rolf in the woods-第55章

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the　deer　to　be　in　fighting　humour。



Flat　on　his　breast　the　Indian　lay。　His　knees　and　elbow　seemed　to

develop　centipedic　power；　his　head　was　a　mere　clump　of　growing

stuff。　He　snaked　his　way　quietly　for　twenty…five　yards；　then　came

to　the　open；　sloping　shore；　with　the　river　forty　yards　wide　of

level　shining　ice；　all　in　plain　view　of　the　deer；　how　was　this　to

be　covered？



There　is　a　well…known　peculiarity　of　the　white　tail　that　the

Indian　was　counting　on；　when　its　head　is　down　grazing；　even

though　not　hidden；　the　deer　does　not　see　distant　objects；　before

the　head　is　raised；　its　tail　is　raised　or　shaken。　Quonab　knew

that　if　he　could　keep　the　tail　in　view；　he　could　avoid　being

viewed　by　the　head。　In　a　word；　only　an　ill…timed　movement　or　a

whiff　could　betray　him。



The　open　ice　was；　of　course；　a　hard　test；　and　the　hunter　might

have　failed；　but　that　his　long　form　looked　like　one　of　the　logs

that　were　lying　about　half　stranded　or　frozen　in　the　stream。



Watching　ever　the　alert　head　and　tail；　he　timed　his　approach；

working　hard　and　moving　East　when　the　head　was　down；　but　when

warned　by　a　tail…jerk　he　turned　to　a　log　nor　moved　a　muscle。　Once

the　ice　was　crossed；　the　danger　of　being　seen　was　less；　but　of

being　smelt　was　greater；　for　the　deer　was　moving　about；　and

Quonab　watched　the　smoke　from　the　cabin　for　knowledge　of　the

wind。　So　he　came　within　fifty　yards；　and　the　buck；　still　sniffing

along　and　eagerly　champing　the　few　red　cranberries　it　found　above

the　frozen　moss；　was　working　toward　a　somewhat　higher　cover。　The

herbage　was　now　fully　eighteen　inches　high；　and　Quonab　moved　a

little　faster。　The　buck　found　a　large　patch　of　berries　under　a

tussock　and　dropped　on　its　knees　to　pick　them　out；　while　Quonab

saw　the　chance　and　gained　ten　yards　before　the　tail　gave　warning。

After　so　long　a　feeding…spell；　the　buck　took　an　extra　long

lookout；　and　then　walked　toward　the　timber；　whereby　the　Indian

lost　all　he　had　gained。　But　the　browser's　eye　was　drawn　by　a

shining　bunch　of　red；　then　another；　and　now　the　buck　swung　until

there　was　danger　of　betrayal　by　the　wind；　then　down　went　its　head

and　Quonab　retreated　ten　yards　to　keep　the　windward。　Once　the

buck　raised　its　muzzle　and　sniffed　with　flaring　nostrils；　as

though　its　ancient　friend　had　brought　a　warning。　But　soon　he

seemed　reassured；　for　the　landscape　showed　no　foe；　and　nosed　back

and　forth；　while　Quonab　regained　the　yards　he　had　lost。　The　buck

worked　now　to　the　taller　cover；　and　again　a　tempting　bunch　of

berries　under　a　low；　dense　bush　caused　it　to　kneel　for　farther

under…reaching。　Quonab　glided　swiftly　forward；　reached　the

twenty…five…yard　limit；　rose　to　one　knee；　bent　the　stark　cedar

bow。　Rolf　saw　the　buck　bound　in　air；　then　make　for　the　wood　with

great；　high　leaps；　the　dash　of　disappointment　was　on　him；　but

Quonab　stood　erect；　with　right　hand　raised；　and　shouted：



〃Ho　　ho。〃



He　knew　that　those　bounds　were　unnecessarily　high；　and　before　the

woods　had　swallowed　up　the　buck；　it　fell　　　rose　　and　fell

again；　to　rise　not。　The　arrow　had　pierced　its　heart。



Then　Rolf　rushed　up　with　kindled　eye　and　exultant　pride　to　slap

his　friend　on　the　back；　and　exclaim：



〃I　never　thought　it　possible；　the　greatest　feat　in　hunting　I　ever

saw；　you　are　a　wonder！〃



To　which　the　Indian　softly　replied；　as　he　smiled：



〃Ho！　it　was　so　I　got　eleven　British　sentries　in　the　war。　They

gave　me　a　medal　with　Washington's　head。〃



〃They　did！　how　is　it　I　never　heard　of　it？　Where　is　it？〃



The　Indian's　face　darkened。　〃I　threw　it　after　the　ship　that　stole

my　Gamowini。〃







Chapter　67。　Rolf　Meets　a　Canuck



The　winter　might　have　been　considered　eventful；　had　not　so　many

of　the　events　been　repetitions　of　former　experience。　But　there

were　several　that　by　their　newness　deserve　a　place　on　these

pages；　as　they　did　in　Rolf's　memory。



One　of　them　happened　soon　after　the　first　sharp　frost。　It　had

