the last of the plainsmen-第27章

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　go。〃

〃Let　him　go；〃　said　Jones。　〃We　are　here　on　the　ground。　We　have　dogs　and　meat。　We'll　get　our　calves　and　reach　the　lake　as　soon　as　he　does；　and　we　might　get　there　before。〃

〃Mebbe　we　will；〃　growled　Rea。

No　vacillation　attended　the　Indian's　mood。　From　friendly　guide；　he　had　suddenly　been　transformed　into　a　dark；　sullen　savage。　He　refused　the　musk…ox　meat　offered　by　Jones；　and　he　pointed　south　and　looked　at　the　white　hunters　as　if　he　asked　them　to　go　with　him。　Both　men　shook　their　heads　in　answer。　The　savage　struck　his　breast　a　sounding　blow　and　with　his　index　finger　pointed　at　the　white　of　the　north；　he　shouted　dramatically：　〃Naza！　Naza！　Naza！〃

He　then　leaped　upon　his　sled；　lashed　his　dogs　into　a　run；　and　without　looking　back　disappeared　over　a　ridge。

The　musk…ox　hunters　sat　long　silent。　Finally　Rea　shook　his　shaggy　locks　and　roared。　〃Ho！　Ho！　Jackoway　out　of　wood！　Jackoway　out　of　wood！　Jackoway　out　of　wood！〃

On　the　day　following　the　desertion；　Jones　found　tracks　to　the　north　of　the　camp；　making　a　broad　trail　in　which　were　numerous　little　imprints　that　sent　him　flying　back　to　get　Rea　and　the　dogs。　Muskoxen　in　great　numbers　had　passed　in　the　night；　and　Jones　and　Rea　had　not　trailed　the　herd　a　mile　before　they　had　it　in　sight。　When　the　dogs　burst　into　full　cry；　the　musk…oxen　climbed　a　high　knoll　and　squared　about　to　give　battle。

〃Calves！　Calves！　Calves！〃　cried　Jones。

〃Hold　back！　Hold　back！　Thet's　a　big　herd；　an'　they'll　show　fight〃

As　good　fortune　would　have　it；　the　herd　split　up　into　several　sections；　and　one　part；　hard　pressed　by　the　dogs；　ran　down　the　knoll；　to　be　cornered　under　the　lee　of　a　bank。　The　hunters；　seeing　this　small　number；　hurried　upon　them　to　find　three　cows　and　five　badly　frightened　little　calves　backed　against　the　bank　of　snow；　with　small　red　eyes　fastened　on　the　barking；　snapping　dogs。

To　a　man　of　Jones's　experience　and　skill；　the　capturing　of　the　calves　was　a　ridiculously　easy　piece　of　work。　The　cows　tossed　their　heads；　watched　the　dogs；　and　forgot　their　young。　The　first　cast　of　the　lasso　settled　over　the　neck　of　a　little　fellow。　Jones　hauled　him　out　over　the　slippery　snow　and　laughed　as　he　bound　the　hairy　legs。　In　less　time　than　he　had　taken　to　capture　one　buffalo　calf；　with　half　the　escort；　he　had　all　the　little　musk…oxen　bound　fast。　Then　he　signaled　this　feat　by　pealing　out　an　Indian　yell　of　victory。

〃Buff；　we've　got　'em；〃　cried　Rea；　〃An'　now　for　the　hell　of　it　gettin'　'em　home。　I'll　fetch　the　sleds。　〃You　might　as　well　down　thet　best　cow　for　me。　I　can　use　another　skin。〃

Of　all　Jones's　prizes　of　captured　wild　beastswhich　numbered　nearly　every　species　common　to　western　North　Americahe　took　greatest　pride　in　the　little　musk…oxen。　In　truth；　so　great　had　been　his　passion　to　capture　some　of　these　rare　and　inaccessible　mammals；　that　he　considered　the　day's　world　the　fulfillment　of　his　life's　purpose。　He　was　happy。　Never　had　he　been　so　delighted　as　when；　the　very　evening　of　their　captivity；　the　musk…oxen；　evincing　no　particular　fear　of　him；　began　to　dig　with　sharp　hoofs　into　the　snow　for　moss。　And　they　found　moss；　and　ate　it；　which　solved　Jones's　greatest　problem。　He　had　hardly　dared　to　think　how　to　feed　them；　and　here　they　were　picking　sustenance　out　of　the　frozen　snow。

〃Rea；　will　you　look　at　that！　Rea；　will　you　look　at　that！〃　he　kept　repeating。　〃See；　they're　hunting；　feed。〃

And　the　giant；　with　his　rare　smile；　watched　him　play　with　the　calves。　They　were　about　two　and　a　half　feet　high；　and　resembled　long…haired　sheep。　The　ears　and　horns　were　undiscernible；　and　their　color　considerably　lighter　than　that　of　the　matured　beasts。

〃No　sense　of　fear　of　man；〃　said　the　life…student　of　animals。　〃But　they　shrink　from　the　dogs。〃

In　packing　for　the　journey　south；　the　captives　were　strapped　on　the　sleds。　This　circumstance　necessitated　a　sacrifice　of　meat　and　wood；　which　brought　grave；　doubtful　shakes　of　Rea's　great　head。

Days　of　hastening　over　the　icy　snow；　with　short　hours　for　sleep　and　rest；　passed　before　the　hunters　awoke　to　the　consciousness　that　they　were　lost。　The　meat　they　had　packed　had　gone　to　feed　themselves　and　the　dogs。　Only　a　few　sticks　of　wood　were　left。

