rolf in the woods-第71章

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covered　with　blood。　His　coat　was　torn　and　bloody；　his　trousers

showed　a　ragged　rent　that　was　reddened　and　sopping。　His　head　was

aching；　and　in　his　leg　was　the　pain　of　a　cripplement。　He　knew　it

as　soon　as　he　tried　to　move；　his　right　leg　was　shattered　below

the　knee。　The　other　shots　had　grazed　his　arm　and　head；　the　latter

had　stunned　him　for　a　time；　but　did　no　deeper　damage。



He　lay　still　for　a　long　time；　in　hopes　that　some　of　his　friends

might　come。　He　tried　to　raise　his　voice；　but　had　no　strength。

Then　he　remembered　the　smoke　signal　that　had　saved　him　when　he

was　lost　in　the　woods。　In　spite　of　his　wounded　arm；　he　got　out

his　flint　and　steel；　and　prepared　to　make　a　fire。　But　all　the

small　wood　he　could　reach　was　wet　with　recent　rains。　An　old　pine

stump　was　on　the　bank　not　far　away；　he　might　cut　kindling…wood

from　that　to　start　his　fire；　and　he　reached　for　his　knife。　Alas！

its　case　was　empty。　Had　Rolf　been　four　years　younger；　he　might

have　broken　down　and　wept　at　this。　It　did　seem　such　an

unnecessary　accumulation　of　disasters。　Without　gun　or　knife；　how

was　he　to　call　his　friends？



He　straightened　his　mangled　limb　in　the　position　of　least　pain

and　lay　for　a　while。　The　September　sun　fell　on　his　back　and

warmed　him。　He　was　parched　with　thirst；　but　only　thirty　yards

away　was　a　little　rill。　With　a　long　and　fearful　crawling　on　his

breast；　he　dragged　himself　to　the　stream　and　drank　till　he　could

drink　no　more；　then　rested；　washed　his　head　and　hands；　'and　tried

to　crawl　again　to　the　warm　place。　But　the　sun　had　dropped　behind

the　river　bank；　the　little　ravine　was　in　shadow；　and　the　chill　of

the　grave　was　on　the　young　man's　pain…racked　frame。



Shadows　crossed　his　brain；　among　them　Si　Sylvanne　with　his　quaint

sayings；　and　one　above　all　was　clear：



〃Trouble　is　only　sent　to　make　ye　do　yer　best。　When　ye　hev　done

yer　best；　keep　calm　and　wait。　Things　is　comin'　all　right。〃　Yes；

that　was　what　he　said；　and　the　mockery　of　it　hurt　him　now。



The　sunset　slowly　ended；　the　night　wind　blew；　the　dragging　hours

brought　gloom　that　entered　in。　This　seemed　indeed　the　direst

strait　of　his　lot。　Crippled；　dying　of　cold；　helpless；　nothing　to

do　but　wait　and　die；　and　from　his　groaning　lips　there　came　the

half…forgotten　prayer　his　mother　taught　him　long　ago；　〃O　God；

have　mercy　on　me！〃　and　then　he　forgot。



When　he　awoke；　the　stars　were　shining；　he　was　numb　with　cold；　but

his　mind　was　clear。



〃This　is　war；〃　he　thought；　〃and　God　knows　we　never　sought　it。〃

And　again　the　thought：　〃When　I　offered　to　serve　my　country；　I

offered　my　life。　I　am　willing　to　die；　but　this　is　not　a　way　of　my

choosing；〃　and　a　blessed；　forgetfulness　came　upon　him　again。



But　his　was　a　stubborn…fibred　race；　his　spark　of　life　was　not　so

quickly　quenched；　its　blazing　torch　might　waver；　wane；　and　wax

again。　In　the　chill；　dark　hour　when　the　life…　lamp　flickers　most；

he　wakened　to　hear　the　sweet；　sweet　music　of　a　dog's　loud　bark；

in　a　minute　he　heard　it　nearer；　and　yet　again　at　hand；　and

Skookum；　erratic；　unruly；　faithful　Skookum；　was　bounding　around

and　barking　madly　at　the　calm；　unblinking　stars。



A　human　〃halloo〃　rang　not　far　away；　then　others；　and　Skookum

barked　and　barked。



Now　the　bushes　rustled　near；　a　man　came　out；　kneeled　down；　laid

hand　on　the　dying　soldier's　brow；　and　his　heart。　He　opened　his

eyes；　the　man　bent　over　him　and　softly　said；　〃Nibowaka！　it's　Quonab。〃



That　night　when　　the　victorious　rangers　had　returned　to

Plattsburg　it　was　a　town　of　glad；　thankful　hearts；　and　human　love

ran　strong。　The　thrilling　stories　of　the　day　were　told；　the

crucial　moment；　the　providential　way　in　which　at　every　hopeless

pass；　some　easy；　natural　miracle　took　place　to　fight　their　battle

and　back　their　country's　cause。　The　harrying　of　the　flying

rear…guard；　the　ambuscade　over　the　hill；　the　appearance　of　an

American　scout　at　the　nick　of　time　to　warn　them　　the　shooting；

