rolf in the woods-第39章

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spite　some　one　else　　which　'minds　me　o'　McCarthy's　bull　pup

that　saved　the　drowning　kittens　by　mistake；　and　ever　after　was　a

fightin'　cat　protector；　whereby　he　lost　the　chief　joy　o'　his

life；　which　had　been　cat…killin'。　　An'　the　way　they　cured　the　cat

o'　eatin'　squirrels　was　givin'　her　a　litter　o'　squirrels　to　raise。



〃I　tell　ye　there's　a　lot　o'　common…sense　an'　kindness　in　the

country；　only　it's　so　dum　slow　to　git　around；　while　the

cussedness　and　meanness　always　acts　like　they　felt　the　hell　fire

sizzlin'　their　hind…end　whiskers；　an'　knowed　they　had　jest　so

many　minutes　to　live　an'　make　a　record。　　There's　where　a　man's

smart　that　fixes　things　so　he　kin　hold　out　a　long　time；　fer　the

good　stuff　in　men's　minds　is　what　lasts；　and　the　feller　what　can

stay　with　it　hez　proved　hisself　by　stayin'。　　How'd　ye　happen　to

tie　up　with　the　Injun；　Rolf？〃



〃Do　ye　want　me　to　tell　it　long　or　short？〃　was　the　reply。　〃Wall；

short；　fer　a　start；〃　and　Silas　Sylvanne　chuckled。



So　Rolf　gave　a　very　brief　account　of　his　early　life。



〃Pretty　good；〃　said　the　miller；　〃now　let's　hear　it　long。〃



And　when　he　had　finished；　the　miller　said：　〃I've　seen　yer　tried

fer　most　everything　that　goes　to　make　a　man；　Rolf；　an'　I　hev　my

own　notion　of　the　results。　　You　ain't　goin'　to　live　ferever　in

them　hills。　　When　ye've　hed　yer　fling　an'　want　a　change；　let　me　know。〃



Early　next　day　the　two　hunters　paddled　up　the　Moose　River　with　a

good　canoe；　an　outfit　of　groceries；　and　a　small　supply　of　ready　cash。



〃Good…bye；　lad；　good…bye！　　Come　back　again　and　ye'll　find　we

improve　on　acquaintance；　an'　don't　forget　I'm　buying　fur；〃　was　Si

Sylvanne's　last　word。　　And　as　they　rounded　the　point；　on　the　home

way；　Rolf　turned　in　the　canoe；　faced　Quonab；　and　said：　〃Ye　see

there　are　some　good　white　men　left；〃　but　the　Indian　neither

blinked；　nor　moved；　nor　made　a　sound。







Chapter　48。　Rolf's　Lesson　in　Trailing



The　return　journey　was　hard　paddling　against　strong　waters；　but

otherwise　uneventful。　　Once　over　any　trail　is　enough　to　fix　it　in

the　memory　of　a　woodman。　　They　made　no　mistakes　and　their　loads

were　light；　so　the　portages　were　scarcely　any　loss　of　time；　and

in　two　days　they　were　back　at　Hoag's　cabin。



Of　this　they　took　possession。　　First；　they　gathered　all　things　of

value；　and　that　was　little　since　the　furs　and　bedding　were　gone；

but　there　were　a　few　traps　and　some　dishes。　　The　stuff　was　made

in　two　packs；　now　it　was　an　overland　journey；　so　the　canoe　was

hidden　in　a　cedar　thicket；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　inland。　　The　two

