rolf in the woods-第18章

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times；　first　by　wetting　his　finger；　which　test　said　〃southwest〃；

second；　by　tossing　up　some　handfuls　of　dried　grass；　which　said

〃yes；　southwest；　but　veering　southerly　in　this　glade。〃　So　he　knew

he　might　crawl　silentlv　to　the　north　side　of　that　bush。　　He

looked　to　the　priming　of　his　gun　and　began　a　slow　and　stealthy

stalk；　selecting　such　openings　as　might　be　passed　without　effort

or　movement　of　bushes　or　likelihood　of　sound。　　He　worked　his　way

step　by　step；　each　time　his　foot　was　lifted　he　set　it　down　again

only　after　trying　the　footing。　　At　each　step　he　paused　to　look

and　listen。　　It　was　only　one　hundred　yards　to　the　interesting

spot；　but　Rolf　was　fifteen　minutes　in　covering　the　distance；　and

more　than　once；　he　got　a　great　start　as　a　chicadee　flew　out　or　a

woodpecker　tapped。　　His　heart　beat　louder　and　louder；　so　it

seemed　everything　near　must　hear；　but　he　kept　on　his　careful

stalk；　and　at　last　had　reached　the　thicket　that　had　given　him

such　thrills　and　hopes。　　Here　he　stood　and　watched　for　a　full

minute。　　Again　he　tried　the　wind；　and　proceeded　to　circle　slowly

to　the　west　of　the　place。



After　a　long；　tense　crawl　of　twenty　yards　he　came　on　the　track

and　sign　of　a　big　buck；　perfectly　fresh；　and　again　his　heart

worked　harder；　it　seemed　to　be　pumping　his　neck　full　of　blood；　so

he　was　choking。　　He　judged　it　best　to　follow　this　hot　trail　for　a

time；　and　holding　his　gun　ready　cocked　he　stepped　softly　onward。

A　bluejay　cried　out；　〃jay；　jay！〃　with　startling　loudness；　and

seemingly　enjoyed　his　pent…up　excitement。　　A　few　steps　forward　at

slow；　careful　stalk；　and　then　behind　him　he　heard　a　loud

whistling　hiss。　　Instantly　turning　he　found　himself　face　to　face

with　a　great；　splendid　buck　in　the　short　blue　coat。　　There　not

thirty　yards　away　he　stood；　the　creature　he　had　been　stalking　so

long；　in　plain　view　now；　broadside　on。　　They　gazed　each　at　the

other；　perfectly　still　for　a　few　seconds；　then　Rolf　without　undue

movement　brought　the　gun　to　bear；　and　still　the　buck　stood

gazing。　　The　gun　was　up；　but　oh；　how　disgustingly　it　wabbled　and

shook！　and　the　steadier　Rolf　tried　to　bold　it；　the　more　it

trembled；　until　from　that　wretched　gun　the　palsy　spread　all　over

his　body；　his　breath　came　tremulously；　his　legs　and　arms　were

shaking；　and　at　last；　as　the　deer　moved　its　head　to　get　a　better

view　and　raised　its　tail；　the　lad；　making　an　effort　at

selfcontrol；　pulled　the　trigger。　　Bang！　and　the　buck　went　lightly

bounding　out　of　sight。



Poor　Rolf；　how　disgusted　he　felt；　positively　sick　with

self…contempt。　　　Thirty　yards；　standing；　broadside　on；　full

daylight；　a　big　buck；　a　clean　miss。　　Yes；　there　was　the　bullet

hole　in　a　tree；　five　feet　above　the　deer's　head。　〃I'm　no　good；

I'll　never　be　a　hunter；〃　he　groaned；　then　turned　and　slowly

tramped　back　to　camp。　　Quonab　looked　inquiringly；　for；　of　course；

he　heard　the　shot。　　He　saw　a　glum　and　sorry…looking　youth；　who　in

response　to　his　inquiring　look　gave　merely　a　head…shake；　and　hung

up　the　gun　with　a　vicious　bang。



Quonab　took　down　the　gun；　wiped　it　out；　reloaded　it；　then　turning

to　the　boy　said：　〃Nibowaka；　you　feel　pretty　sick。　　Ugh！　You　know

why？　　You　got　a　good　chance；　but　you　got　buck　fever。　　It　is

always　so；　every　one　the　first　time。　　You　go　again　to…morrow　and

you　get　your　deer。〃



Rolf　made　no　reply。　　So　Quonab　ventured；　〃You　want　me　to　go？〃

That　settled　it　for　Rolf；　his　pride　was　touched。



〃No；　I'll　go　again　in　the　morning。〃



In　the　dew　time　he　was　away　once　more　on　the　hunting　　trail。

There　was　no　wind；　but　the　southwest　was　the　likeliest　to　spring

up。　　So　he　went　nearly　over　his　last　night's　track。　　He　found　it

much　easier　to　go　silently　now　when　all　the　world　was　dew　wet；

and　travelled　quickly。　Past　the　fateful　glade　he　went；　noted

again　the　tree　torn　several　feet　too　high　up；　and　on。　　Then　the

cry　of　a　bluejay　rang　out；　this　is　often　a　notification　of　deer

at　hand。　　It　always　is　warning　of　something　doing；　and　no　wise

