rolf in the woods-第14章

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disappointment　elicited　the　information　that　old　Warren；　the

storekeeper；　had　promised　her　a　blue　cotton　dress　for　a　marten

skin。



〃You　shall　have　the　first　one　I　catch；〃　said　Rolf。



Life　in　Van　Trumper's　was　not　unpleasant。　　The　mother　was　going

about　again　in　a　week。　　Annette　took　charge　of　the　baby；　as　well

as　of　the　previous　arrivals。　　Hendrik　senior　was　gradually

overcoming　his　difficulties；　thanks　to　the　unexpected　help；　and　a

kindly　spirit　made　the　hard　work　not　so　very　hard。　　The　shyness

that　was　at　first　felt　toward　the　Indians　wore　off；　especially　in

the　case　of　Rolf；　he　was　found　so　companionable；　and　the

Dutchman；　after　puzzling　over　the　combination　of　brown　skin　and

blue　eyes；　decided　that　Rolf　was　a　half…breed。



August　wore　on　not　unpleasantly　for　the　boy；　but　Quonab　was

getting　decidedly　restless。　　He　could　work　for　a　week　as　hard　as

any　white　man；　but　his　race　had　not　risen　to　the　dignity　of

patient；　unremitting；　life…long　toil。



〃How　much　money　have　we　now；　Nibowaka？〃　was　one　of　the　mid…August

indications　of　restlessness。　　Rolf　reckoned　up；　half　a　month　for

Quonab；　15。00；　for　himself；　10。00；　for　finding　the　cows　2。00

　27。00　in　all。　　Not　enough。



Three　days　later　Quonab　reckoned　up　again。　　Next　day　he　said：　〃We

need　two　months'　open　water　to　find　a　good　country　and　build　a

shanty。〃　　Then　did　Rolf　do　the　wise　thing；　he　went　to　fat　Hendrik

and　told　him　all　about　it。　　They　wanted　to　get　a　canoe　and　an

outfit；　and　seek　for　a　trapping　or　hunting　ground　that　would　not

encroach　on　those　already　possessed；　for　the　trapping　law　is

rigid；　even　the　death　penalty　is　not　considered　too　high　in

certain　cases　of　trespass；　provided　the　injured　party　is　ready　to

be　judge；　jury；　and　executioner。　　Van　Trumper　was　able　to　help

them　not　a　little　in　the　matter　of　location　　there　was　no　use

trying　on　the　Vermont　side；　nor　anywhere　near　Lake　Champlain；　nor

near　Lake　George；　neither　was　it　worth　while　going　to　the　far

North；　as　the　Frenchmen　came　in　there；　and　they　were　keen

hunters；　so　that　Hamilton　County　was　more　promising　than　any

other；　but　it　was　almost　inaccessible；　remote　from　all　the　great

waterways；　and　of　course　without　roads；　its　inaccessibility　was

the　reason　why　it　was　little　known。　So　far　so　good；　but　happy

Hendrik　was　unpleasantly　surprised　to　learn　that　the　new　help

were　for　leaving　at　once。　Finally　he　made　this　offer：　If　they

would　stay　till　September　first；　and　so　leave　all　in　〃good　shape

fer　der　vinter；〃　he　would；　besides　the　wages　agreed；　give　them

the　canoe；　one　axe；　six　mink　traps；　and　a　fox　trap　now　hanging　in

the　barn；　and　carry　them　in　his　wagon　as　far　as　the　Five…　mile

portage　from　Lake　George　to　Schroon　River；　down　which　they　could

go　to　its　junction　with　the　upper　Hudson；　which；　followed　up

through　forty　miles　of　rapids　and　hard　portages；　would　bring　them

to　a　swampy　river　that　enters　from　the　southwest；　and　ten　miles

up　this　would　bring　them　to　Jesup's　Lake；　which　is　two　miles　wide

and　twelve　miles　long。　　This　country　abounded　with　game；　but　was

so　hard　to　enter　that　after　Jesup's　death　it　was　deserted。



There　was　only　one　possible　answer　to　such　an　offer　　they　stayed。



In　spare　moments　Quonab　brought　the　canoe　up　to　the　barn；

stripped　off　some　weighty　patches　of　bark　and　canvas　and　some

massive　timber　thwarts；　repaired　the　ribs；　and　when　dry　and

gummed；　its　weight　was　below　one　hundred　pounds；　a　saving　of　at

least　forty　pounds　on　the　soggy　thing　he　crossed　the　lake　in　that

first　day　on　the　farm。



September　came。　　Early　in　the　morning　Quonab　went　alone　to　the

lakeside；　there　on　a　hill　top　he　sat；　looking　toward　the　sunrise；

and　sang　a　song　of　the　new　dawn；　beating；　not　with　a　tom…tom　

he　had　none　　but　with　one　stick　on　another。　　And　when　the

sunrise　possessed　the　earth　he　sang　again　the　hunter's　song：



〃Father；　guide　our　feet；　Lead　us　to　the　good　hunting。〃