and　his　disappearance　　all　were　discussed。



Then　rollicking　Seymour　and　silent　Fiske　told　of　their　scouting

on　the　trail　of　the　beaten　foe；　and　all　asked；　〃Where　is

Kittering？〃　So　talk　was　rife；　and　there　was　one　who　showed　a

knife　he　had　picked　up　near　the　ambuscade　with　R。　K。　on　the

shaft。



Now　a　dark…faced　scout　rose　up；　stared　at　the　knife；　and　quickly

left　the　room。　In　three　minutes　he　stood　before　General　Macomb；

his　words　were　few；　but　from　his　heart：



〃It　is　my　boy；　Nibowaka；　it　is　Rolf；　my　heart　tells　me。　Let　me　go。

I　feel　him　praying　for　me　to　come。　Let　me　go；　general。　I　must　go。〃



It　takes　a　great　man　to　gauge　the　heart　of　a　man　who　seldom　speaks。

〃You　may　go；　but　how　can　you　find　him　tonight？〃



〃Ugh；　I　find　him；〃　and　the　Indian　pointed　to　a　little；

prick…eared；　yellow　cur　that　sneaked　at　his　heels。



〃Success　to　you；　he　was　one　of　the　best　we　had；〃　said　the

general；　as　the　Indian　left；　then　added：　〃Take　a　couple　of　men

along；　and；　here；　take　this；〃　and　he　held　out　a　flask。



Thus　it　was　that　the　dawning　saw　Rolf　on　a　stretcher　carried　by

his　three　scouting　partners；　while　Skookum　trotted　ahead；　looking

this　way　and　that　　they　should　surely　not　be　ambushed　this　time。



And　thus　the　crowning　misfortune；　the　culminating　apes　of

disaster　　the　loss　of　his　knife　　the　thing　of　all　others　that

roused　in　Rolf　the　spirit　of　rebellion；　was　the　way　of　life；

his　dungeon's　key；　the　golden　chain　that　haled　him　from　the　pit。







Chapter　85。　The　Hospital；　the　Prisoners；　and　Home



There　were　wagons　and　buckboards　to　be　had；　but　the　road　was

rough；　so　the　three　changed　off　as　litter…bearers　and　brought　him

to　the　lake　where　the　swift　and　smooth　canoe　was　ready；　and　two

hours　later　they　carried　him　into　the　hospital　at　Plattsburg。



The　leg　was　set　at　once；　his　wounds　were　dressed；　he　was　warmed；

cleaned；　and　fed；　and　when　the　morning　sun　shone　in　the　room；　it

was　a　room　of　calm　and　peace。



The　general　came　and　sat　beside　him　for　a　time；　and　the　words　he

spoke　were　ample；　joyful　compensation　for　his　wounds。　MacDonough；

too；　passed　through　the　ward；　and　the　warm　vibrations　of　his

presence　drove　death　from　many　a　bed　whose　inmate's　force　ebbed

low；　whose　soul　was　walking　on　the　brink；　was　near　surrender。



Rolf　did　not　fully　realize　it　then；　but　long　afterward　it　was

clear　that　this　was　the　meaning　of　the　well…worn　words；　〃He

filled　them　with　a　new　spirit。〃



There　was　not　a　man　in　the　town　but　believed　the　war　was　over；

there　was　not　a　man　in　the　town　who　doubted　that　his　country's

cause　was　won。



Three　weeks　is　a　long　time　to　a　youth　near　manhood；　but　there　was

much　of　joy　to　while　away　the　hours。　The　mothers　of　the　town　came

and　read　and　talked。　There　was　news　from　the　front。　There　were

victories　on　the　high　seas。　His　comrades　came　to　sit　beside　him；

Seymour；　the　sprinter；　as　merry　a　soul　as　ever　hankered　for　the

stage　and　the　red　cups　of　life；　Fiske；　the　silent；　and　McGlassin；

too；　with　his　dry；　humorous　talk；　these　were　the　bright　and　funny

hours。　There　were　others。　There　came　a　bright…checked　Vermont

mother　whose　three　sons　had　died　in　service　at　MacDonough's　guns；

and　she　told　of　it　in　a　calm　voice；　as　one　who　speaks　of　her

proudest　honour。　Yes；　she　rejoiced　that　God　had　given　her　three

such　sons；　and　had　taken　again　His　gifts　in　such　a　day　of　glory。

Had　England's　rulers　only　known；　that　this　was　the　spirit　of　the

land　that　spoke；　how　well　they　might　have　asked：　〃What　boots　it

if　we　win　a　few　battles；　and　burn　a　few　towns；　it　is　a　little

gain　and　passing；　for　there　is　one　thing　that　no　armies；　ships；

or　laws；　or　power　on　earth；　or　hell　itself　can　down　or　crush　

that　alone　is　the　thing　that　counts　or　endures　　the　thing　that

permeates　these　men；　that　finds　its　focal　centre　in　such　souls　as

that　of　the　Vermont　mother；　steadfast；　proud；　and　rejoicing　in

her　bereavement。



But　these　were　forms　that　came　and　went；　there　were　two　that

seldom　were　away　　the　tall　and　supple　one　of　the　dark　face　and

the