rolf in the woods-第13章

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The　reply　was　simple；　〃You　are　Nibowaka。〃



The　farms　were　few　and　scattered　here；　but　there　were　one　or　two

along　the　lake。　　To　the　nearest　one　with　standing　grain　Rolf　led

the　way。　　But　their　reception；　from　the　first　brush　with　the　dog

to　the　final　tilt　with　the　farmer；　was　unpleasant　　〃He　didn't

want　any　darn　red…skins　around　there。　　He　had　had　two　St。　Regis

Indians　last　year；　and　they　were　a　couple　of　drunken　good…

for…nothings。〃



The　next　was　the　house　of　a　fat　Dutchman；　who　was　just　wondering

how　he　should　meet　the　compounded　accumulated　emergencies　of　late

hay；　early　oats；　weedy　potatoes；　lost　cattle；　and　a　prospective

increase　of　his　family；　when　two　angels　of　relief　appeared　at　his

door；　in　copper…coloured　skins。



〃Cahn　yo　work　putty　goood？



〃Yes；　I　have　always　lived　on　a　farm；〃　and　Rolf　showed　his　hands；

broad　and　heavy　for　his　years。



〃Cahn　yo　mebby　find　my　lost　cows；　which　I　haf　not　find；　already

yet？〃



Could　they！　it　would　be　fun　to　try。



〃I　giff　yo　two　dollars　you　pring　dem　putty　kvick。〃



So　Quonab　took　the　trail　to　the　woods；　and　Rolf　started　into　the

potatoes　with　a　hoe；　but　he　was　stopped　by　a　sudden　outcry　of

poultry。　　Alas！　　It　was　Skookum　on　an　ill…judged　partridge　hunt。

A　minute　later　he　was　ignominiously　chained　to　a　penitential

post；　nor　left　it　during　the　travellers'　sojourn。



In　the　afternoon　Quonab　returned　with　the　cattle；　and　as　he　told

Rolf　he　saw　five　deer；　there　was　an　unmisakable　hunter　gleam　in

his　eye。



Three　cows　in　milk；　and　which　had　not　been　milked　for　two　days；

was　a　serious　matter；　needing　immediate　attention。　　Rolf　had

milked　five　cows　twice　a　day　for　five　years；　and　a　glance　showed

old　Van　Trumper　that　the　boy　was　an　expert。



〃Good；　good！　I　go　now　make　feed　swine。〃



He　went　into　the　outhouse；　but　a　tow…topped；　redcheeked　girl　ran

after　him。　　〃Father；　father；　mother　says　〃　and　the　　rest　was

lost。



〃Myn　Hemel！　Myn　Hemel！　I　thought　it　not　so　soon；〃　and　the　fat

Dutchman　followed　the　child。　A　moment　later　he　reappeared；　his

jolly　face　clouded　with　a　look　of　grave　concern。　〃Hi　yo　big

Injun；　yo　cahn　paddle　canoe？〃　　Quonab　nodded。　〃Den　coom。

Annette；　pring　Tomas　und　Hendrik。〃　　So　the　father　carried

two…year…old　Hendrik；　while　the　Indian　carried　six…year…old

Tomas；　and　twelve…year…old　Annette　followed　in　vague；

uncomprehended　alarm。　　Arrived　at　the　shore　the　children　were

placed　in　the　canoe；　and　then　the　difficulties　came　fully　to　the

father's　mind　　he　could　not　leave　his　wife。　　He　must　send　the

children　with　the　messenger　　In　a　sort　of　desperation；　〃Cahn

you　dem　childen　take　to　de　house　across　de　lake；　and　pring　back

Mrs。　Callan？　　Tell　her　Marta　Van　Trumper　need　her　right　now　mooch

very　kvick。〃　　The　Indian　nodded。　　Then　the　father　hesitated；　but

a　glance　at　the　Indian　was　enough。　　Something　said；　〃He　is　safe；〃

and　in　spite　of　sundry　wails　from　the　little　ones　left　with　a

dark　stranger；　he　pushed　off　the　canoe：　〃Yo　take　care　for　my

babies；〃　and　turned　his　brimming　eyes　away。



The　farmhouse　was　only　two　miles　off；　and　the　evening　calm；　no

time　was　lost：　what　woman　will　not　instantly　drop　all　work　and

all　interests；　to　come　to　the　help　of　another　in　the　trial　time

of　motherhood？



Within　an　hour　the　neighbour's　wife　was　holding　hands　with　the

mother　of　the　banished　tow…heads。　　He　who　tempers　the　wind　and

appoints　the　season　of　the　wild　deer　hinds　had　not　forgotten　the

womanhood　beyond　the　reach　of　skilful　human　help；　and　with　the

hard　and　lonesome　life　had　conjoined　a　sweet　and　blessed

compensation。　What　would　not　her　sister　of　the　city　give　for　such

immunity；　and　long　before　that　dark；　dread　hour　of　night　that

brings　the　ebbing　life　force　low；　the　wonderful　miracle　was

complete；　there　was　another　tow…top　in　the　settler's　home；　and

all　was　well。







Chapter　16。　Life　with　the　Dutch　Settler



The　Indians　slept　in　the　luxuriant　barn　of　logs；　with　blankets；

