea；　as　if　he　were　speaking　of　biscuits。　〃You'll　freeze。　It's　gettin'　cold。〃

Cold　it　became；　to　the　matter　of　…seventy　degrees。　Frost　covered　the　walls　of　the　cabin　and　the　roof；　except