rolf in the woods-第9章

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struck；　the　balsam　and　the　birch。〃



〃Why　do　they　escape？〃



〃My　father　told　me　when　I　was　a　little　boy　it　was　because　they

sheltered　and　warmed　the　Star…girl；　who　was　the　sister　of　the

Thunder…bird。〃



〃I　never　heard　that；　tell　me　about　it。〃



〃Sometime　maybe；　not　now。〃







Chapter　12。　Hunting　the　Woodchucks



Cornmeal　and　potatoes；　with　tea　and　apples；　three　times　a　day；

are　apt　to　lose　their　charm。　Even　fish　did　not　entirely　satisfy

the　craving　for　flesh　meat。　　So　Quonab　and　Rolf　set　out　one

morning　on　a　regular　hunt　for　food。　　The　days　of　big　game　were

over　on　the　Asamuk；　but　there　were　still　many　small　kinds　and

none　more　abundant　than　the　woodchuck；　hated　of　farmers。　　Not

without　reason。　　Each　woodchuck　hole　in　the　field　was　a　menace　to

the　horses'　legs。　　Tradition；　at　least；　said　that　horses'　legs

and　riders'　necks　had　been　broken　by　the　steed　setting　foot　in

one　of　these　dangerous　pitfalls：　besides　which；　each　chuck　den

was　the　hub　centre　of　an　area　of　desolation　whenever　located；　as

mostly　it　was；　in　the　cultivated　fields。　　Undoubtedly　the　damage

was　greatly　exaggerated；　but　the　farmers　generally　agreed　that

the　woodchuck　was　a　pest。



Whatever　resentment　the　tiller　of　the　soil　might　feel　against　the

Indian's　hunting　quail　on　his　land；　he　always　welcomed　him　as　a

killer　of　woodchucks。



And　the　Indian　looked　on　this　animal　as　fair　game　and　most

excellent　eating。



Rolf　watched　eagerly　when　Quonab；　taking　his　bow　and　arrows；　said

they　were　going　out　for　a　meat　hunt。　Although　there　were　several

fields　with　woodchucks　resident；　they　passed　cautiously　from　one

to　another；　scanning　the　green　expanse　for　the　dark…brown　spots

that　meant　woodchucks　out　foraging。　　At　length　they　found　one；

with　a　large　and　two　small　moving　brown　things　among　the　clover。

The　large　one　stood　up　on　its　hind　legs　from　time　to　time；　ever

alert　for　danger。　　It　was　a　broad；　open　field；　without　cover；　but

close　to　the　cleared　place　in　which；　doubtless；　was　the　den；

there　was　a　ridge　that　Quonab　judged　would　help　him　to　approach。



Rolf　was　instructed　to　stay　in　hiding　and　make　some　Indian　signs

that　the　hunter　could　follow　when　he　should　lose　sight　of　the

prey。　　First；　〃Come　on〃　（beckoning）；　and；　second；　〃Stop；〃　（hand

raised；　palm　forward）；　〃All　right〃　（hand　drawn　across　level　and

waist　high）；　forefinger　moved　forward；　level；　then　curved

straight　down；　meant　〃gone　in　hole。〃　But　Rolf　was　not　to　sign

anything　or　move；　unless　Quonab　asked　him　by　making　the　question

sign　（that　is　waving　his　hand　with　palm　forward　and　spread

fingers）。



Quonab　went　back　into　the　woods；　then　behind　the　stone　walls　to

get　around　to　the　side　next　the　ridge；　and　crawling　so　flat　on

his　breast　in　the　clover　that；　although　it　was　but　a　foot　high；

he　was　quite　invisible　to　any　one　not　placed　much　above　him。



In　this　way　he　came　to　the　little　ridge　back　of　the　woodchuck

den；　quite　unknown　to　its　occupants。　　But　now　he　was　in　a

difficulty。　　He　could　not　see　any　of　them。



They　were　certainly　beyond　range　of　his　bow；　and　it　was　difficult

to　make　them　seek　the　den　without　their　rushing　into　it。　　But　he

was　equal　to　the　occasion。　　He　raised　one　hand　and　made　the　query

sign；　and　watching　Rolf　he　got　answer；　〃All　well；　they　are　there。〃

（A　level　sweep　of　the　flat　hand　and　a　finger　pointing　steadily。）

Then　he　waited　a　few　seconds　and　made　exactly　the　same　sign；

getting　the　same　answer。



He　knew　that　the　movement　of　the　distant　man　would　catch　the　eye

of　the　old　woodchuck；　she　would　sit　up　high　to　see　what　it　was；

and　when　it　came　a　second　time　she　would；　without　being　exactly

alarmed；　move　toward　the　den　and　call　the　young　ones　to　follow。



The　hunter　had　not　long　to　wait。　　He　heard　her　shrill；　warning

whistle；　then　the　big　chuck　trotted　and　waddled　into　sight；

stopping　occasionally　to　nibble　or　look　around。　Close　behind　her

were　the　two　fat　cubs。　　Arrived　near　the　den　their　confidence　was

