rolf in the woods-第72章

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

the　easy　tread；　and　his　yellow　shadow　　the　ever　unpopular；

snappish；　prick…eared　cur；　that　held　by　force　of　arms　all

territories　at　floor　level　contiguous　to；　under；　comprised；　and

bounded　by；　the　four　square　legs　and　corners　of　the　bed。



Quonab's　nightly　couch　was　a　blanket　not　far　away；　and　his　daily；

self…given　task　to　watch　the　wounded　and　try　by　devious　ways　and

plots　to　trick　him　into　eating　ever　larger　meals。



Garrison　duty　was　light　now；　so　Quonab　sought　the　woods　where　the

flocks　of　partridge　swarmed；　with　Skookum　as　his　aid。　It　was　the

latter's　joyful　duty　to　find　and　tree　the　birds；　and　〃yap〃　below；

till　Quonab　came　up　quietly　with　bow　and　blunt　arrows；　to　fill

his　game…bag；　and　thus　the　best　of　fare　was　ever　by　the　invalid's

bed。



Rolf's　was　easily　a　winning　fight　from　the　first；　and　in　a　week

he　was　eating　well；　sleeping　well；　and　growing　visibly　daily

stronger。



Then　on　a　fleckless　dawn　that　heralded　a　sun　triumphant；　the

Indian　borrowed　a　drum　from　the　bandsman；　and；　standing　on　the

highest　breastwork；　he　gazed　across　the　dark　waters　to　the

whitening　hills。　There　on　a　tiny　fire　he　laid　tobacco　and

kinnikinnik；　as　Gisiss　the　Shining　One　burnt　the　rugged　world　rim

at　Vermont；　and；　tapping　softly　with　one　stick；　he　gazed　upward；

after　the　sacrificial　thread　of　smoke；　and　sang　in　his　own　tongue：



〃Father；　I　burn　tobacco；　I　smoke　to　Thee。　I　sing　for　my　heart　is　singing。〃



Pleasant　chatter　of　the　East　was　current　by　Rolf's　bedside。

Stories　of　homes　in　the　hills　he　heard；　tales　of　hearths　by　far

away　lakes　and　streams；　memories　of　golden　haired　children

waiting　for　father's　or　brother's　return　from　the　wars。　Wives

came　to　claim　their　husbands；　mothers　to　bring　away　their　boys；

to　gain　again　their　strength　at　home。　And　his　own　heart　went

back；　and　ever　back；　to　the　rugged　farm　on　the　shores　of　the

noble　George。



In　two　weeks　he　was　able　to　sit　up。　In　three　he　could　hobble；　and

he　moved　about　the　town　when　the　days　were　warm。



And　now　he　made　the　acquaintance　of　the　prisoners。　They　were

closely　guarded　and　numbered　over　a　hundred。　It　gave　him　a

peculiar　sensation　to　see　them　there。　It　seemed　un…　American　to

hold　a　human　captive；　but　he　realized　that　it　was　necessary　to

keep　them　for　use　as　hostages　and　exchanges。



Some　of　them　he　found　to　be　sullen　brutes；　but　many　were　kind　and

friendly；　and　proved　to　be　jolly　good　fellows。



On　the　occasion　of　his　second　visit；　a　familiar　voice　saluted　him

with；　〃Well；　Rolf！　Comment　ca　va？〃　and　he　had　the　painful　joy　of

greeting　Francois　la　Colle。



〃You'll　help　me　get　away；　Rolf；　won't　you？〃　and　the　little

Frenchman　whispered　and　winked。　〃I　have　seven　little　ones　now　on

La　Riviere；　dat　have　no　flour；　and　tinks　dere　pa　is　dead。〃



〃I'll　do　all　I　can；　Francois；〃　and　the　picture　of　the　desolate

home；　brought　a　husk　in　his　voice　and　a　choke　in　his　throat。　He

remembered　too　the　musket　ball　that　by　intent　had　whistled

harmless　overhead。　〃But；〃　he　added　in　a　shaky　voice；　〃I　cannot

help　my　country's　enemy　to　escape。〃



Then　Rolf　took　counsel　with　McGlassin；　told　him　all　about　the

affair　at　the　mill；　and　McGlassin　with　a　heart　worthy　of　his

mighty　shoulders；　entered　into　the　spirit　of　the　situation；　went

to　General　Macomb　presenting　such　a　tale　and　petition　that　six

hours　later　Francis　bearing　a　passport　through　the　lines　was

trudging　away　to　Canada；　paroled　for　the　rest　of　the　war。



There　was　another　face　that　Rolf　recognized　　hollow…　cheeked；

flabby…jowled　and　purplish…gray。　The　man　was　one　of　the　oldest　of

the　prisoners。　He　wore　a　white　beard　end　moustache。　He　did　not

recognize　Rolf；　but　Rolf　knew　him；　for　this　was　Micky　Kittering。

How　he　escaped　from　jail　and　joined　the　enemy　was　an　episode　of

the　war's　first　year。　Rolf　was　shocked　to　see　what　a　miserable

wreck　his　uncle　was。　He　could　not　do　him　any　good。　To　identify

