rolf in the woods-第27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！



murderer's　horns　and　ward　them　off　his　vitals。　The　buck　made　a

furious　lunge。　　Oh！　what　foul　fiend　was　it　gave　him　then　such

force？　　and　Rolf　went　down。　Clinging　for　dear　life　to　those

wicked；　shameful　horns；　he　yelled　as　he　never　yelled　before：

〃Quonab；　Quonabi　help　me；　oh；　help　me！〃　　But　he　was　pinned　at

once；　the　fierce　brute　above　him　pressing　on　his　chest；　striving

to　bring　its　horns　to　bear；　his　only　salvation　had　been　that

their　wide　spread　gave　his　body　room　between。　　But　the　weight　on

his　chest　was　crushing　out　his　force；　his　life；　he　had　no　breath

to　call　again。　　How　the　ravens　chuckled；　and　〃haw…hawed〃　in　the

tree！



The　buck's　eyes　gleamed　again　with　the　emerald　light　of　murderous

hate；　and　he　jerked　his　strong　neck　this　way　and　that　with　the

power　of　madness。　　It　could　not　last　for　long。　　The　boy's

strength　was　going　fast；　the　beast　was　crushing　in　his　chest。



〃Oh；　God；　help　me！〃　he　gasped；　as　the　antlered　fiend　began　again

struggling　for　the　freedom　of　those　murderous　horns。　　The　brute

was　almost　free；　when　the　ravens　rose　with　loud　croaks；　and　out

of　the　woods　dashed　another　to　join　the　fight。　　A　smaller　deer？

No；　what？　　Rolf　knew　not；　nor　how；　but　in　a　moment　there　was　a

savage　growl　and　Skookum　had　the　murderer　by　the　hind　leg。

Worrying　and　tearing　he　had　not　the　strength　to　throw　the　deer；

but　his　teeth　were　sharp；　his　heart　was　in　his　work；　and　when　he

transferred　his　fierce　attack　to　parts　more　tender　still；　the

buck；　already　spent；　reared；　wheeled；　and　fell。　Before　he　could

recover　Skookum　pounced　upon　him　by　the　nose　and　hung　on　like　a

vice。　　The　buck　could　swing　his　great　neck　a　little；　and　drag　the

dog；　but　he　could　not　shake　him　off。　　Rolf　saw　the　chance；　rose

to　his　tottering　legs；　seized　his　hatchet；　stunned　the　fierce

brute　with　a　blow。　Then　finding　on　the　snow　his　missing　knife　he

gave　the　hunter　stroke　that　spilled　the　red　life…blood　and　sank

on　the　ground　to　know　no　more　till　Quonab　stood　beside　him。







Chapter　33。　A　Song　of　Praise



ROLF　was　lying　by　a　fire　when　he　came　to；　Quonab　bending　over　him

with　a　look　of　grave　concern。　When　he　opened　his　eyes；　the　Indian

smiled；　such　a　soft；　sweet　smile；　with　long；　ivory　rows　in　its

background。



Then　he　brought　hot　tea；　and　Rolf　revived　so　he　could　sit　up　and

tell　the　story　of　the　morning。



〃He　is　an　evil　Manito；〃　and　he　looked　toward　the　dead　buck；　〃we

must　not　eat　him。　　You　surely　made　medicine　to　bring　Skookum。〃



〃Yes；　I　made　medicine　with　my　mouth；〃　was　the　answer；　　〃I　called；

I　yelled；　when　he　came　at　me。〃



〃It　is　a　long　way　from　here　to　the　cabin；〃　was　Quonab's　reply。

〃I　could　not　hear　you；　Skookum　could　not　hear　you；　but　Cos　Cob；

my　father；　told　me　that　when　you　send　out　a　cry　for　help；　you

send　medicine；　too；　that　goes　farther　than　the　cry。　　May　be　so；　I

do　not　know：　my　father　was　very　wise。〃



〃Did　you　see　Skookum　come；　Quonab？　　〃



〃No；　he　was　with　me　hours　after　you　left；　but　he　was　restless　and

whimpered。　　Then　he　left　me　and　it　was　a　long　time　before　I　heard

him　bark。　　It　was　the　'something…　wrong'　bark。　　I　went。　　He

brought　me　here。〃



〃He　must　have　followed　my　track　all　'round　the　line。〃



After　an　hour　they　set　out　for　the　cabin。　　The　ravens　〃Ha…ha…ed〃

and　〃Ho…ho…ed〃　as　they　went。　　Quonab　took　the　fateful　horn　that

Rolf　had　chopped　off；　and　hung　it　on　a　sapling　with　a　piece　of

tobacco　and　a　red　yam　streamer　　　　　'；　to　appease　the　evil　spirit

that　surely　was　near。　　There　it　hung　for　years　after；　until　the

sapling　grew　to　a　tree　that　swallowed　the　horn；　all　but　the　tip；

which　rotted　away。



Skookum　took　a　final　sniff　at　his　fallen　enemy；　gave　the　body　the

customary　expression　of　a　dog's　contempt；　then　led　the　procession

homeward。



Not　that　day；　not　the　next；　but　on　the　first　day　of　calm；　red；

sunset　sky；　went　Quonab　to　his　hill　of　worship；　and　when　the

little　fire　that　he　lit　sent　up　its　thread　of　smoke；　like　a