restored；　and　again　they　began　to　feed；　the　young　ones　close　to

the　den。　　Then　Quonab　put　a　blunt　bird　dart　in　his　bow　and　laid

two　others　ready。　　Rising　as　little　as　possible；　he　drew　the　bow。

'Tsip！　the　blunt　arrow　hit　the　young　chuck　on　the　nose　and　turned

him　over。　　The　other　jumped　in　surprise　and　stood　up。　　So　did　the

mother。　　'Tsip！　another　bolt　and　the　second　chuck　was　kicking。

But　the　old　one　dashed　like　a　flash　into　the　underground　safety

of　her　den。　　Quonab　knew　that　she　had　seen　nothing　of　him　and

would　likely　come　forth　very　soon。　　He　waited　for　some　time；　then

the　gray…brown　muzzle　of　the　fat　old　clover…stealer　came　partly

to　view；　but　it　was　not　enough　for　a　shot；　and　she　seemed　to　have

no　idea　of　coming　farther。　　The　Indian　waited　what　seemed　like　a

long　time；　then　played　an　ancient　trick。　　He　began　to　whistle　a

soft；　low　air。　　Whether　the　chuck　thinks　it　is　another　woodchuck

calling；　or　merely　a　pleasant　sound；　is　not　known；　but　she　soon

did　as　her　kind　always　does；　came　out　of　the　hole　slowly　and　ever

higher；　till　she　was　half　out　and　sitting　up；　peering　about。



This　was　Quonab's　chance。　　He　now　drew　a　barbed　hunting　arrow　to

the　head　and　aimed　it　behind　her　shoulders。　'Tsip！　and　the　chuck

was　transfixed　by　a　shaft　that　ended　her　life　a　minute　later；　and

immediately　pre…　vented　that　instinctive　scramble　into　the　hole；

by　which　so　many　chucks　elude　the　hunter；　even　when　mortally

wounded。



Now　Quonab　stood　up　without　further　concealment；　and　beckoned　to

Rolf；　who　came　running。　　Three　fat　woodchucks　meant　abundance　of

the　finest　fresh　meat　for　a　week；　and　those　who　have　not　tried　it

have　no　idea　what　a　delicacy　is　a　young；　fat；　clover…fed

woodchuck；　pan…roasted；　with　potatoes；　and　served　at　a　blazing

campfire　to　a　hunter　who　is　young；　strong；　and　exceedingly　hungry。







Chapter　13。　The　Fight　with　the　Demon　of　the　Deep



One　morning；　as　they　passed　the　trail　that　skirts　the　pond；

Quonab　pointed　to　the　near　water。　There　was　someting　afloat　like

a　small；　round　leaf；　with　two　beads　well　apart；　on　it。　　Then　Rolf

noticed；　two　feet　away；　a　larger　floating　leaf；　and　now　he　knew

that　the　first　was　the　head　and　eyes；　the　last　the　back；　of　a

huge　snapping　turtle。　　A　moment　more　and　it　quickly　sank　from

view。　　Turtles　of　three　different　kinds　were　common；　and　snappers

were　well　known　to　Rolf；　but　never　before　had　he　seen　such　a　huge

and　sinister…looking　monster　of　the　deep。



〃That　is　Bosikado。　　I　know　him；　he　knows　me；〃　said　the　red　man。

〃There　has　long　been　war　between　us；　some　day　we　will　settle　it。

I　saw　him　here　first　three　years　ago。　　I　had　shot　a　duck；　it

floated　on　the　water。　　Before　I　could　get　to　it　something　pulled

it　under；　and　that　was　the　last　of　it。　　Then　a　summer　duck　came

with　young　ones。　One　by　one　he　took　them；　and　at　last　got　her。

He　drives　all　ducks　away；　so　I　set　many　night　lines　for　him。　　I

got　some　little　snappers；　eight　and　ten　pounds　each。　　They　were

good　to　eat；　and　three　times　already　I　took　Bosikado　on　the

hooks；　but　each　time　when　I　pulled　him　up　to　the　canoe；　he　broke

my　biggest　line　and　went　down。　　He　was　as　broad　as　the　canoe；　his

claws　broke　through　the　canoe　skin；　he　made　it　bulge　and　tremble。

He　looked　like　the　devil　of　the　lake。　　I　was　afraid！



〃But　my　father　taught　me　there　is　only　one　thing　that　can　shame　a

man　　that　is　to　be　afraid；　and　I　said　I　will　never　let　fear　be

my　guide。　　I　will　seek　a　fair　fight　with　Bosikado。　　He　is　my

enemy。　　He　made　me　afraid　once；　I　will　make　him　much　afraid。　　For

three　years　we　have　been　watching　each　other。　　For　three　years　he

has　kept　all　summer　ducks　away；　and　robbed　my　fish…lines；　my

nets；　and　my　muskrat　traps。　　Not　often　do　I　see　him　　mostly

like　today。



〃Before　Skookum　I　had　a　little　dog；　Nindai。　　He　was　a　good　little

dog。　　He　could　tree　a　coon；　catch　a　rabbit；　or　bring　out　a　duck；

although　he　was　very　small。　　We　were　very　good　friends。　　One　time

I　shot　a　duck；　it　fell　into　the　lake；　I