rolf in the woods-第7章

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it　is　dead；　let　it　lie　on　the　ground；　even；　and　it　is　weakened。

But　guard　it　and　it　will　serve　you　as　a　matchless　servant；　and　as

can　no　other　timber　in　these　woods。



Just　where　the　red　heart　and　the　white　sap　woods　join　is　the

bowman's　choice。　　A　piece　that　reached　from　Rolf's　chin　to　the

ground　was　shaved　down　till　it　was　flat　on　the　white　side　and

round　on　the　red　side；　tapering　from　the　middle；　where　it　was　one

inch　wide　and　one　inch　thick　to　the　ends；　where　it　was　three

fourths　of　an　inch　wide　and　five　eighths　of　an　inch　thick；　the

red　and　white　wood　equal　in　all　parts。



The　string　was　made　of　sinew　from　the　back　of　a　cow；　split　from

the　long；　broad　sheath　that　lies　on　each　side　the　spine；　and　the

bow　strung　for　trial。　　Now；　on　drawing　it　（flat　or　white　side　in

front）；　it　was　found　that　one　arm　bent　more　than　the　other；　so　a

little　more　scraping　was　done　on　the　strong　side；　till　both　bent

alike。



Quonab's　arrows　would　answer；　but　Rolf　needed　a　supply　of　his

own。　　Again　there　was　great　choice　of　material。　The　long；

straight　shoots　ol'　the　arrowwood　（Viburnuin　dentatum）　supplied

the　ancient　Indians；　but　Quonab　had　adopted　a　better　way；　since

the　possession　of　an　axe　made　it　possible。　　A　25…inch　block　of

straight…grained　ash　was　split　and　split　until　it　yielded　enough

pieces。　　These　were　shaved　down　to　one　fourth　of　an　inch　tbick；

round；　smooth；　and　perfectly　straight。　　Each　was　notched　deeply

at　one　end；　three　pieces　of　split　goose　feather　were　lashed　on

the　notched　end；　and　three　different　kinds　of　arrows　were　made。

All　were　alike　in　shaft　and　in　feathering；　but　differed　in　the

head。　　First；　the　target　arrows：　these　were　merely　sharpened；　and

the　points　hardened　by　roasting　to　a　brown　colour。　　They　would

have　been　better　with　conical　points　of　steel；　but　none　of　these

were　to　be　had。　　Second；　the　ordinary　hunting　arrows　with　barbed

steel　heads；　usuauy　bought　ready…made；　or　filed　out　of　a　hoop：

these　were　for　use　in　securing　such　creatures　as　muskrats；　ducks

close　at　hand；　or　deer。　　Third；　the　bird　bolts：　these　were　left

with　a　large；　round；　wooden　head。　　They　were　intended　for　quail；

partridges；　rabbits；　and　squirrels；　but　also　served　very　often；

and　most　admirably；　in　punishing　dogs；　either　the　Indian's　own

when　he　was　not　living　up　to　the　rules　and　was　too　far　off　for　a

cuff　or　kick；　or　a　farmer's　dog　that　was　threatening　an　attack。



Now　the　outfit　was　complete；　Rolf　thought；　but　one　other　touch

was　necessary。　　Quonab　painted　the　feather　part　of　the　shaft

bright　red；　and　Rolf　learned　why。　　Not　for　ornament；　not　as　an

owner's　mark；　but　as　a　finding　mark。　　Many　a　time　that　brilliant

red；　with　the　white　feather　next　it；　was　the　means　of　saving　the

arrow　from　loss。　　An　uncoloured　arrow　among　the　sticks　and　leaves

of　the　woods　was　usually　hidden；　but　the　bright…coloured　shaft

could　catch　the　eye　ioo　yards　away。



It　was　very　necessary　to　keep　the　bow　and　arrows　from　the　wet。

For　this；　every　hunter　provides　a　case；　usually　of　buckskin；　but

failing　that　they　made　a　good　quiver　of　birch　bark　laced　with

spruce　roots　for　the　arrows；　and　for　the　bow　itself　a　long　cover

of　tarpaulin。



Now　came　the　slow　drilling　in　archery；　the　arrow　held　and　the　bow

drawn　with　three　fingers　on　the　cord　…　the　thumb　and　little

finger　doing　nothing。　　The　target　was　a　bag　of　hay　set　at　twenty

feet；　until　the　beginner　could　hit　it　every　time：　then　by　degrees

it　was　moved　away　until　at　the　standard　distance　of　forty　yards

he　could　do　fair　shooting；　although　of　course　he　never　shot　as

well　as　the　Indian；　who　had　practised　since　he　was　a　baby。



There　are　three　different　kinds　of　archery　tests：　the　first　for

aim：　Can　you　shoot　so　truly　as　to　hit　a　three…inch　mark；　ten

times　in　succession；　at　ten　paces？



Next　for　speed：　Can　you　shoot　so　quickly　and　so　far　up；　as　to

have　five　arrows　in　the　air　at　once？　　If　so；　you　are　good：　Can

you　keep　up　six？　　Then　you　are　very　good。　　Seven　is　wonderful。

