the spirit of the border-第30章

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pressed　so　gently　on　the　moss　and　leaves　that　they　made　no　more　sound　than　the

soft　foot　of　a　panther。　His　trained　ear　was　alert　to　catch　any　unfamiliar

noise；　his　keen　eyes　sought　first　the　remoter　open　glades　and　glens；　then　bent

their　gaze　on　the　mossy　bluff　beneath　his　feet。　　Fox　squirrels　dashed　from

before　him　into　bushy　retreats；　grouse　whirred　away　into　the　thickets；

startled　deer　whistled；　and　loped　off　with　their　white…flags　upraised。　Wetzel

knew　from　the　action　of　these　denizens　of　the　woods　that　he　was　the　only

creature；　not　native　to　these　haunts；　who　had　disturbed　them　this　morning。

Otherwise　the　deer　would　not　have　been　grazing；　but　lying　low　in　some　close

thicket；　fox　squirrels　seldom　or　never　were　disturbed　by　a　hunter　twice　in　one

day；　for　after　being　frightened　these　little　animals；　wilder　and　shyer　than

gray　squirrels；　remained　hidden　for　hours；　and　grouse　that　have　been　flushed　a

little　while　before；　always　get　up　unusually　quick；　and　fly　very　far　before

alighting。



Wetzel　circled　back　over　the　hill；　took　a　long　survey　from　a　rocky　eminence；

and　then　reconnoitered　the　lowland　for　several　miles。　He　located　the　herd　of

buffalo；　and　satisfying　himself　there　were　no　Indians　nearfor　the　bison　were

grazing　quietlyhe　returned　to　the　cave。　A　soft　whistle　into　the　back　door　of

the　rocky　home　told　Joe　that　the　hunter　was　waiting。



〃Coast　clear？〃　whispered　the　lad；　thrusting　his　head　out　of　the　entrance。　　His

gray　eyes　gleamed　brightly；　showing　his　eager　spirit。



The　hunter　nodded；　and；　throwing　his　rifle　in　the　hollow　of　his　arm；　proceeded

down　the　hill。　Joe　followed　closely；　endeavoring；　as　Wetzel　had　trained　him；

to　make　each　step　precisely　in　the　hunter's　footprints。　　The　lad　had　soon

learned　to　step　nimbly　and　softly　as　a　cat。　When　half　way　down　the　bill　Wetzel

paused。



〃See　anythin'？〃　he　whispered。



Joe　glanced　on　all　sides。　Many　mistakes　had　taught　him　to　be　cautious。　　He　had

learned　from　experience　that　for　every　woodland　creature　he　saw；　there　were

ten　watching　his　every　move。　Just　now　he　could　not　see　even　a　little　red

squirrel。　Everywhere　were　sturdy　hickory　and　oak　trees；　thickets　and

hazelnuts；　slender　ash　saplings；　and；　in　the　open　glades；　patches　of　sumach。

Rotting　trees　lay　on　the　ground；　while　ferns　nodded　long；　slender　heads　over

the　fallen　monarchs。　Joe　could　make　out　nothing　but　the　colors　of　the　woods；

the　gray　of　the　tree　trunks；　and；　in　the　openings　through　the　forest…green；

the　dead　purple　haze　of　forests　farther　on。　He　smiled；　and；　shaking　his　head

at　the　hunter；　by　his　action　admitted　failure。



〃Try　again。　Dead　ahead；〃　whispered　Wetzel。



Joe　bent　a　direct　gaze　on　the　clump　of　sassafras　one　hundred　feet　ahead。　　He

searched　the　open　places；　the　shadowseven　the　branches。　Then　he　turned　his

eyes　slowly　to　the　right。　Whatever　was　discernible　to　human　vision　he　studied

intently。　Suddenly　his　eye　became　fixed　on　a　small　object　protruding　from

behind　a　beech　tree。　It　was　pointed；　and　in　color　darker　than　the　gray　bark　of

the　beech。　It　had　been　a　very　easy　matter　to　pass　over　this　little　thing；　but

now　that　the　lad　saw　it；　he　knew　to　what　it　belonged。



〃That's　a　buck's　ear；〃　he　replied。



Hardly　had　he　finished　speaking　when　Wetzel　intentionally　snapped　a　twig。　

There　was　a　crash　and　commotion　in　the　thicket；　branches　moved　and　small

saplings　waved；　then　out　into　the　open　glade　bounded　a　large　buck　with　a

whistle　of　alarm。　Throwing　his　rifle　to　a　level；　Joe　was　trying　to　cover　the

bounding　deer；　when　the　hunter　struck　up　his　piece。



〃Lad；　don't　kill　fer　the　sake　of　killin；〃　he　said；　quietly。　〃We　have　plenty　of

venison。　We'll　go　arter　a　buffalo。　I　hev　a　hankerin'　fer　a　good　rump　steak。〃



Half　an　hour　later；　the　hunters　emerged　from　the　forest　into　a　wide　plain　of

waving　grass。　It　was　a　kind　of　oval　valley；　encircled　by　hills；　and　had　been

at　one　time；　perhaps；　covered　with　water。　Joe　saw　a　herd　of　large　animals

