rolf in the woods-第21章

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the　scene　that　opened　as　they　cautiously　pushed　through　the

thickets　into　a　high；　hardwood　bush。　　A　deer　rose　out　of　the

grass　and　stared　curiously　at　them；　then　another　and　another

until　nearly　a　dozen　were　in　sight；　still　farther　many　others

appeared；　to　the　left　were　more；　and　movements　told　of　yet　others

to　the　right。　Then　their　white　flags　went　up　and　all　loped　gently

away　on　the　slope　that　rose　to　the　north。　There　may　have　been

twenty　or　thirty　deer　in　sight；　but　the　general　effect　of　all

their　white　tails；　bobbing　away；　was　that　the　woods　were　full　of

deer。　　They　seemed　to　be　there　by　the　hundreds　and　the　joy　of

seeing　so　many　beautiful　live　things　was　helped　in　the　hunters　by

the　feeling　that　this　was　their　own　hunting…ground。　　They　had；

indeed；　reached　the　land　of　plenty。



The　stream　increased　as　they　marched；　many　springs　and　some

important　rivulets　joined　on。　　They　found　some　old　beaver　signs

but　none　new；　and　they　left　their　deadfalls　every　quarter　mile　or　less。



The　stream　began　to　descend　more　quickly　until　it　was　in　a　long；

narrow　valley　with　steep　clay　sides　and　many　pools。　　Here　they

saw　again　and　again　the　tracks　and　signs　of　otter　and　coming

quietly　round　a　turn　that　opened　a　new　reach　they　heard　a　deep

splash；　then　another　and　another。



The　hunters'　first　thought　was　to　tie　up　Skookum；　but　a　glance

showed　that　this　was　unnecessary。　　They　softly　dropped　the　packs

and　the　sick　dog　lay　meekly　down　beside　them。　　Then　they　crept

forward　with　hunter　caution；　favoured　by　an　easterly　breeze。

Their　first　thought　was　of　beaver；　but　they　had　seen　no　recent

sign；　nor　was　there　anything　that　looked　like　a　beaver　pond。　The

measured　splash；　splash；　splash　　was　not　so　far　ahead。　It　might

be　a　bear　snatching　fish；　or　　no；　that　was　too　unpleasant　　a

man　baling　out　a　canoe。　　Still　the　slow　splash；　splash；　went　on

at　intervals；　not　quite　regular。



Now　it　seemed　but　thirty　yards　ahead　and　in　the　creek。



With　the　utmost　care　they　crawled　to　the　edge　of　the　clay　and

opposite　they　saw　a　sight　but　rarely　glimpsed　by　man。　　Here　were

six　otters；　two　evidently　full…grown；　and　four　seeming　young　of

the　pair；　engaged　in　a　most　hilarious　and　human　game　of　tobogganing

down　a　steep　clay　hill　to　plump　into　a　deep　part　at　its　foot。



Plump　went　the　largest；　presumably　the　father；　down　he　went；　to

reappear　at　the　edge；　scramble　out　and　up　an　easy　slope　to　the

top　of　the　twenty…foot　bank。　　Splash；　splash；　splash；　came　three

of　the　young　ones；　splash；　splash；　the　mother　and　one　of　the　cubs

almost　together。



〃Scoot〃　went　the　big　male　again；　and　the　wet　furslopping　and

rubbing　on　the　long　clay　chute　made　it　greasier　and　slipperier

every　time。



Splash；　plump；　splash　　splash；　plump；　splash；　went　the　otter

family　gleefully；　running　up　the　bank　again；　　eager　each　to　be

first；　it　seemed；　and　to　do　the　chute　the　oftenest。



The　gambolling　grace；　the　obvious　good　humour；　the　animal

hilarity　of　it　all；　was　absorbingly　amusing。　　The　trappers　gazed

with　pleasure　that　showed　how　near　akin　are　naturalist　and

hunter。　　Of　course；　they　had　some　covetous　thought　connected　with

those　glossy　hides；　but　this　was　September　still；　and　even　otter

were　not　yet　prime。　Shoot；　plump；　splash；　went　the　happy　crew

with　apparently　　unabated　joy　and　hilarity。　　The　slide　improved

with　use　and　the　otters　seemed　tireless；　when　all　at　once　a　loud

but　muffled　yelp　was　heard　and　Skookum；　forgetting　all　caution；

came　leaping　down　the　bank　to　take　a　hand。



With　a　succession　of　shrill；　birdy　chirps　the　old　otters　warned

their　young。　　Plump；　plump；　plump；　all　shot　into　the　pool；　but　to

reappear；　swimming　with　heads　out；　for　they　were　but　slightly

alarmed。　　This　was　too　much　for　Quonob；　he　levelled　his　flintlock；

snap；　bang；　it　went；　pointed　at　the　old　male；　but　he　dived　at　the

snap　and　escaped。　　Down　the　bank　now　rushed　the　hunters；

joined　by　Skookum；　to　attack　the　otters　in　the　pool；　for　it　was