him　would　have　resulted　in　his　being　treated　as　a　renegade；　so　on

the　plea　that　he　was　an　old　man；　Rolf　saw　that　the　prisoner　had

extra　accommodation　and　out　of　his　own　pocket　kept　him　abundantly

supplied　with　tobacco。　Then　in　his　heart　he　forgave　him；　and　kept

away。　They　never　met　again。



The　bulk　of　the　militia　had　been　disbanded　after　the　great

battle。　A　few　of　the　scouts　and　enough　men　to　garrison　the　fort

and　guard　the　prisoners　were　retained。　Each　day　there　were　joyful

partings　　the　men　with　homes；　going　home。　And　the　thought　that

ever　waxed　in　Rolf　came　on　in　strength。　He　hobbled　to　headquarters。

〃General；　can　I　get　leave　　to　go　　he　hesitated　　〃home？〃



〃Why；　Kittering；　I　didn't　know　you　had　a　home。　But；　certainly；

I'll　give　you　a　month's　leave　and　pay　to　date。〃



Champlain　is　the　lake　of　the　two　winds；　the　north　wind　blows　for

six　months　with　a　few　variations；　and　the　south　wind　for　the

other　six　months　with　trifling。



Next　morning　a　bark　canoe　was　seen　skimming　southward　before　as

much　north　wind　as　it　could　stand；　with　Rolf　reclining　in　the

middle；　Quonab　at　the　stern；　and　Skookum　in　the　bow。



In　two　days　they　were　at　Ticonderoga。　Here　help　was　easily　got　at

the　portage　and　on　the　evening　of　the　third　day；　Quonab　put　a

rope　on　Skookum's　neck　and　they　landed　at　Hendrik's　farm。



The　hickory　logs　were　blazing　bright；　and　the　evening　pot　was

reeking　as　they　opened　the　door　and　found　the　family　gathered　for

the　meal。



〃I　didn't　know　you　had　a　home；〃　the　general　had　said。　He　should

have　been　present　now　to　see　the　wanderer's　welcome。　If　war

breeds　such　a　spirit　in　the　land；　it　is　as　much　a　blessing　as　a

curse。　The　air　was　full　of　it；　and　the　Van　Trumpers；　when　they

saw　their　hero　hobble　in；　were　melted。　Love；　pity；　pride；　and

tenderness　were　surging　in　storms　through　every　heart　that　knew。

〃Their　brother；　their　son　come　back；　wounded；　but　proven　and

glorious。〃　Yes；　Rolf　had　a　home；　and　in　that　intoxicating

realization　he　kissed　them　all；　even　Annette　of　the　glowing

cheeks　and　eyes；　though　in　truth　he　paid　for　it；　for　it　conjured

up　in　her　a　shy　aloofness　that　lasted　many　days。



Old　Hendrik　sputtered　around。　〃Och；　I　am　smile；　dis　is　goood；

yah。　Vere　is　that　tam　dog？　Yah！　tie　him　not；　he　shall　dis　time

von　chicken　have　for　joy。〃



〃Marta；〃　said　Rolf；　〃you　told　me　to　come　here　if　I　got　hurt。

Well；　I've　come；　and　I've　brought　a　boat…load　of　stuff　in　case　I

cannot　do　my　share　in　the　fields。〃



〃Press　you；　my　poy　you　didn't　oughter　brung　dot　stuff；　you　know

we　loff　you　here；　and　effery　time　it　is　you　coom　I　get　gladsomer；

and　dot　Annette　she　just　cried　ven　you　vent　to　de　war。〃



〃Oh；　mother；　I　did　not；　it　was　you　and　little　Hendrick！〃　and

Annette　turned　her　scarlet　cheeks　away。



October；　with　its　trees　of　flame　and　gold；　was　on　the　hills；

purple　and　orange；　the　oaks　and　the　birches；　blue　blocked　with

white　was　the　sky　above；　and　the　blue；　bright　lake　was　limpid。



〃Oh；　God　of　my　fathers；〃　Quonab　used　to　pray；　〃when　I　reach　the

Happy　Hunting；　let　it　be　ever　the　Leaf…falling　Moon；　for　that　is

the　only　perfect　time。〃　And　in　that　unmarred　month　of　sunny　sky

and　woodlands　purged　of　every　plague；　there　is　but　one　menace　in

the　vales。　For　who　can　bring　the　glowing　coal　to　the　dry…leafed

woods　without　these　two　begetting　the　dread　red　fury　that

devastates　the　hills？



Who　can　bring　the　fire　in　touch　with　tow　and　wonder　at　the　blaze？

Who；　indeed？　And　would　any　but　a　dreamer　expect　young　manhood　in

its　growing　strength；　and　girlhood　just　across　the　blush…line；　to

meet　in　daily　meals　and　talk　and　still　keep　up　the　brother　and

sister　play？　It　needs　only　a　Virginia　on　the　sea…girt　island　to

turn　the　comrade　into　Paul。



〃Marta；　I　tink　dot　Rolf　an　Annette　don't　quarrel　bad；　ain't　it？〃



〃Hendrik；　you　vas　von　blind　old　bat…mole；〃　said　Marta；　〃I　fink

dat　farm　next　ours　purty　good；　but　Rolf　he　say　'No　Lake　George　no

good。'　Better　he　like　all　his　folk　move　over　on　dat　Hudson。〃