plenty　of　hay；　and　a　roof。　　They　were　more　than　content；　for　now；

on　the　edge　of　the　wilderness；　they　were　very　close　to　wild　life。

Not　a　day　or　a　night　passed　without　bringing　proof　of　that。



One　end　of　the　barn　was　portioned　off　for　poultry。　　In　this　the

working　staff　of　a　dozen　hens　were　doing　their　duty；　which；　on

that　first　night　of　the　〃brown　angels'　visit；〃　consisted　of

silent　slumber；　when　all　at　once　the　hens　and　the　new　hands　were

aroused　by　a　clamorous　cackling；　which　speedily　stopped。　　It

sounded　like　a　hen　falling　in　a　bad　dream；　then　regaining　her

perch　to　go　to　sleep　again。　　But　next　morning　the　body　of　one　of

these　highly　esteemed　branches　of　the　egg…plant　was　found　in　the

corner；　partly　devoured。　　Quonab　examined　the　headless　hen；　the

dust　around；　and　uttered　the　word；　〃Mink。〃



Rolf　said；　〃Why　not　skunk？〃



〃Skunk　could　not　climb　to　the　perch。〃



〃Weasel　then。〃



〃Weasel　would　only　suck　the　blood；　and　would　kill　three　or　four。〃



〃Coon　would　carry　him　away；　so　would　fox　or　wildcat；　and　a　marten

would　not　come　into　the　building　by　night。〃



There　was　no　question；　first；　that　it　was　a　mink；　and；　second；

that　he　was　hiding　about　the　barn　until　the　hunger　pang　should

send　him　again　to　the　hen　house。　　Quonab　covered　the　hen's　body

with　two　or　three　large　stones　so　that　there　was　only　one

approach。　　In　the　way　of　this　approach　he　buried　a　〃number　one〃

trap。



That　night　they　were　aroused　again；　this　time　by　a　frightful

screeching；　and　a　sympathetic；　inquiring　cackle　from　the　fowls。



Arising；　quickly　they　entered　with　a　lantem。　　Rolf　then　saw　a

sight　that　gave　him　a　prickling　in　his　hair。　　The　mink；　a　large

male；　was　caught　by　one　front　paw。　　He　was　writhing　and　foaming；

tearing；　sometimes　at　the　trap；　sometimes　at　the　dead　hen；　and

sometimes　at　his　own　imprisoned　foot；　pausing　now　and　then　to

utter　the　most　ear…piercing　shrieks；　then　falling　again　in　crazy

animal　fury　on　the　trap；　splintering　his　sharp　white　teeth；

grinding　the　cruel　metal　with　bruised　and　bloody　jaws；　frothing；

snarling；　raving　mad。　　As　his　foemen　entered　he　turned　on　them　a

hideous　visage　of　inexpressible　fear　and　hate；　rage　and　horror。

His　eyes　glanced　back　green　fire　in　the　lantern　light；　he

strained　in　renewed　efforts　to　escape；　the　air　was　rank　with　his

musky　smell。　　The　impotent　fury　of　his　struggle　made　a　picture

that　continued　in　Rolf's　mind。　　Quonab　took　a　stick　and　with　a

single　blow　put　an　end　to　the　scene；　but　never　did　Rolf　forget

it；　and　never　afterward　was　he　a　willing　partner　when　the

trapping　was　done　with　those　relentless　jaws　of　steel。



A　week　later　another　hen　was　missing；　and　the　door　of　the　hen

house　left　open。　　After　a　careful　examination　of　the　dust；　inside

and　out　of　the　building；　Quonab　said；　〃Coon。〃　It　is　very　unusual

for　coons　to　raid　a　hen　house。　Usually　it　is　some　individual　with

abnormal　tastes；　and　once　he　begins；　he　is　sure　to　come　back。

The　Indian　judged　that　he　might　be　back　the　next　night；　so

prepared　a　trap。　　A　rope　was　passed　from　the　door　latch　to　a

tree；　on　this　rope　a　weight　was　hung；　so　that　the　door　was

selfshutting；　and　to　make　it　self…locking　he　leaned　a　long　pole

against　it　inside。　　Now　he　propped　it　open　with　a　single

platform；　so　set　that　the　coon　must　walk　on　it　once　he　was

inside；　and　so　release　the　door。　　The　trappers　thought　they　would

hear　in　the　night　when　the　door　closed；　but　they　were　sleepy；

they　knew　nothing　until　next　morning。　Then　they　found　that　the

self…shutter　had　shut；　and　inside；　crouched　in　one　of　the　nesting

boxes；　was　a　tough；　old　fighting　coon。　　Strange　to　tell；　he　had

not　touched　a　second　hen。　　As　soon　as　he　found　himself　a　prisoner

he　had　experienced　a　change　of　heart；　and　presently　his　skin　was

nailed　on　the　end　of　the　barn　and　his　meat　was　hanging　in　the

larder。



〃Is　this　a　marten；〃　asked　little　Annette。　　And　when　told　not；　her

disappointment　elicited　the　information　that　old　Warren；　the

storekeeper；　had　promised　her　a