rolf in the woods-第12章

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the　answer；　〃To…morrow　night；〃







Chapter　15。　Bound　for　the　North　Woods



When　Quonab　left　camp　in　the　morning　he　went　heavy　laden；　and　the

trail　he　took　led　to　Myanos。　There　was　nothing　surprising　in　it

when　he　appeared　at　Silas　Peck's　counter　and　offered　for　sale　a

pair　of　snowshoes；　a　bundle　of　traps；　some　dishes　of　birch　bark

and　basswood；　and　a　tom…tom；　receiving　in　exchange　some　tea；

tobacco；　gunpowder；　and　two　dollars　in　cash。　He　turned　without

comment；　and　soon　was　back　in　camp。　He　now　took　the　kettle　into

the　woods　and　brought　it　back　filled　with　bark；　fresh　chipped

from　a　butternut　tree。　　Water　was　added；　and　the　whole　boiled

till　it　made　a　deep　brown　liquid。　　When　this　was　cooled　he　poured

it　into　a　flat　dish；　then　said　to　Rolf：　〃Come　now；　I　make　you　a

Sinawa。〃



With　a　soft　rag　the　colour　was　laid　on。　　Face；　head；　neck；　and

hands　were　all　at　first　intended；　but　Rolf　said；　〃May　as　well　do

the　whole　thing。〃　So　he　stripped　off；　the　yellow　brown　juice　on

his　white　skin　turned　it　a　rich　copper　colour；　and　he　was　changed

into　an　Indian　lad　that　none　would　have　taken　for　Rolf　Kittering。

The　stains　soon　dried；　and　Rolf；　re…clothed；　felt　that　already　he

had　burned　a　bridge。



Two　portions　of　the　wigwam　cover　were　taken　off；　and　two　packs

were　made　of　the　bedding。　　The　tomahawk；　bows；　arrows；　and　gun；

with　the　few　precious　food　pounds　in　the　copper　pot；　were　divided

between　them　and　arranged　into　packs　with　shoulder　straps；　then

all　was　ready。　But　there　was　one　thing　more　for　Quonab；　he　went

up　alone　to　the　rock。　　Rolf　knew　what　he　went　for；　and　judged　it

best　not　to　follow。



The　Indian　lighted　his　pipe；　blew　the　four　smokes　to　the　four

winds；　beginning　with　the　west；　then　he　sat　in　silence　for　a

time。　　Presently　the　prayer　for　good　hunting　came　from　the　rock：



〃Father　lead　us！

Father；　help　us！

Father；　guide　us　to　the　good　hunting。〃



And　when　that　ceased　a　barred　owl　hooted　in　the　woods；

away　to　the　north。



〃Ugh！　good；〃　was　all　he　said　as　he　rejoined　Rolf；　and　they　set

out；　as　the　sun　went　down；　on　their　long　journey　due　northward；

Quonab；　Rolf；　and　Skookum。　　They　had　not　gone　a　hundred　yards

before　the　dog　turned　back；　raced　to　a　place　where　he　had　a　bone

in　cache　and　rejoining　there　trotted　along　with　his　bone。



The　high　road　would　have　been　the　easier　travelling；　but　it　was

very　necessary　to　be　unobserved；　so　they　took　the　trail　up　the

brook　Asamuk；　and　after　an　hour's　tramp　came　out　by　the　Cat…Rock

road　that　runs　westerly。　　Again　they　were　tempted　by　the　easy

path；　but　again　Quonab　decided　on　keeping　to　the　woods。　　Half　an

hour　later　they　were　halted　by　Skookum　treeing　a　coon。　　After

they　had　secured　the　dog；　they　tramped　on　through　the　woods　for

two　hours　more；　and　then；　some　eight　miles　from　the　Pipestave；

they　halted；　Rolf；　at　least；　tired　out。　　It　was　now　midnight。

They　made　a　hasty　double　bed　of　the　canvas　cover　over　a　pole

above　them；　and　slept　till　morning；　cheered；　as　they　closed　their

drowsy　eyes；　by　the　〃Hoo；　Hoo；　Hoo；　Hoo；　yah；　hoo；〃　of　their

friend；　the　barred　owl；　still　to　the　northward。



The　sun　was　high；　and　Quonab　had　breakfast　ready　before　Rolf

awoke。　　He　was　so　stiff　with　the　tramp　and　the　heavy　pack　that　it

was　with　secret　joy　he　learned　that　they　were　to　rest；　concealed

in　the　woods；　that　day；　and　travel　only　by　night；　until　in　a

different　region；　where　none　knew　or　were　likely　to　stop　them。

They　were　now　in　York　State；　but　that　did　not　by　any　means　imply

that　they　were　beyond　pursuit。



As　the　sun　rose　high；　Rolf　went　forth　with　his　bow　and　blunt

arrows；　and　then；　thanks　largely　to　Skookum；　he　succeeded　in

knocking　over　a　couple　of　squirrels；　which；　skinned　and　roasted；

made　their　dinner　that　day。　　At　night　they　set　out　as　before；

making　about　ten　miles。　　The　third　night　they　did　better；　and　the

next　day　being　Sunday；　they　kept　out　of　sight。　　But　Monday