browsing；　like　cattle；　in　a　meadow。　His　heart　beat　high；　for　until　that　moment

the　only　buffalo　he　had　seen　were　the　few　which　stood　on　the　river　banks　as

the　raft　passed　down　the　Ohio。　He　would　surely　get　a　shot　at　one　of　these　huge

fellows。



Wetzel　bade　Joe　do　exactly　as　he　did；　whereupon　he　dropped　on　his　hands　and

knees　and　began　to　crawl　through　the　long　grass。　This　was　easy　for　the　hunter；

but　very　bard　for　the　lad　to　accomplish。　Still；　he　managed　to　keep　his　comrade

in　sight；　which　was　a　matter　for　congratulation；　because　the　man　crawled　as

fast　as　he　walked。　At　length；　after　what　to　Joe　seemed　a　very　long　time；　the

hunter　paused。



〃Are　we　near　enough？〃　whispered　Joe；　breathlessly。



〃Nope。　We're　just　circlin'　on　'em。　The　wind's　not　right；　an'　I'm　afeered

they'll　get　our　scent。〃



Wetzel　rose　carefully　and　peeped　over　the　top　of　the　grass；　then；　dropping　on

all　fours；　he　resumed　the　advance。



He　paused　again；　presently　and　waited　for　Joe　to　come　up。



〃See　here；　young　fellar；　remember；　never　hurry　unless　the　bizness　calls　fer

speed；　an'　then　act　like　lightnin'。〃



Thus　admonishing　the　eager　lad；　Wetzel　continued　to　crawl。　It　was　easy　for

him。　Joe　wondered　how　those　wide　shoulders　got　between　the　weeds　and　grasses

without　breaking；　or；　at　least；　shaking　them。　But　so　it　was。



〃Flat　now；〃　whispered　Wetzel；　putting　his　broad　hand　on　Joe's　back　and

pressing　him　down。　〃Now's　yer　time　fer　good　practice。　Trail　yer　rifle　over　yer

backif　yer　careful　it　won't　slide　offan'　reach　out　far　with　one　arm　an'

dig　yer　fingers　in　deep。　Then　pull　yerself　forrard。〃



Wetzel　slipped　through　the　grass　like　a　huge　buckskin　snake。　His　long；　lithe

body　wormed　its　way　among　the　reeds。　But　for　Joe；　even　with　the　advantage　of

having　the　hunter's　trail　to　follow；　it　was　difficult　work。　　The　dry　reeds

broke　under　him；　and　the　stalks　of　saw…gass　shook。　He　worked　persistently　at

it；　learning　all　the　while；　and　improving　with　every　rod。　　He　was　surprised　to

hear　a　swish；　followed　by　a　dull　blow　on　the　ground。　　Raising　his　head；　he

looked　forward。　He　saw　the　hunter　wipe　his　tomahawk　on　the　grass。



〃Snake；〃　whispered　Wetzel。



Joe　saw　a　huge　blacksnake　squirming　in　the　grass。　Its　head　had　been　severed。

He　caught　glimpses　of　other　snakes　gliding　away；　and　glossy　round　moles

darting　into　their　holes。　A　gray　rabbit　started　off　with　a　leap。



〃We're　near　enough；〃　whispered　Wetzel；　stopping　behind　a　bush。　He　rose　and

surveyed　the　plain；　then　motioned　Joe　to　look。



Joe　raised　himself　on　his　knees。　As　his　gaze　reached　the　level　of　the　grassy

plain　his　heart　leaped。　Not　fifty　yards　away　was　a　great；　shaggy；　black

buffalo。　He　was　the　king　of　the　herd；　but　ill　at　ease；　for　he　pawed　the　grass

and　shook　his　huge　bead。　Near　him　were　several　cows　and　a　half…grown　calf。

Beyond　was　the　main　herd；　extending　as　far　as　Joe　could　seea　great　sea　of

black　humps！　The　lad　breathed　hard　as　he　took　in　the　grand　sight。



〃Pick　out　the　little　fellarthe　reddish…brown　onean'　plug　him　behind　the

shoulder。　Shoot　close　now；　fer　if　we　miss；　mebbe　I　can't　hit　one；　because　I'm

not　used　to　shootin'　at　sich　small　marks。〃



Wetzel's　rare　smile　lighted　up　his　dark　face。　Probably　he　could　have　shot　a

fly　off　the　horn　of　the　bull；　if　one　of　the　big　flies　or　bees；　plainly　visible

as　they　swirled　around　the　huge　head；　had　alighted　there。



Joe　slowly　raised　his　rifle。　He　had　covered　the　calf；　and　was　about　to　pull

the　trigger；　when；　with　a　sagacity　far　beyond　his　experience　as　hunter；　he

whispered　to　Wetzel：



〃If　I　fire　they　may　run　toward　us。〃



〃Nope；　they'll　run　away；〃　answered　Wetzel；　thinking　the　lad　was　as　keen　as　an

Indian。



Joe　quickly　covered　the　calf　again；　and　pulled　the　trigger。　Bellowing　loud　the

big　bull　dashed　off。　The　herd　swung　around　toward　the　west；　and　soon　were

galloping　off　with　a　lumbering　roar。　The　shaggy　humps　bobbed　up　and　down　like

hot；　angry　waves　on　a　storm…blackened　sea。



Upon　going　forward；　Wetzel　and　Joe　found　the　calf　l