small　and　shallow；　unless　a　burrow　led　from　it；　they　were　　trapped。



But　the　otters　realized　the　peril。　　All　six　dashed　out　of　the

pool；　down　the　open；　gravelly　stream　the　old　ones　uttering　loud

chirps　that　rang　like　screams。　　Under　the　fallen　logs　and　brush

they　glided；　dodging　beneath　roots　and　over　banks；　pursued　by　the

hunters；　each　armed　with　a　club　and　by　Skookum　not　armed　at　all。



The　otters　seemed　to　know　where　they　were　going　and　distanced　all

but　the　dog。　　Forgetting　his　own　condition　Skookum　had　almost

overtaken　one　of　the　otter　cubs　when　the　mother　wheeled　about

and；　hissing　and　snarling；　charged。　　Skookum　was　lucky　to　get　off

with　a　slight　nip；　for　the　otter　is　a　dangerous　fighter。　　But　the

unlucky　dog　was　sent　howling　back　to　the　two　packs　that　he　never

should　have　left。



The　hunters　now　found　an　open　stretch　of　woods　through　which

Quonab　could　run　ahead　and　intercept　the　otters　as　they　bounded

on　down　the　stream　bed；　pursued　by　Rolf；　who　vainly　tried　to　deal

a　blow　with　his　club。　　In　a　few　seconds　the　family　party　was　up

to　Quonab；　trapped　it　seemed；　but　there　is　no　more　desperate

assailant　than　an　otter　fighting　for　its　young。　　So　far　from

being　cowed　the　two　old　ones　made　a　simultaneous；　furious　rush　at

the　Indian。　　Wholly　taken　by　surprise；　he　missed　with　his　club；

and　sprang　aside　to　escape　their　jaws。　　　The　family　dashed　around

then　past　him；　and；　urged　by　the　continuous　chirps　of　the　mother；

they　plunged　under　a　succession　of　log　jams　and　into　a　willow

swamp　that　spread　out　into　an　ancient　beaver　lake　and　were

swallowed　up　in　the　silent　wilderness。







Chapter　26。　Back　to　the　Cabin



The　far　end　of　the　long　swamp　the　stream　emerged；　now　much

larger；　and　the　trappers　kept　on　with　their　work。　　When　night

fell　they　had　completed　fifty　traps；　all　told；　and　again　they

camped　without　shelter　overhead。



Next　day　Skookum　was　so　much　worse　that　they　began　to　fear　for

his　life。　　He　had　eaten　nothing　since　the　sad　encounter。　　He

could　drink　a　little；　so　Rolf　made　a　pot　of　soup；　and　when　it　was

cool　the　poor　doggie　managed　to　swallow　some　of　the　liquid　after

half　an　hour's　patient　endeavour。



They　were　now　on　the　home　line；　from　a　hill　top　they　got　a

distant　view　of　their　lake；　though　it　was　at　least　five　miles

away。　　Down　the　creek　they　went；　still　making　their　deadfalls　at

likely　places　and　still　seeing　game　tracks　at　the　muddy　spots。

The　creek　came　at　length　to　an　extensive；　　open；　hardwood　bush；

and　here　it　was　joined　by　another　　stream　that　came　from　the

south；　the　two　making　a　small　river。　　From　then　on　they　seemed　in

a　land　of　game；　trails　of　deer　were　seen　on　the　ground

everywhere；　and　every　few　minutes　they　started　one　or　two　deer。

The　shady　oak　wood　itself　was　flanked　and　varied　with　dense　cedar

swamps　such　as　the　deer　love　to　winter　in；　and　after　they　had

tramped　through　two　miles　of　it；　the　Indian　said；　〃Good！　now　we

know　where　to　come　in　winter　when　we　need　meat。〃



At　a　broad；　muddy　ford　they　passed　an　amazing　number　of　tracks；

mostly　deer；　but　a　few　of　panther；　lynx；　fisher；　wolf；　otter；　and

mink。



In　the　afternoon　they　reached　the　lake。　　The　stream；　quite　a

broad　one　here；　emptied　in　about　four　miles　south　of　the　camp。

Leaving　a　deadfall　near　its　mouth　they　followed　the　shore　and

made　a　log　trap　every　quarter　mile　just　above　the　high　water

mark。



When　they　reached　the　place　of　Rolf's　first　deer　they　turned

aside　to　see　it。　　The　gray　jays　had　picked　a　good　deal　of　the

loose　meat。　　No　large　animal　had　troubled　it；　and　yet　in　the

neighbourhood　they　found　the　tracks　of　both　wolves　and　foxes；



〃Ugh；〃　said　Quonab；　〃they　smell　it　and　come　near；　but　they　know

that　a　man　has　been　here；　they　are　not　very　hungry；　so　keep　away。

This　is　good　for　trap。〃



So　they　made　two　deadfalls　with　the　carrion　half　way　between

them。　　Then　one　or　two　more　traps　and　they　reached　home；　arriving

at　the　camp　just　as　darkness　and　a　heavy　rainfall　began。