were　about　to　shoulder　the　packs；　Quonab　was　lighting　his　pipe

for　a　start；　when　Rolf　said：



〃Say；　Quonab！　that　fellow　we　saw　at　the　Falls　claimed　to　be

Hoag's　partner。　　He　may　come　on　here　and　make　trouble　if　we　don't

head　him　off。　　Let's　burn　her；〃　and　he　nodded　toward　the　shanty。



〃Ugh！〃　was　the　reply。



They　gathered　some　dry　brush　and　a　lot　of　birch　bark；　piled　them

up　against　the　wall　inside；　and　threw　plenty　of　firewood　on　this。

With　flint　and　steel　Quonab　made　the　vital　spark；　the　birch　bark

sputtered；　the　dry；　resinous　logs　were　easily　set　ablaze；　and

soon　great　volumes　of　smoke　rolled　from　the　door；　the　window；　and

the　chimney；　and　Skookum；　standing　afar；　barked　pleasantly　aloud。



The　hunters　shouldered　their　packs　and　began　the　long；　upward

slope。　　In　an　hour　they　had　reached　a　high；　rocky　ridge。　　Here

they　stopped　to　rest；　and；　far　below　them；　marked　with　grim　joy　a

twisted；　leaning　column　of　thick　black　smoke。



That　night　they　camped　in　the　woods　and　next　day　rejoiced　to　be

back　again　at　their　own　cabin；　their　own　lake；　their　home。



Several　times　during　the　march　they　had　seen　fresh　deer　tracks；

and　now　that　the　need　of　meat　was　felt；　Rolf　proposed　a　deer

hunt。



Many　deer　die　every　winter；　some　are　winter…killed；　many　are

devoured　by　beasts　of　prey；　or　killed　by　hunters；　their　numbers

are　at　low　ebb　in　April；　so　that　now　one　could　not　count　on

finding　a　deer　by　roaming　at　random。　It　was　a　case　for　trailing。



Any　one　can　track　a　deer　in　the　snow。　　It　is　not　very　hard　to

follow　a　deer　in　soft　ground；　when　there　are　no　other　deer　about。

But　it　is　very　hard　to　take　one　deer　trail　and　follow　it　over

rocky　ground　and　dead　leaves；　never　losing　it　or　changing　off；

when　there　are　hundreds　of　deer　tracks　running　in　all　directions。



Rolf's　eyes　were　better　than　Quonab's；　but　experience　counts　for

as　much　as　eyes；　and　Quonab　was　leading。　They　picked　out　a　big

buck　track　that　was　fresh　　no　good　hunter　kills　a　doe　at　this

season。　　They　knew　it　for　a　buck；　because　of　its　size　and　the

roundness　of　the　toes。



Before　long；　Rolf　said：　〃See；　Quonab；　I　want　to　learn　this

business；　let　me　do　the　trailing；　and　you　set　me　right　if　I　get

off　the　line。〃



Within　a　hundred　yards；　Quonab　gave　a　grunt　and　shook　his　head。

Rolf　looked　surprised；　for　he　was　on　a　good；　fresh　track。



Quonab　said　but　one　word；　〃Doe。〃



Yes；　a　closer　view　showed　the　tracks　to　be　a　little　narrower；　　a

little　closer　together；　and　a　little　sharper　than　those　he　began

with。



Back　went　Rolf　to　the　last　marks　that　he　was　sure　of；　and　plainly

read　where　the　buck　had　turned　aside。　For　a　time；　things　went

along　smoothly；　Quonab　and　Skookum　following　Rolf。　　The　last　was

getting　very　familiar　with　that　stub　hoof　on　the　left　foot。　　At

length　they　came　to　the　〃fumet〃　or　〃sign〃；　it　was　all　in　one

pile。　That　meant　the　deer　had　stood；　so　was　unalarmed；　and　warm；

that　meant　but　a　few　minutes　ahead。　　Now；　they　must　use　every

precaution　for　this　was　the　crux　of　the　hunt。　Of　this　much　only

they　were　sure　　the　deer　was　within　range　now；　and　to　get　him

they　must　see　him　before　he　saw　them。



Skookum　was　leashed。　　Rolf　was　allowed　to　get　well　ahead；　and

crawling　cautiously；　a　step　at　a　time；　he　went；　setting　down　his

moccasined　foot　only　after　he　had　tried　and　selected　a　place。

Once　or　twice　he　threw　into　the　air　a　tuft　of　dry　grass　to　make

sure　that　the　wind　was　right；　and　by　slow　degrees　he　reached　the

edge　of　a　little　opening。



Across　this　he　peered　long；　without　entering　it。　　Then　he　made　a

sweep　with　his　hand　and　pointed；　to　let　Quonab　know　the　buck　had

gone　across　and　he　himself　must　go　around。　　But　he　lingered　still

and　with　his　eyes　swept　the　near　woods。　　Then；　dim　gray　among　the

gray　twigs；　he　saw　a　slight　movement；　so　slight　it　might　have

been　made　by　the　tail　of　a　tomtit。　　But　it　fixed　his　attention；

and　out　of　this　gray　haze　he　slowly　made　out　the　outline　of　a

deer's　head；　antlers；　and　neck。　　A　hundred　yards　away；　but　〃take

a　chance　when　it　comes〃　is　hunter　wisdom。　　Rolf　glanced　at　the

sight；　took　steady　aim；　fired；　and　down　went　the　buck　behind　a

log。　　Skookum　whined　and　leaped　high　in　his　eagerness　to　see。

Rolf　restrained　his　impatience　to　rush　forward；　at　once　reloaded；

then　all　three　went　quickly　to　the　place。　　Before　they　were

within　fifty　yards；　the　deer　leaped　up　and　bounded　off。　　At

seventy…five　yards；　it　stood　for　a　moment　to　gaze。　　Rolf　fired

again；　again　the　buck　fell　down；　but　jumped　to　its　feet　and

bounded　away。



They　went　to　the　two　places；　but　found　no　blood。　Utterly　puzzled；

they　gave　it　up　for　the　day；　as　already　the　shades　of　night　were

on　the　woods；　and　in　spite　of　Skookum's　voluble　offer　to　solve

and　settle　everything；　they　returned　to　the　cabin。



〃What　do　you　make　of　it；　Quonab？'



The　Indian　shook　his　head；　then：　〃Maybe　touched　his　head　and

stunned　him；　first　shot；　second；　wah！　　I　not　know。〃



〃I　know　this；〃　said　Rolf。　　〃I　touched　him　and　I　mean　to　get　him

in　the　morning。〃



True　to　this　resolve；　he　was　there　again　at　dawn；　but　examined

the　place　in　vain　for　a　sign　of　blood。　　The　red　rarely　shows　up

much　on　leaves；　grass；　or　dust；　but　there　are　two　kinds　of　places

that　the　hunter　can　rely　on　as　　telltales　　stones　and　logs。

Rolf　followed　the　deer　track；　now　very　dim；　till　at　a　bare　place

he　found　a　speck　of　blood　on　a　pebble。　　Here　t