been　an　autumn　of　little　rain；　so　that　many　ponds　had　dried　up；

with　the　result　that　hundreds　of　muskrats　were　forced　out　to　seek

more　habitable　quarters。　The　first　time　Rolf　saw　one　of　these

stranded　mariners　on　its　overland　journey；　he　gave　heedless

chase。　At　first　it　made　awkward　haste　to　escape；　then　a　second

muskrat　was　discovered　just　ahead；　and　a　third。　This　added　to

Rolf's　interest。　In　a　few　bounds　he　was　among　them；　but　it　was　to

get　a　surprise。　Finding　themselves　overtaken；　the　muskrats　turned

in　desperation　and　attacked　the　common　enemy　with　courage　and

fury。　Rolf　leaped　over　the　first；　but　the　second　sprang；　caught

him　by　the　slack　of　the　trouser　leg；　and　hung　on。　The　third　flung

itself　on　his　foot　and　drove　its　sharp　teeth　through　the

moccasin。　Quickly　the　first　rallied　and　sprang　on　his　other　leg

with　all　the　force　of　its　puny　paws；　and　powerful　jaws。



Meanwhile　Quonab　was　laughing　aloud　and　holding　back　Skookum；

who；　breathing　fire　and　slaughter；　was　mad　to　be　in　the　fight。



〃Ho！　a　good　fight！　good　musquas！　Ho；　Skookum；　you　must　not　always

take　care　of　him；　or　he　will　not　learn　to　go　alone。



〃Ugh；　good！〃　as　the　third　muskrat　gripped　Rolf　by　the　calf。



There　could　be　but　one　finish；　and　that　not　long　delayed。　A

well…placed　kick　on　one；　the　second　swung　by　the　tail；　the　third

crushed　under　his　heel；　and　the　affair　ended。　Rolf　had　three

muskrats　and　five　cuts。　Quonab　had　much　joy　and　Skookum　a　sense

of　lost　opportunity。



〃This　we　should　paint　on　the　wigwam；〃　said　Quonab。　〃Three　great

warriors　attacked　one　Sagamore。　They　were　very　brave；　but　he　was

Nibowaka　and　very　strong；　he　struck　them　down　as　the　Thunderbird；

Hurakan；　strikes　the　dead　pines　the　fire　has　left　on　the　hilltop

against　the　sky。　Now　shall　you　eat　their　hearts；　for　they　were

brave。　My　father　told　me　a　fighting　muskrat's　heart　is　great

medicine；　for　he　seeks　peace　while　it　is　possible；　then　he　turns

and　fights　without　fear。〃



A　few　days　later；　they　sighted　a　fox。　In　order　to　have　a　joke　on

Skookum；　they　put　him　on　its　track；　and　away　he　went；　letting　off

his　joy…whoops　at　every　jump。　The　men　sat　down　to　wait；　knowing

full　well　that　after　an　hour　Skookum　would　come　back　with　a　long

tongue　and　an　air　of　depression。　But　they　were　favoured　with　an

unexpected　view　of　the　chase。　It　showed　a　fox　bounding　over　the

snow；　and　not　twenty　yards　behind　was　their　energetic　four…legged

colleague。



And；　still　more　unexpected；　the　fox　was　overtaken　in　the　next

thicket；　shaken　to　limpness；　and　dragged　to　be　dropped　at

Quonab's　feet。　This　glorious　victory　by　Skookum　was　less

surprising；　when　a　closer　examination　showed　that　the　fox　had

been　in　a　bad　way。　Through　some　sad；　sudden　indiscretion；　he　had

tackled　a　porcupine　and　paid　the　penalty。　His　mouth；　jaws　and

face；　neck　and　legs；　were　bristling　with　quills。　He　was　sick　and

emaciated。　He　could　not　have　lasted　many　days　longer；　and

Skookum's　summary　lynching　was　a　blessing　in　disguise。



The　trappers'　usual　routine　was　varied　by　a　more　important

happening。　One　day　of　deep　snow　in　January；　when　they　were

running　the　northern　line　on　Racquet　River；　they　camped　for　the

night　at　their　shelter　cabin；　and　were　somewhat　surprised　at　dusk

to　hear　a　loud　challenge　from　Skookum　replied　to　by　a　human

voice；　and　a　short　man　with　black　whiskers　appeared。　He　raised

one　hand　in　token　of　friendliness　and　was　invited　to　come　in。



He　was　a　French　Canadian　from　La　Colle　Mills。　He　had　trapped　here

for　some　years。　The　almost　certainty　of　war　between　Canada　and

the　States　had　kept　his　usual　companions　away。　So　he　had　trapped

alone；　always　a　dangerous　business；　and　had　gathered　a　lot　of

good　fur；　but　had　fallen　on　the　ice　and　hurt　himself　inwardly；　so

that　he　had　no　strength。　He　could　tramp　out　on　snowshoes；　but

could　not　carry　his　pack　of　furs。　He　had　long　known　that　he　had

neighbours　on　the　south；　the　camp　fire　smoke　proved　that；　and　he

had　come　now　to　offer　all　his　furs　for　sale。



Quonab　shook　his　head；　but　Rolf　sai