eben holden-第25章

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'Don't　never　wan'　t'　rassle　with　no　bear；'　he　added；　'but　hams　is　too　scurce　here　'n　the　woods　t'　hev　'em　tuk　away　'fore　ye　know　the　taste　uv　'em。　I　ain't　never　been　hard　on　bears。　Don't　seldom　ever　set　no　traps　an'　I　ain't　shot　a　bear　fer　mor'n　'n　ten　year。　But　they've　got　t'　be　decent。　If　any　bear　steals　my　vittles　he's　goin'　t'　git　cuffed　bard。'

Ab's　tongue　had　limbered　up　at　last。　His　pipe　was　going　well　and　he　seemed　to　have　struck　an　easy　grade。　There　was　a　tone　of　injury　and　aggrievement　in　his　talk　of　the　bear's　ingratitude。　He　snailed　over　his　whittling　as　we　laughed　heartily　at　the　droll　effect　of　it　all。

'D'ye　ever　hear　o'　the　wild　man　'at　roams　'round'n　these　woods？'　he　asked。

'Never　did；'　said　Uncle　Eb。

'I've　seen　'im　more　times　'n　ye　could　shake　a　stick　at；'　said　Ab　crossing　his　legs　comfortably　and　spitting　into　the　fire。　'Kind　o'　thank　he's　the　same　man　folks　tells　uv　down　'n　Paradise　Valley　there　…　'at　goes　'round　'n　the　clearin'　after　bedtime。'

'The　night　man！'　I　exclaimed。

'Guess　thet's　what　they　call　'im；'　said　Ab。　'Curus　man！　Sometimes　I've　hed　a　good　squint　at　'im　off　'n　the　woods。　He's　wilder　'n　a　deer　an'　I've　seen　'im　jump　over　logs；　half　as　high　as　this　shanty；　jest　as　easy　as　ye　'd　hop　a　twig。　Tried　t'　foller　'im　once　er　twice　but　tain'　no　use。　He's　quicker　'n　a　wil'　cat。'　

'What　kind　of　a　lookin'　manis　he？'　Tip　Taylor　asked。

'Great；　big；　broad…shouldered　feller；'　said　Ab。　'Six　feet　tall　if　he's　an　inch。　Hed　a　kind　of　a　deerskin　jacket　on　when　I　seen　'im　an'　breeches　an'　moccasins　made　o'　some　kind　o'　hide。　I　recollec'　one　day　I　was　over　on　the　ridge　two　mile　er　more　from　the　Stillwater　goin'　south。　I　seen　'im　gittin'　a　drink　at　the　spring　there　'n　the　burnt　timber。　An'　if　I　ain't　mistaken　there　was　a　real　live　panther　playin'　'round　'im。　If　't　wa'n't　a　panther　'twas　pesky　nigh　it　I　can'tell　ye。　The　critter　see　me　fast　an'　drew　up　'is　back。　Then　the　man　got　up　quickerin'　a　flash。　Soon　'she　see　me　…Jeemimey！　didn't　they　move。　Never　see　no　human　critter　run　as　he　did！　A　big　tree　hed　fell　'cross　a　lot　o'　bush　right　'n　his　path。　I'll　be　gol　dummed　if　'twan't　higher　'n　my　head！　But　he　cleared　it　…　jest　as　easy　as　a　grasshopper'd　go　over　a　straw。　I'd　like　t'　know　wher　he　comes　from；　gol　dummed　if　I　wouldn't。　He's　the　consamdest　queerest　animal　'n　these　woods。'

Ab　emphasised　this　lucid　view　of　the　night　man　by　an　animated　movement　of　his　fist　that　held　the　big　hunting　knife　with　which　he　whittled。　Then　he　emptied　his　pipe　and　began　cutting　more　tobacco。

'Some　says　'e　's　a　ghost；'　said　Tip　Taylor；　splitting　his　sentence　with　a　yawn；　as　he　lay　on　a　buffalo　robe　in　the　shanty。

'Shucks　an'　shoestrings！'　said　An；　'he　looks　too　nat'ral。　Don't　believe　no　ghost　ever　wore　whiskers　an'　long　hair　like　his'n。　Thet　don't　hol'　t'　reason。'

This　remark　was　followed　by　dead　silence。　Tip　seemed　to　lack　both　courage　and　information　with　which　to　prolong　the　argument。

Gerald　had　long　been　asleep　and　we　were　all　worn　out　with　uphill　travelling　and　the　lack　of　rest。　Uncle　Eb　went　out　to　look　after　the　horses　that　were　tethered　near　us。　Ab　rose；　looked　up　through　the　tree…tops；　ventured　a　guess　about　the　weather；　and　strode　off　into　the　darkness。

We　were　five　days　in　camp；　hunting；　fishing；　fighting　files　and　picking　blueberries。　Gerald's　cough　had　not　improved　at　all　…　it　was；　if　anything；　a　bit　worse　than　it　had　been　and　the　worry　of　that　had　clouded　our　holiday。　We　were　not　in　high　spirits　when；　finally　we　decided　to　break　camp　the　next　afternoon。

The　morning　of　our　fourth　day　at　Blueberry　Uncle　Eb　and　I　crossed　the　lake；　at　daylight；　to　fish　awhile　in　Soda　Brook　and　gather　orchids　then　abundant　and　beautiful　in　that　part　of　the　woods。　We　headed　for　camp　at　noon　and　were　well　away　from　shore　when　a　wild　yell　rang　in　the　dead　timber　that　choked　the　wide　inlet　behind　us。　I　was　rowing　and　stopped　the　oars　while　we　both　looked　back　at　the　naked　trees；　belly　deep　in　the　water。

