rolf in the woods-第60章

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him　new　topics　for　thought　and　speech。　The　part　he　must　play　in

the　proposed　descent　on　Montreal　was　flattering；　but　it　made　the

Ticonderoga　entrenchments　ridiculous。



For　three　days　Rolf　was　kept　cutting　wood；　then　he　went　with

despatches　to　Albany。



Many　minor　labours；　from　hog…killing　to　stable…cleaning　and

trenching；　varied　the　month　of　March。　Then　came　the　uncertain

time　of　April　when　it　was　neither　canoeing　nor　snow…shoeing　and

all　communication　from　the　north　was　cut　off。



But　May；　great；　glorious　May　came　on；　with　its　inspiring　airs　and

livening　influence。　Canoes　were　afloat；　the　woods　were　brown

beneath　and　gold　above。



Rolf　felt　like　a　young　stag　in　his　strength。　He　was　spoiling　for

a　run　and　volunteered　eagerly　to　carry　despatches　to　Sackett's

Harbour。　He　would　go　alone；　for　now　one　blanket　was　sufficient

bed；　and　a　couple　of　pounds　of　dry　meat　was　enough　food　for　each

day。　A　small　hatchet　would　be　useful；　but　his　rifle　seemed　too

heavy　to　carry；　as　he　halted　in　doubt；　a　junior　officer　offered

him　a　pistol　instead；　and　he　gladly　stuck　it　in　his　belt。



Taller　than　ever；　considerably　over　six　feet　now；　somewhat　lanky；

but　supple　of　joint　and　square　of　shoulder；　he　strode　with　the

easy　stride　of　a　strong　traveller。　His　colour　was　up；　his

blue…gray　eyes　ablaze　as　he　took　the　long　trail　in　a　crow　line

across　country　for　Sackett's　Harbour。　The　sentry　saluted；　and　the

officer　of　the　day；　struck　by　his　figure　and　his　glowing　face　as

much　as　by　the　nature　of　his　errand；　stopped　to　shake　hands　and

say；　〃Well；　good　luck；　Kittering；　and　may　you　bring　us　better

news　than　the　last　two　times。〃



Rolf　knew　how　to　travel　now；　he　began　softly。　At　a　long；　easy

stride　he　went　for　half　an　hour；　then　at　a　swinging　trot　for　a

mile　or　two。　Five　miles　an　hour　he　could　make；　but　there　was　one

great　obstacle　to　speed　at　this　season　　every　stream　was　at

flood；　all　were　difficult　to　cross。　The　brooks　he　could　wade　or

sometimes　could　fell　a　tree　across　them；　but　the　rivers　were　too

wide　to　bridge；　too　cold　and　dangerous　to　swim。　In　nearly　every

case　he　had　to　make　a　raft。　A　good　scout　takes　no　chances。　A

slight　raft　means　a　risky　passage；　a　good　one；　a　safe　crossing

but　loss　of　time　in　preparations。　Fifteen　good　rafts　did　Rolf

make　in　that　cross…country　journey　of　three　days：　dry　spruce　logs

he　found　each　time　and　bound　them　together　with　leather…wood　and

withes　of　willow。　It　meant　a　delay　of　at　least　an　hour　each　time；

that　is　five　hours　each　day。　But　the　time　was　wisely　spent。　The

days　were　lengthening；　he　could　travel　much　at　dusk。　Soon　he　was

among　settlements。　Rumours　he　got　at　a　settler's　cabin　of　Sir

George　Prevost's　attack　on　Sackett's　Harbour　and　the　gallant

repulse　and　at　morning　of　the　fourth　day　he　came　on　the　hill

above　Sackett's　Harbour　　the　same　hill　where　he　had　stood　three

months　before。　It　was　with　something　like　a　clutching　of　his

breath　that　he　gazed；　his　past　experiences　suggested　dreadful

thoughts　but　no　　thank　God；　〃Old　Glory〃　floated　from　the　pole。

He　identified　himself　to　the　sentinels　and　the　guard；　entered　the

fort　at　a　trot；　and　reported　at　headquarters。



There　was　joy　on　every　side。　At　last　the　tide　had　turned。

Commodore　Chauncey；　after　sweeping　Lake　Ontario；　had　made　a

sudden　descent　on　York　（Toronto　now）　the　capital　of　Upper　Canada；

had　seized　and　destroyed　it。　Sir　George　Prevost；　taking　advantage

of　Chauncey's　being　away；　had　attacked　Sackett's　Harbour；　but；　in

spite　of　the　absence　of　the　fleet；　the　resistance　had　been　so

vigorous　that　in　a　few　days　the　siege　was　abandoned。



There　were　shot　holes　in　walls　and　roofs；　there　were　a　few

wounded　in　the　hospital；　the　green　embankments　were　torn；　and　the

flag…pole　splintered；　but　the　enemy　was　gone；　the　starry　flag　was

floating　on　the　wind；　and　the　sturdy　little　garrison　filled　with

a　spirit　that　grows　only　in　heroes　fighting　for　their　homes。