Then　he　danced　to　the　sound；　his　face　skyward；　his　eyes　closed；

his　feet　barely　raised；　but　rythmically　moved。　So　went　he　three

times　round　to　the　chant　in　three　sun　circles；　dancing　a　sacred

measure；　as　royal　David　might　have　done　that　day　when　he　danced

around　the　Ark　of　the　Covenant　on　its　homeward　joumey。　　His　face

was　illumined；　and　no　man　could　have　seen　him　then　without

knowing　that　this　was　a　true　heart's　worship　of　a　true　God；　who

is　in　all　things　He　has　made。







Chapter　17。　Canoeing　on　the　Upper　Hudson



There　is　only　one　kind　of　a　man　I　can't　size　up；　that's　the

faller　that　shets　up　and　says　nothing。　…Sayings　of　Si　Sylvanne。



A　settler　named　Hulett　had　a　scow　that　was　borrowed　by　the

neighbours　whenever　needed　to　take　a　team　across　the　lake。　　On

the　morning　of　their　journey；　the　Dutchman's　team　and　wagon；　the

canoe　and　the　men；　were　aboard　the　scow；　Skookum　took　his　proper

place　at　the　prow；　and　all　was　ready　for　〃Goodbye。〃　Rolf　found　it

a　hard　word　to　say。　　The　good　old　Dutch　mother　had　won　his　heart；

and　the　children　were　like　his　brothers　and　sisters。



〃Coom　again；　lad；　coom　and　see　us　kvick。〃　　She　kissed　him；　he

kissed　Annette　and　the　three　later　issues。　They　boarded　the　scow

to　ply　the　poles　till　the　deep　water　was　reached；　then　the　oars。

An　east　wind　springing　up　gave　them　a　chance　to　profit　by　a

wagon…cover　rigged　as　a　sail；　and　two　hours　later　the　scow　was

safely　landed　at　West　Side；　where　was　a　country　store；　and　the

head　of　the　wagon　road　to　the　Schroon　River。



As　they　approached　the　door；　they　saw　a　rough…looking　man

slouching　against　the　building；　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　his

blear　eyes　taking　in　the　new…comers　with　a　look　of　contemptuous

hostility。　　As　they　passed；　he　spat　tobacco　juice　on　the　dog　and

across　the　feet　of　the　men。



Old　Warren　who　kept　the　store　was　not　partial　to　Indians；　but　he

was　a　good　friend　of　Hendrik　and　very　keen　to　trade　for　fur；　so

the　new　trappers　were　well　received；　and　now　came　the　settling　of

accounts。　　Flour；　oatmeal；　pork；　potatoes；　tea；　tobacco；　sugar；

salt；　powder；　ball；　shot；　clothes；　lines；　an　inch…auger；　nails；

knives；　awls；　needles；　files；　another　axe；　some　tin　plates；　and　a

frying　pan　were　selected　and　added　to　Hendrik's　account。



〃If　I　was　you；　I'd　take　a　windy…sash；　you'll　find　it　mighty

convenient　in　cold　weather。〃　The　store　keeper　led　them　into　an

outhouse　where　was　a　pile　of　six…lighted　window…frames　all

complete。　　So　the　awkward　thing　was　added　to　their　load。



〃Can't　I　sell　you　a　fine　rifle？〃　and　he　took　down　a　new；　elegant

small　bore　of　the　latest　pattern。　　〃Only　twenty…　five　dollars。〃

Rolf　shook　his　head；　〃part　down；　and　I'll　take　the　rest　in　fur

next　spring。〃　Rolf　was　sorely　tempted；　however；　he　had　an　early

instilled　horror　of　debt。　　He　steadfastly　said：　〃No。〃　But　many

times　he　regretted　it　afterward！　　The　small　balance　remaining　was

settled　in　cash。



As　they　were　arranging　and　selecting；　they　heard　a　most　hideous

yelping　outdoors；　and　a　minnute　later　Skookum　limped　in；　crying

as　if　half…killed。　　Quonab　was　out　in　a　moment。



〃Did　you　kick　my　dog？〃



The　brutal　loafer　changed　countenance　as　he　caught　the　red　man's

eye。　　〃Naw！　never　touched　him；　hurted　himself　on　that　rake。〃



It　was　obviously　a　lie；　but　better　to　let　it　pass；　and　Quonab

came　in　again。



Then　the　rough　stranger　appeared　at　the　door　and　growled：　〃Say；

Warren！　ain't　you　going　to　let　me　have　that　rifle？　　I　guess　my

word's　as　good　as　the　next　man's。〃



〃No；〃　said　Warren；　〃I　told　you；　no！〃



〃Then　you　can　go　to　blazes；　and　you'll　never　see　a　cent's　worth

of　fur　from　the　stuff　I　got　last　year。〃



〃I　don't　expect　to；〃　was　the　reply；　〃I've　learned　what　your

word's　worth。〃　And　the　stranger　slouched　away。



〃Who　vas　he？〃　asked　Hendrik。



〃I　only　know　that　his　name　is　Jack　Hoag；　he's　a　little　bit　of　a

trapper　and　a　big　bit　of　a　bum；　stuck　me　last　year。　He　doesn't

come　out　this　way；　they　say　he　goes　out　by　the　west　side　of　the

mountains。〃



New　light　on　thei