The　record　is　said　to　be　eight。　Last　for　power：　Can　you　pull　so

strong　a　bow　and　let　the　arrow　go　so　clean　that　it　will　fly　for

250　yards　or　will　pass　through　a　deer　at　ten　paces？　　There　is　a

record　of　a　Sioux　who　sent　an　arrow　through　three　antelopes　at

one　shot；　and　it　was　not　unusual　to　pierce　the　huge　buffalo

through　and　through；　on　one　occasion　a　warrior　with　one　shot

pierced　the　buffalo　and　killed　her　calf　running　at　the　other

side。



If　you　excel　in　these　three　things；　you　can　down　your　partridge

and　squirrel　every　time；　you　can　get　five　or　six　out　of　each

flock　of　birds；　you　can　kill　your　deer　at　twenty…　five　yards；　and

so　need　never　starve　in　the　woods　where　there　is　game。



Of　course；　Rolf　was　keen　to　go　forth　and　try　in　the　real　chase；

but　it　was　many　a　shot　he　missed　and　many　an　arrow　lost　or

broken；　before　he　brought　in　even　a　red　squirrel；　and　he　got；　at

least；　a　higher　appreciation　of　the　skill　of　those　who　could

count　on　the　bow　for　their　food。



For　those；　then；　who　think　themselves　hunters　and　woodmen；

let　this　be　a　test　and　standard：　Can　you　go　forth　alone　into

the　wilderness　where　there　is　game；　take　only　a　bow　and　arrows　for

weapons；　and　travel　afoot　250　miles；　living　on　the　country　as　you　go？







Chapter　10。　Rolf　Works　Out　with　Many　Results



He　is　the　dumbest　kind　of　a　dumb　fool　that　ain't　king　in　some　little

corner。　　Sayings　of　Si　Sylvanne



THE　man　who　has　wronged　you　will　never　forgive　you；　and　he　who　has

helped　you　will　be　forever　grateful。　　Yes；　there　is　nothing　that

draws　you　to　a　man　so　much　as　the　knowledge　that　you　have　helped　him。



Quonab　helped　Rolf；　and　so　was　more　drawn　to　him　than　to　many　of　the

neighbours　that　he　had　known　for　years；　he　was　ready　to　like　him。

Their　coming　together　was　accidental；　but　it　was　soon　very　clear

that　a　friendship　was　springing　up　between　them。　　Rolf　was　too　much

of　a　child　to　think　about　the　remote　future；　and　so　was　Quonab。　　Most

Indians　are　merely　tall　children。



But　there　was　one　thing　that　Rolf　did　think　of　　he　had　no　right　to

live　in　Quonab's　lodge　without　contributing　a　fair　share　of　the　things

needful。　　Quonab　got　his　living　partly　by　hunting；　partly　by　fishing；

partly　by　selling　baskets；　and　partly　by　doing　odd　jobs　for　the

neighbours。　Rolf's　training　as　a　loafer　had　been　wholly　neglected；

and　when　he　realized　that　he　might　be　all　summer　with　Quonab　he　said

bluntly：



〃You　let　me　stay　here　a　couple　of　months。　　I'll　work　out　odd　days；

and　buy　enough　stuff　to　keep　myself　any　way。〃　　Quonab　said　nothing；

but　their　eyes　met；　and　the　boy　knew　it　was　agreed　to。



Rolf　went　that　very　day　to　the　farm　of　Obadiah　Timpany；　and　offered

to　work　by　the　day；　hoeing　corn　and　root　crops。　　What　farmer　is　not

glad　of　help　in　planting　time　or　in　harvest？　　It　was　only　a　question

of　what　did　he　know　and　how　much　did　he　want？　　The　first　was　soon　made

clear；　two　dollars　a　week　was　the　usual　thing　for　boys　in　those　times；

and　when　he　offered　to　take　it　half　in　trade；　he　was　really　getting

three　dollars　a　week　and　his　board。　Food　was　as　low　as　wages；　and　at

the　end　of　a　week；　Rolf　brought　back　to　camp　a　sack　of　oatmeal；　a　sack

of　cornmeal；　a　bushel　of　potatoes；　a　lot　of　apples；　and　one　dollar　cash。

The　dollar　went　for　tea　and　sugar；　and　the　total　product　was　enough　to

last　them　both　a　month；　so　Rolf　could　share　the　wigwam　with　a　good

conscience。



Of　course；　it　was　impossible　to　keep　the　gossipy　little　town　of　Myanos

from　knowing；　first；　that　the　Indian　had　a　white　boy　for　partner；　and；

later；　that　that　boy　was　Rolf。　This　gave　rise　to　great　diversity　of

opinion　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Some　thought　it　should　not　be　allowed；

but　Horton；　who　owned　the　land　on　which　Quonab　was　camped；　could　not

see　any　reason　for　interfering。



Ketchura　Peck；　spinster；　however；　did　see　many　most　excellent　reasons。

She　was　a　maid　with　a　mission；　and　maintained　it　to　be　an　outrage　that

a　Christian　boy　should　be　brought　up　by　a