〃Better　kill　a　calf；　an'　cook　meat　while　we've　got　little　wood　left；〃　suggested　Rea。

〃Kill　one　of　my　calves？　I'd　starve　first！〃　cried　Jones。

The　hungry　giant　said　no　more。

They　headed　southwest。　All　about　them　glared　the　grim　monotony　of　the　arctics。　No　rock　or　bush　or　tree　made　a　welcome　mark　upon　the　hoary　plain　Wonderland　of　frost；　white　marble　desert；　infinitude　of　gleaming　silences！

Snow　began　to　fall；　making　the　dogs　flounder；　obliterating　the　sun　by　which　they　traveled。　They　camped　to　wait　for　clearing　weather。　Biscuits　soaked　in　tea　made　their　meal。　At　dawn　Jones　crawled　out　of　the　tepee。　The　snow　had　ceased。　But　where　were　the　dogs？　He　yelled　in　alarm。　Then　little　mounds　of　white；　scattered　here　and　there　became　animated；　heaved；　rocked　and　rose　to　dogs。　Blankets　of　snow　had　been　their　covering。

Rea　had　ceased　his　〃Jackoway　out　of　wood；〃　for　a　reiterated　question：　〃Where　are　the　wolves？〃

〃Lost；〃　replied　Jones　in　hollow　humor。

Near　the　close　of　that　day；　in　which　they　had　resumed　travel；　from　the　crest　of　a　ridge　they　descried　a　long；　low；　undulating　dark　line。　It　proved　to　be　the　forest　of　〃Little　sticks；〃　where；　with　grateful　assurance　of　fire　and　of　soon　finding　their　old　trail；　they　made　camp。

〃We've　four　biscuits　left；　an'　enough　tea　for　one　drink　each；〃　said　Rea。　〃I　calculate　we're　two　hundred　miles　from　Great　Slave　Lake。　Where　are　the　wolves？〃

At　that　moment　the　night　wind　wafted　through　the　forest　a　long；　haunting　mourn。　The　calves　shifted　uneasily；　the　dogs　raised　sharp　noses　to　sniff　the　air；　and　Rea；　settling　back　against　a　tree；　cried　out：　〃Ho！　Ho！〃　Again　the　savage　sound；　a　keen　wailing　note　with　the　hunger　of　the　northland　in　it；　broke　the　cold　silence。　〃You'll　see　a　pack　of　real　wolves　in　a　minute；〃　said　Rea。　Soon　a　swift　pattering　of　feet　down　a　forest　slope　brought　him　to　his　feet　with　a　curse　to　reach　a　brawny　hand　for　his　rifle。　White　streaks　crossed　the　black　of　the　tree　trunks；　then　indistinct　forms；　the　color　of　snow；　swept　up；　spread　out　and　streaked　to　and　fro。　Jones　thought　the　great；　gaunt；　pure　white　beasts　the　spectral　wolves　of　Rea's　fancy；　for　they　were　silent；　and　silent　wolves　must　belong　to　dreams　only。

〃Ho！　Ho！〃　yelled　Rea。　〃There's　green…fire　eyes　for　you；　Buff。　Hell　itself　ain't　nothin'　to　these　white　devils。　Get　the　calves　in　the　tepee；　an'　stand　ready　to　loose　the　dogs；　for　we've　got　to　fight。〃

Raising　his　rifle　he　opened　fire　upon　the　white　foe。　A　struggling；　rustling　sound　followed　the　shots。　But　whether　it　was　the　threshing　about　of　wolves　dying　in　agony；　or　the　fighting　of　the　fortunate　ones　over　those　shot；　could　not　be　ascertained　in　the　confusion。

Following　his　example　Jones　also　fired　rapidly　on　the　other　side　of　the　tepee。　The　same　inarticulate；　silently　rustling　wrestle　succeeded　this　volley。

〃Wait！〃　cried　Rea。　〃Be　sparin'　of　cartridges。〃

The　dogs　strained　at　their　chains　and　bravely　bayed　the　wolves。　The　hunters　heaped　logs　and　brush　on　the　fire；　which；　blazing　up；　sent　a　bright　light　far　into　the　woods。　On　the　outer　edge　of　that　circle　moved　the　white；　restless；　gliding　forms。

〃They're　more　afraid　of　fire　than　of　us；〃　said　Jones。

So　it　proved。　When　the　fire　burned　and　crackled　they　kept　well　in　the　background。　The　hunters　had　a　long　respite　from　serious　anxiety；　during　which　time　they　collected　all　the　available　wood　at　hand。　But　at　midnight；　when　this　had　been　mostly　consumed；　the　wolves　grew　bold　again。

〃Have　you　any　shots　left　for　the　45…90；　besides　what's　in　the　magazine？〃　asked　Rea。

〃Yes；　a　good　handful。〃

〃Well；　get　busy。〃

With　careful　aim　Jones　emptied　the　magazine　into　the　gray；　gliding；　groping　mass。　The　same　rustling；　shuffling；　almost　silent　strife　ensued。

〃Rea；　there's　something　uncanny　about　those　brutes。　A　silent　pack　of　wolves！〃

〃Ho！　Ho！〃　rolled　the　giant's　answer　through　the　woods。

For　the　present　the　attack　appeared　to　have　been　effectually　checked。　The　hunters；　sparingly　adding　a　little　of　their　fast　diminishing　pile　of　fuel　to　the　fire。　decided　to　lie　down　for　much　needed　res