hunter　ignores　it。



Rolf　stood　for　a　moment　listening　and　peering。　　He　thought　he

heard　a　scraping　sound；　then　again　the　bluejay；　but　the　former

ceased　and　the　jay…note　died　in　the　distance。　　He　crept

cautiously　on　again　for　a　few　minutes；　another　opening　appeared。

He　studied　this　from　a　hiding　place；　then　far　across　he　saw　a

little　flash　near　the　ground。　His　heart　gave　a　jump；　he　studied

the　place；　saw　again　the　flash　and　then　made　out　the　head　of　a

deer；　a　doe　that　was　lying　in　the　long　grass。　　The　flash　was　made

by　its　ear　shaking　off　a　fly。　　Rolf　looked　to　his　priming；　braced

himself；　got　fully　ready；　then　gave　a　short；　sharp　whistle；

instantly　the　doe　rose　to　her　feet；　then　another　appeared；　a

sinal　one；　then　a　young　buck；　all　stood　gazing　his　way。



Up　went　the　gun；　but　again　its　muzzle　began　to　wabble。　Rolf

lowered　it；　said　grimly　and　savagely　to　himself；　〃I　will　not

shake　this　time。〃　　The　deer　stretched　themselves　and　began　slowly

walking　toward　the　lake。　　All　had　disappeared　but　the　buck。　　Rolf

gave　another　whistle　that　turned　the　antler…bearer　to　a　statue。

Controlling　himself　with　a　strong　〃I　will；〃　he　raised　the　gun；

held　it　steadily；　and　fired。　　The　buck　gave　a　gathering　spasm；　a

bound；　and　disappeared。　　Rolf　felt　sick　again　with　disgust；　but

he　reloaded；　then　hastily　went　forward。



There　was　the　deep　imprint　showing　where　the　buck　had　bounded　at

the　shot；　but　no　blood。　　He　followed；　and　a　dozen　feet　away　found

the　next　hoof　marks　and　on　them　a　bright…red　stain；　on　and

another　splash；　and　more　and　shortening　bounds；　till　one　hundred

yards　away　…　yes；　there　it　lay；　the　round；　gray　form；　quite　dead；

shot　through　the　heart。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I



Rolf　gave　a　long；　rolling　war　cry　and　got　an　answer　from　a　point

that　was　startlingly　near；　and　Quonab　stepped　from　behind　a　tree。



〃I　got　him；〃　shouted　Rolf。



The　Indian　smiled。　　〃I　knew　you　would；　so　I　followed；　last　night

I　knew　you　must　have　your　shakes；　so　let　you　go　it　alone。〃



Very　carefully　that　deer　was　skinned；　and　Rolf　learned　the　reason

for　many　little　modes　of　procedure。



After　the　hide　was　removed　from　the　body　（not　the　hand　or　legs）；

Quonab　carefully　cut　out　the…broad　sheath　of　tendon　that　cover

the　muscles；　beginning　at　the　hip　bones　on　the　back　and　extending

up　to　the　shoulders；　this　is　the　sewing　sinew。　　Then　he　cut　out

the　two　long　fillets　of　meat　that　lie　on　each　side　of　the　spine

outside　（the　loin）　and　the　two　smaller　ones　inside　（the

tenderloin）。



These；　with　the　four　quarters；　the　heart；　and　the　kidneys；　were

put　into　the　hide。　　The　entrails；　head；　neck；　legs；　feet；　he　left

for　the　foxes；　but　the　hip　bone　or　sacrum　he　hung　in　a　tree　with

three　little　red　yarns　from　them；　so　that　the　Great　Spirit　would

be　pleased　and　send　good　hunting。　　Then　addressing　the　head　he

said：　〃Little　brother；　forgive　us。　　We　are　sorry　to　kill　you。

Behold！　we　give　you　the　honour　of　red　streamers。〃　　Then　bearing

the　rest　they　tramped　back　to　camp。



The　meat　wrapped　in　sacks　to　keep　off　the　flies　was　hung　in　the

shade；　but　the　hide　he　buried　in　the　warm　mud　of　a　swamp　hole；

and　three　days　later；　when　the　hair　began　to　slip；　he　scraped　it

clean。　　A　broad　ash　wood　hoop　he　had　made　ready　and　when　the

green　rawhide　was　strained　on　it　again　the　Indian　had　an　Indian

drum。



It　was　not　truly　dry　for　two　or　three　days　and　as　it　tightened　on

its　frame　it　gave　forth　little　sounds　of　click　and　shrinkage　that

told　of　the　strain　the　tensioned　rawhide　made。　　Quonab　tried　it

that　night　as　he　sat　by　the　fire　softly　singing：



〃Ho　da　ho…he　da　he。〃



But　the　next　day　before　sunrise　he　climbed　the　hill　and　sitting

on　the　sun…up　rock　he　hailed　the　Day　God　with　the　invocation；　as

he　had　not　sung　it　since　the　day　they　left　the　great　rock　above

the　Asalnuk；　and　followed　with　the　song：



〃Father；　we　thank　thee；　We　have　found　the　good　hunting。　There　is

meat　in　the　wigwam。〃







Chapter　22。　The　Line　of　Traps



Now　t