How　joyfully　different　from　Ogdensburg。







Chapter　72。　Scouting　Across　Country



That　very　night；　Rolf　turned　again　with　the　latest　news　and　the

commandant's　reports。



He　was　learning　the　country　well　now；　and；　with　the　wonderful

place…memory　of　a　woodman；　he　was　able　to　follow　his　exact　back

trail。　It　might　not　have　been　the　best　way；　but　it　gave　him　this

advantage　　in　nearly　every　case　he　was　able　to　use　again　the

raft　he　had　made　in　coming；　and　thereby　saved　many　hours　of

precious　time。



On　the　way　out　he　had　seen　a　good　many　deer　and　one　bear；　and　had

heard　the　howling　of　wolves　every　night；　but　always　at　a

distance。　On　the　second　night；　in　the　very　heart　of　the

wilderness；　the　wolves　were　noisy　and　seemed　very　near。　Rolf　was

camping　in　the　darkness。　He　made　a　small　fire　with　such　stuff　as

he　could　find　by　groping；　then；　when　the　fire　blazed；　he

discovered　by　its　light　a　dead　spruce　some　twenty　yards　away。

Taking　his　hatchet　he　went　toward　this；　and；　as　he　did　so；　a　wolf

rose　up；　with　its　forefeet　on　a　log；　only　five　yards　beyond　the

tree　and　gazed　curiously　at　him。　Others　were　heard　calling；

presently　this　wolf　raised　its　muzzle　and　uttered　a　long　smooth

howl。



Rolf　had　left　his　pistol　back　at　the　fire；　he　dared　not　throw　his

hatchet；　as　that　would　have　left　him　unarmed。　He　stooped；　picked

up　a　stick；　and　threw　that；　the　wolf　ducked　so　that　it　passed

over；　then；　stepping　back　from　the　log；　stood　gazing　without

obvious　fear　or　menace。　The　others　were　howling；　Rolf　felt

afraid。　He　backed　cautiously　to　the　fire；　got　his　pistol　and　came

again　to　the　place；　but　nothing　more　did　he　see　of　the　wolf；

though　he　heard　them　all　night　and　kept　up　two　great　fires　for　a

protection。



In　the　morning　he　started　as　usual；　and　before　half　an　hour　he

was　aware　of　a　wolf；　and　later　of　two；　trotting　along　his　trail；

a　few　hundred　yards　behind。　They　did　not　try　to　overtake　him；

indeed；　when　he　stopped；　they　did　the　same；　and　when　he　trotted；

they；　true　to　their　dog…like　nature；　ran　more　rapidly　in　pursuit。

How　Rolf　did　wish　for　his　long　rifle；　but　they　gave　no

opportunity　for　a　shot　with　the　pistol。　They　acted；　indeed；　as

though　they　knew　their　safe　distance　and　the　exact　range　of　the

junior　gun。　The　scout　made　a　trap　for　them　by　stealing　back　after

he　had　crossed　a　ridge；　and　hiding　near　his　own　trail。　But　the

wind　conveyed　a　warning；　and　the　wolves　merely　sat　down　and

waited　till　he　came　out　and　went　on。　All　day　long　these　two

strange　ban　dogs　followed　him　and　gave　no　sign　of　hunger　or

malice；　then；　after　he　crossed　a　river；　at　three　in　the

afternoon；　he　saw　no　more　of　them。　Years　after；　when　Rolf　knew

them　better；　he　believed　they　followed　him　out　of　mild　curiosity；

or　possibly　in　the　hope　that　he　would　kill　a　deer　in　which　they

might　share。　And　when　they　left　him；　it　was　because　they　were

near　the　edge　of　their　own　home　region；　they　had　seen　him　off

their　hunting　grounds。



That　night　he　camped　sixty　miles　from　Ticonderoga；　but　he　was

resolved　to　cover　the　distance　in　one　day。　Had　he　not　promised　to

be　back　in　a　week？　The　older　hands　had　shaken　their　heads

incredulously；　and　he；　in　the　pride　of　his　legs；　was　determined

to　be　as　good　as　his　promise。　He　scarcely　dared　sleep　lest　he

should　oversleep。　At　ten　he　lay　down。　At　eleven　the　moon　was　due

to　rise；　as　soon　as　that　was　three　hours　high　there　would　be

light　enough；　and　he　proposed　to　go　on。　At　least　half　a　dozen

times　he　woke　with　a　start；　fearing　he　had　overslept；　but

reassured　by　a　glance　at　the　low…hung　moon；　he　had　slumbered

again。



At　last　the　moon　was　four　hours　high；　and　the　woods　were　plain　in

the　soft　light。　A　horned　owl　〃hoo…hoo…ed；〃　and　a　far…　off　wolf

uttered　a　drawn…out；　soft；　melancholy　cry；　as　Rolf　finished　his

dried　meat；　tightened　his　belt；　and　set　out　on　a　long；　hard　run

that；　in　the　days　of　Greece；　would　have　furnished　the　theme　of

many　a　noble　epic　poem。



No　need　to　consult　his　compass。　The　blazing　lamp　of　the　dark　sky

was　his　guide