plumb…line　from　the　red　cloud　over　bim；　he　burnt　a　pinch　of

tobacco；　and；　with　face　and　arms　upraised　in　the　red　light；　he

sang　a　new　song：



〃The　evil　one　set　a　trap　for　my　son；　But　the　Manito　saved　him；　In

the　form　of　a　Skookum　he　saved　him。〃







Chapter　34。　The　Birch…bark　Vessels



Rolf　was　sore　and　stiff　for　a　week　afterward；　so　was　Skookum。

There　were　times　when　Quonab　was　cold；　moody；　and　silent　for

days。　　Then　some　milder　wind　would　blow　in　the　region　of　his

heart　and　the　bleak　ice　surface　melted　into　running　rills　of

memory　or　kindly　emanation。



Just　before　the　buck　adventure；　there　had　been　an　　unpleasant

time　of　chill　and　aloofness。　　It　arose　over　little。　Since　the

frost　had　come；　sealing　the　waters　outside；　Quonab　would　wash　his

hands　in　the　vessel　that　was　also　the　bread　pan。　　Rolf　had　New

England　ideas　of　propriety　in　cooking　matters；　and　finally　he

forgot　the　respect　due　to　age　and　experience。　　That　was　one

reason　why　he　went　out　alone　that　day。　　Now；　with　time　to　think

things　over；　the　obvious　safeguard　would　be　to　have　a　wash　bowl；

but　where　to　get　it？　　In　those　days；　tins　were　scarce　and　ex…

pensive。　　It　was　the　custom　to　look　in　the　woods　for　nearly　all

the　necessaries　of　life；　and；　guided　by　ancient　custom　and

experience；　they　seldom　looked　in　vain。　　Rolf　had　seen；　and

indeed　made；　watering　troughs；　pig　troughs；　sap　troughs；　hen

troughs；　etc。；　all　his　life；　and　he　now　set　to　work　with　the　axe

and　a　block　of　basswood　to　hew　out　a　trough　for　a　wash　bowl。

With　adequate　tools　he　might　have　made　a　good　one；　but；　working

with　an　axe　and　a　stiff　arm；　the　result　was　a　very　heavy；　crude

affair。　　It　would　indeed　hold　water；　but　it　was　almost　impossible

to　dip　it　into　the　water　hole；　so　that　a　dipper　was　needed。



When　Quonab　saw　the　plan　and　the　result；　he　said：　〃In　my　father's

lodge　we　had　only　birch　bark。　　See；　I　shall　make　a　bowl。〃　He　took

from　the　storehouse　a　big　roll　of　birch　bark；　gathered　in　warm

weather　（it　can　scarcely　be　done　in　cold）；　for　use　in　repairing

the　canoe。　　Selecting　a　good　part　he　cut　out　a　square；　two　feet

each　way；　and　put　it　in　the　big　pot　which　was　full　of　boiling

water。　　At　the　same　time　he　soaked　with　it　a　bundle　of　wattap；　or

long　fibrous　roots　of　the　white　spruce；　also　gathered　before　the

frost　came；　with　a　view　to　canoe　repairs　in　the　spring。



While　these　were　softening　in　the　hot　water；　he　cut　a　couple　of

long　splints　of　birch；　as　nearly　as　possible　half　an　inch　wide

and　an　eighth　of　an　inch　thick；　and　put　them　to　steep　with　the

bark。　　Next　he　made　two　or　three　straddle　pins　or　clamps；　like

clothes　pegs；　by　splitting　the　ends　of　some　sticks　which　had　a

knot　at　one　end。



Now　he　took　out　the　spruce　roots；　soft　and　pliant；　and　selecting

a　lot　that　were　about　an　eighth　of　an　inch　in　diameter；　scraped

off　the　bark　and　roughness；　until　he　had　a　bundle　of　perhaps　ten

feet　of　soft；　even；　white　cords。



The　bark　was　laid　flat　and　cut　as　below。



The　rounding　of　A　and　B　is　necessary；　for　the　holes　of　the　sewing

would　tear　the　piece　off　if　all　were　on　the　same　line　of　grain。

Each　corner　was　now　folded　and　doubled　on　itself　（C）；　then　held

so　with　a　straddle　pin　（D）。　　The　rim　was　trimmed　so　as　to　be　flat

where　it　crossed　the　fibre　of　the　bark；　and　arched　where　it　ran

along。　　The　pliant　rods　of　birch　were　bent　around　this；　and　using

the　large　awl　to　make　holes；　Quonab　sewed　the　rim　rods　to　the

bark　with　an　over…lapping　stitch　that　made　a　smooth　finish　to　the

edge；　and　the　birch…bark　wash　pan　was　complete。　（E。）　Much　heavier

bark　can　be　used　if　the　plan　F　G　　be　followed；　but　it　is　hard　to

make　it　water…tight。



So　now　they　had　a　wash　pan　and　a　cause　of　friction　was　removed。

Rolf　found　it　amusing　as　well　as　useful　to　make　other　bark

vessels　of　varying　sizes　for　dippers　and　dunnage。　It　was　work

that　he　could　do　now　while　he　was　resting　and　recovering　and　he

became　expert。　　After　watching　a　fairly　successful　attempt　at　a

box　to　hold　fish…hooks　and　tackle；　Qu