But　for　the　dry　limbs；　here　and　there；　they　would　have　looked　like　masts　of　sunken　ships。　In　a　moment　another　wild　whoop　came　rushing　over　the　water。　Thinking　it　might　be　somebody　in　trouble　we　worked　about　and　pulled　for　the　mouth　of　the　inlet。　Suddenly　I　saw　a　boat　coming　in　the　dead　timber。　There　were　three　men　in　it；　two　of　whom　were　paddling。　They　yelled　like　mad　men　as　they　caught　sight　of　us；　and　one　of　them　waved　a　bottle　in　the　air。

'They're　Indians；'　said　Uncle　Eb。　'Drunk　as　lords。　Guess　we'd　better　git　out　o'　the　way。'

I　put　about　and　with　a　hearty　pull　made　for　the　other　side　of　the　lake；　three　miles　away。　The　Indians　came　after　us；　their　yells　echoing　in　the　far　forest。　Suddenly　one　of　them　lifted　his　rifle；　as　if　taking　aim　at　us；　and；　bang　it　went　the　ball　ricocheting　across　our　bows。

'Crazy　drunk；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　'an'　they're　in　fer　trouble。　Pull　with　all　yer　might'

I　did　that　same　putting　my　arms　so　stiffly　to　their　task　I　feared　the　oars　would　break

In　a　moment　another　ball　came　splintering　the　gunwales　right　between　us；　but　fortunately；　wcll　above　the　water　line。　Being　half　a　mile　from　shore　I　saw　we　were　in　great　peril。　Uncle　Eb　reached　for　his　rifle；　his　hand　trembling。

'Sink　'em；'　I　shouted；　'an'　do　it　quick　or　they'll　sink　us。'

My　old　companion　took　careful　aim　and　his　ball　hit　them　right　on　the　starboard　bow　below　the　water　line。　A　splash　told　where　it　had　landed。　They　stopped　yelling。　The　man　in　the　bow　clapped　his　hat　against　the　side　of　the　boat。

'Guess　we've　gin　'em　a　little　business　t'　ten'　to；'　said　Uncle　Eb　as　he　made　haste　to　load　his　rifle。

The　Indian　at　the　bow　was　lifting　his　rifle　again。　He　seemed　to　reel　as　he　took　aim。　He　was　very　slow　about　it。　I　kept　pulling　as　I　watched　him。　I　saw　that　their　boat　was　slowly　sInking。　I　had　a　strange　fear　that　he　would　hit　me　in　the　stomach。　I　dodged　when　I　saw　the　flash　of　his　rifle。　His　ball　struck　the　water；　ten　feet　away　from　us；　and　threw　a　spray　into　my　face。

Uncle　Eb　had　lifted　his　rifle　to　shoot　again。　Suddenly　the　Indian；　who　had　shot　at　us；　went　overboard。　In　a　second　they　were　all　in　the　water；　their　boat　bottom　up。

'Now　take　yer　time；'　said　Uncle　Eb　coolly；　a　frown　upon　his　face。

'They'll　drown；'　said　I。

'Don't　care　if　they　do；　consam　'em；'　he　answered。　'They're　some　o'　them　St　Regis　devils；　an'　when　they　git　whisky　in　'em　they'd　jes'　soon　kill　ye　as　look　at　ye。　They　am'　no　better　'n　rats。'

We　kept　on　our　way　and　by　and　by　a　wind　came　up　that　gave　us　both　some　comfort；　for　we　knew　it　would　soon　blow　them　ashore。　Ab　Thomas　had　come　to　our　camp　and　sat　with　Tip　and　Gerald　when　we　got　there。　We　told　of　our　adventure　and　then　Ab　gave　us　a　bad　turn；　and　a　proper　appreciation　of　our　luck；　by　telling　us　that　they　were　a　gang　of　cut…throats　…　the　worst　in　the　wilderness。

'They'd　a　robbed　ye　sure；'　he　said。　'It's　the　same　gang　'at　killed　a　man　on　Cat　Mountain　las'　summer；　an'　I'll　bet　a　dollar　on　it。'

Tip　had　everything　ready　for　our　journey　home。　Each　day　Gerald　had　grown　paler　and　thinner。　As　we　wrapped　him　in　a　shawl　and　tenderly　helped　him　into　the　wagon　I　read　his　doom　in　his　face。　We　saw　so　much　of　that　kind　of　thing　in　our　stern　climate　we　knew　what　it　meant。　Our　fun　was　over。　We　sat　in　silence；　speeding　down　the　long　hills　in　the　fading　light　of　the　afternoon。　Those　few　solemn　hours　in　which　I　heard　oniy　the　wagon's　rumble　and　the　sweet　calls　of　the　whip…poor…will…waves　of　music　on　a　sea　of　silence…started　me　in　a　way　of　thought　which　has　led　me　high　and　low　these　many　years　and　still　invites　me。　The　day　was　near　its　end　when　we　got　to　the　first　big　clearing。　From　the　top　of　a　high　hill　we　could　see　above　the　far　forest；　the　red　rim　of　the　setting　sun；　big　with　winding　from　the　skein　of　day；　that　was　now　flying　off　the　tree…tops　in　the　west。

We　stopped　to　feed　the　horses　and　to　take　a　bite　of　jerked　venison；　wrapped　ourselves　warmer；　for　it　was　now　dunk　and　chilly；　and　went　on　again。　The　road　went　mostly　downhill；　going　out　of　the　woods；　and　we　could　make　good　time。　It　was　near　midnight　when　we　drove　in　at　our　gate。　There　was　a　light　in　the　sitting…room　and　Uncle　Eb　and　I　went　in　with　Gerald　at　once。　Elizabeth　Brower　knelt　at　the　feet　of　her　son；　unbuttoned　his　coat　and　took　off　his　mu