morning；　bright　and　clear；　although　it　was　the　first　morning　when

they　were　sure　of　being　missed；　they　started　to　tramp　openly

along　the　highway；　with　a　sense　of　elation　that　they　had　not

hitherto　known　on　the　joumey。　　Two　things　impressed　Rolf　by　their

novelty：　the　curious　stare　of　the　country　folk　whose　houses　and

teams　they　passed；　and　the　violent　antagonism　of　the　dogs。

Usually　the　latter　could　be　quelled　by　shaking　a　stick　at　them；

or　by　pretending　to　pick　up　a　stone；　but　one　huge　and　savage

brindled　mastiff　kept　following　and　barking　just　out　of　stick

range；　and　managed　to　give　Skookum　a　mauling；　until　Quonab　drew

his　bow　and　let　fly　a　blunt　arrow　that　took　the　brute　on　the　end

of　the　nose；　and　sent　him　howl…　ing　homeward；　while　Skookum　got　a

few　highly　satisfactory　nips　at　the　enemy's　rear。　　Twenty　miles

they　made　that　day　and　twenty…five　the　next；　for　now　they　were　on

good　roads；　and　their　packs　were　lighter。　　More　than　once　they

found　kind　farmer　folk　who　gave　them　a　meal。　But　many　times

Skookum　made　trouble　for　them。　　The　farmers　did　not　like　the　way

he　behaved　among　their　hens。　　Skookum　never　could　be　made　to

grasp　the　fine　zoological　distinction　between　partridges　which

are　large　birds　and　fair　game；　and　hens　which　are　large　birds；

but　not　fair　game。　　Such　hair　splitting　was　obviously　unworthy　of

study；　much　less　of　acceptance。



Soon　it　was　clearly　better　for　Rolf；　approaching　a　house；　to　go

alone；　while　Quonab　held　Skookum。　　The　dogs　seemed　less　excited

by　Rolf's　smell；　and　remembering　his　own　attitude　when　tramps

came　to　one　or　another　of　his　ancient　homes；　he　always　asked　if

they　would　let　him　work　for　a　meal；　and　soon　remarked　that　his

success　was　better　when　he　sought　first　the　women　of　the　house；

and　then；　smiling　to　show　his　very　white　teeth；　spoke　in　clear

and　un…Indian　English；　which　had　the　more　effect　coming　from　an

evident　Indian。



〃Since　I　am　to　be　an　Indian；　Quonab；　you　must　give　me　an　Indian

name；〃　he　said　after　one　of　these　episodes。



〃Ugh！　Good！　　That's　easy！　　You　are　'Nibowaka；'　the　wise　one。〃　For

the　Indian　had　not　missed　any　of　the　points；　and　so　he　was　named。



Twenty　or　thirty　miles　a　day　they　went　now；　avoiding　the

settlements　along　the　river。　　Thus　they　saw　nothing　of　Albany；

but　on　the　tenth　day　they　reached　Fort　Edward；　and　for　the　first

time　viewed　the　great　Hudson。　　Here　they　stayed　as　short　a　time

as　might　be；　pushed　on　by　Glen's　Falls；　and　on　the　eleventh　night

of　the　journey　they　passed　the　old；　abandoned　fort；　and　sighted

the　long　stretch　of　Lake　George；　with　its　wooded　shore；　and

glimpses　of　the　mountains　farther　north。



Now　a　new　thought　possessed　them　　〃If　only　the　had　the　canoe

that　they　had　abandoned　on　the　Pipestave。〃　It　came　to　them　both

at　the　sight　of　the　limit　less　water；　and　especially　when　Rolf

remembered　that　Lake　George　joined　with　Champlain；　which　again

was　the　highway　to　all　the　wilderness。



They　camped　now　as　they　had　fifty　times　before；　and　made　their

meal。　　The　bright　blue　water　dancing　near　was　alluring；

inspiring；　as　they　sought　the　shore　Quonab　pointed　to　a　track　and

said；　〃Deer。〃　He　did　not　show　much　excitement；　but　Rolf　did；　and

they　returned　to　the　camp　fire　with　a　new　feeling　of　elation　…

they　had　reached　the　Promised　Land。　　Now　they　must　prepare　for

the　serious　work　of　finding　a　hunting　ground　that　was　not　already

claimed。



Quonab；　remembering　the　ancient　law　of　the　woods；　that　parcels

off　the　valleys；　each　to　the　hunter　first　arriving；　or　succeeding

the　one　who　had；　was　following　his　own　line　of　thought。　　Rolf　was

puzzling　over　means　to　get　an　outfit；　canoe；　traps；　axes；　and

provisions。　　The　boy　broke　silence。



〃Quonab；　we　must　have　money　to　get　an　outfit；　this　is　the

beginning　of　harvest；　we　can　easily　get　work　for　a　month。　　That

will　feed　us　and　give　us　money　enough　to　live　on；　and　a　chance　to

learn　something　about　the　country。〃



The　reply　was　simple；　〃You　are　Nibowaka。〃



The　farms　were　few　and　scattered　here；　but　there　were　one　o