rolf in the woods-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



making　sometimes　only　five　miles　after　twelve　hours'　toilsome

travel。　　Rapids；　shoals；　portages；　strong　waters；　abounded；　and

before　they　had　covered　the　fifty　miles　to　the　forks　of　Jesup's

River；　they　knew　right　well　why　the　region　was　so　little　entered。



It　made　a　hardened　canoe　man　of　Rolf；　and　when；　on　the　evening　of

the　fifth　day；　they　saw　a　huge　eagle's　nest　in　a　dead　pine　tree

that　stood　on　the　edge　of　a　long　swamp；　both　felt　they　had

reached　their　own　country；　and　were　glad。







Chapter　18。　Animal　Life　Along　the　River



It　must　not　be　supposed　that；　because　it　has　been　duly　mentioned；

they　saw　no　wild　life　along　the　river。　　The　silent　canoe　man　has

the　best　of　opportunities。　　There　were　plenty　of　deer　tracks

about　the　first　camp；　and　that　morning；　as　they　turned　up　the

Hudson；　Rolf　saw　his　first　deer。　　They　had　rounded　a　point　in

rather　swift　water　when　Quonab　gave　two　taps　on　the　gunwale；　the

usual　sign；　〃Look　out；〃　and　pointed　to　the　shore。　　There；　fifty

yards　away　on　bank；　gazing　at　them；　was　a　deer。　　Stock　still　he

stood　like　a　red　statue；　for　he　was　yet　in　the　red　coat。　　With

three　or　four　strong　strokes；　Quonab　gave　a　long　and　mighty

forward　spurt；　then　reached　for　his　gun。　　But　the　deer's　white

flag　went　up。　　It　turned　and　bounded　away；　the　white　flag　the

last　thing　to　disappear。　　Rolf　sat　spellbound。　　It　was　so　sudden；

so　easy；　it　soon　melted　into　the　woods　again。　　He　trembled　after

it　was　gone。



Many　a　time　in　the　evening　they　saw　muskrats　in　the　eddies；　and

once　they　glimpsed　a　black；　shiny　something　like　a　monstrous

leech　rolling　up　and　down　as　it　travelled　in　the　stream。　　Quonab

whispered；　〃Otter；〃　and　made　ready　his　gun；　but　it　dived　and

showed　itself　no　more。　At　one　of　the　camps　they　were　awakened　by

an　extraordinary　tattoo　in　the　middle　of　the　night　　a　harsh

rattle　close　by　their　heads；　and　they　got　up　to　find　that　a

porcupine　was　rattling　his　teeth　on　the　frying…pan　in　an　effort

to　increase　the　amount　of　salt　that　he　could　taste　on　it。

Skookum；　tied　to　a　tree；　was　vainly　protesting　against　the

intrusion　and　volunteered　to　make　a　public　example　of　the

invader。　　The　campers　did　not　finally　get　rid　of　the　spiny　one

till　all　their　kitchen　stuff　was　hung　beyond　his　reach。



Once　they　heard　the　sharp；　short　bark　of　a　fox；　and　twice　or

thrice　the　soft；　sweet；　moaning　call　of　the　gray　wolf　out　to

hunt。　　Wild　fowl　abounded；　and　their　diet　was　varied　by　the　ducks

that　one　or　other　of　the　hunters　secured　at　nearly　every　camp。



On　the　second　day　they　saw　three　deer；　and　on　the　third　morning

Quonab　loaded　his　gun　with　buckshot；　to　be　ready；　then　sallied

forth　at　dawn。　　Rolf　was　following；　but　the　Indian　shook　his

head；　then　said：　〃Don't　make　fire　for　half　an　hour。〃



In　twenty　minutes　Rolf　heard　the　gun；　then　later　the　Indian

returned　with　a　haunch　of　venison；　and　when　they　left　that　camp

they　stopped　a　mile　up　the　river　to　add　the　rest　of　the　venison

to　their　cargo。　　Seven　other　deer　were　seen；　but　no　more　killed；

yet　Rolf　was　burning　to　try　his　hand　as　a　hunter。　　Many　other

opportunities　he　had；　and　improved　some　of　them。　　On　one　wood

portage　he；　or　rather　Skookum；　put　up　a　number　of　ruffed　grouse。

These　perched　in　the　trees　above　their　heads　and　the　travellers

stopped。　　While　the　dog　held　their　attention　Rolf　with　blunt

arrows　knocked　over　five　that　proved　most　acceptable　as　food。

But　his　thoughts　were　now　on　deer；　and　his　ambition　was　to　go　out

alone　and　return　with　a　load　of　venison。



Another　and　more　thrilling　experience　followed　quickly。　Rounding

a　bend　in　the　early　dawn　they　sighted　a　black　bear　and　two　cubs

rambling　along　the　gravelly　bank　and　stopping　now　and　then　to　eat

something　that　turned　out　to　be　crayfish。



Quonab　had　not　seen　a　bear　since　childhood；　when　he　and　his

father　hunted　along　the　hardwood　ridges　back　of　Myanos；　and　now

he　was　excited。　　He　stopped　paddling；　warned　Rolf　to　do　the　same；

and　let　the　canoe　drift　backward　until　out　of　sight；　then　made

for　the　land。　Quickly　tying　up　the　canoe　he　took　his　gun　and　Rolf

his　hunting　arrows；　and；　holding　Skookum　in　a　leash；　they　dashed

into　the　woods。　　Then；　keeping　out　of　sight；　they　ran　as　fast　and

as　silently　as　possible　in　the　direction　of　the　bears。　　Of

course；　the　wind　was　toward　the　hunters；　or　they　never　could　have

got　so　near。　　Now　they　were　opposite　the　family　group　and　needed

only　a　chance　for　a　fair　shot。　　Sneaking　forward　with　the　utmost

caution；　they　were　surely　within　twenty…five　yards；　but　still　the

bushes　screened　the　crab…eaters。　　As　the　hunters　sneaked；　the　old

bear　stopped　and　sniffed　suspiciously；　the　wind　changed；　she　got

an　unmistakable　whiff；　then　gave　a　loud　warning　〃Koff！　Koff！

Koff！　Koff！〃　and　ran　as　fast　as　she　could。　　The　hunters　knowing

they　were　discovered　rushed　out；　yelling　as　loudly　as　possible；

in　hopes　of　making　the　bears　tree。　　The　old　bear　ran　like　a　horse

with　Skookum　yapping　bravely　in　her　rear。　　The　young　ones；　left

behind；　lost　sight　of　her；　and；　utterly　bewildered　by　the　noise；

made　for　a　tree　conveniently　near　and　scrambled　up　into　the

branches。　　〃Now；〃　Rolf　thought；　judging　by　certain　tales　he　had

heard；　〃that　old　bear　will　come　back　and　there　will　be　a　fight。〃



〃Is　she　coming　back？〃　he　asked　nervously。



The　Indian　laughed。　　〃No；　she　is　running　yet。　　Black　bear　always

a　coward；　they　never　fight　when　they　can　run　away。〃



The　little　ones　up　the　tree　were；　of　course；　at　the　mercy　of　the

hunters；　and　in　this　case　it　was　not　a　broken　straw　they　depended

on；　but　an　ample　salvation。　　〃We　don't　need　the　meat　and　can't

carry　it　with　us；　let's　leave　them；〃　said　Rolf；　but　added；　〃Will

they　find　their　mother？〃



〃Yes；　bime…by；　they　come　down　and　squall　all　over　woods。　　She

will　hang　round　half　a　mile　away　and　by　night　all　will　be

together。〃



Their　first　bear　hunt　was　over。　　Not　a　shot　fired；　not　a　bear

wounded；　not　a　mile　travelled；　and　not　an　hour　lost。　　And　yet　it

seemed　much　more　full　of　interesting　thrills　than　did　any　one　of

the　many　stirring　bear　hunts　that　Rolf　and　Quonab　shared　together

in　the　days　that　were　to　come。







Chapter　19。　The　Footprint　on　the　Shore



Jesup's　River　was　a　tranquil　stream　that　came　from　a　region　of

swamps；　and　would　have　been　easy　canoeing　but　for　the　fallen

trees。　　Some　of　these　had　been　cut　years　ago；　showing　that　the

old　trapper　had　used　this　route。　　Once　they　were　unpleasantly

surprised　by　seeing　a　fresh　chopping　on　the　bank；　but　their

mourning　was　changed　into　joy　when　they　found　it　was　beaver…work。



Ten　miles　they　made　that　day。　　In　the　evening　they　camped　on　the

shore　of　Jesup's　Lake；　proud　and　happy　in　the　belief　that　they

were　the　rightful　owners　of　it　all。　That　night　they　heard　again

and　again　the　howling　of　wolves；　but　it　seemed　on　the　far　side　of

the　lake。　　In　the　morning　they　went　out　on　foot　to　explore；　and

at　once　had　the　joy　of　seeing　five　deer；　while　tracks　showed　on

every　side。　　It　was　evidently　a　paradise　for　deer；　and　there　were

in　less　degree　the　tracks　of　other　animals　　mink　in　fair

abundance；　one　or　two　otters；　a　mountain　lion；　and　a　cow　moose

with　her　calf。　　It　was　thrilling　to　see　such　a　feast　of

possibilities。　　The　hunters　were　led　on　and　on；　revelling　in　the

prospect　of　many　joys　before　them；　when　all　at　once　they　came　on

something　that　turned　their　joy　to　grief　　the　track　of　a　man；

the　fresh　imprint　of　a　cowhide　boot。　　It　was　maddening。　　At　first

blush；　it　meant　some　other　trapper　ahead　of　them　with　a　prior

claim　to　the　valley；　a　claim　that　the　unwritten　law　would　allow。

They　followed　it　a　mile。　　It　went　striding　along　the　shore　at　a

great　pace；　sometimes　running；　and　keeping　down　the　west　shore。

Then　they　found　a　place　where　he　had　sat　down　and　broken　a　lot　of

clam　shells；　and　again　had　hastened　on。　　But　there　was　no　mark　of

gunstock　or　other　weapon　where　he　sat；　and　why　was　he　wearing

boots？　The　hunters　rarely　did。



For　two　mi