rolf in the woods- 第26部分

〃There　is　plenty　of　country　south　of　the　lake；　maybe　he　was　here　first。〃



〃You　know　he　was　not。　　You　should　eat　many　pekan　hearts。　　I　have

sought　peace；　now　I　fight。〃



He　shouldered　his　pack；　grasped　his　gun；　and　his　　snowshoes　went

〃tssape；　tssape；　tssape；〃　over　the　snow。



Skookum　was　sitting　by　Rolf。　　He　rose　to　resume　the　march；　and

trotted　a　few　steps　on　Quonab's　trail。　　Rolf　did　not　move；　he　was

dazed　by　the　sudden　and　painful　situation。　　Mutiny　is　always

worse　than　war。　　Skookum　looked　back；　trotted　on；　still　Rolf　sat

staring。　　Quonab's　figure　was　lost　in　the　distance；　the　dog's　was

nearly　so。　Rolf　moved　not。　　All　the　events　of　the　last　year　were

rushing　through　his　mind；　the　refuge　he　had　found　with　the

Indian；　the　incident　of　the　buck　fight　and　the　tender　nurse　the

red　man　proved。　　He　wavered。　　Then　he　saw　Skookum　coming　back　on

the　trail。　　The　dog　trotted　up　to　the　boy　and　dropped　a　glove；

one　of　Quonab's。　　Undoubtedly　　the　Indian　had　lost　it；　Skookum

had　found　it　on　the　trail　and　mechanically　brought　it　to　the

nearest　of　his　　masters。　　Without　that　glove　Quonab's　hand　would

freeze。　　Rolf　rose　and　sped　along　the　other's　trail。　　Having

taken　the　step；　he　found　it　easy　to　send　a　long　halloo；　then

another　and　another；　till　an　answer　came。　　In　a　few　minutes　Rolf

came　up。　The　Indian　was　sitting　on　a　log；　waiting。　　The　glove　was

handed　over　in　silence；　and　received　with　a　grunt。



After　a　minute　or　two；　Rolf　said　〃Let's　get　on；〃　and　started　on

the　dim　trail　of　the　robber。



For　an　hour　or　two　they　strode　in　silence。　　Then　their　course

rose　as　they　reached　a　rocky　range。　　Among　its　bare；　wind…swept

ridges　all　sign　was　lost；　but　the　Indian　kept　on　till　they　were

over　and　on　the　other　side。　　A　far　cast　in　the　thick；　windless

woods　revealed　the　trail　again；　surely　the　same；　for　the　snowshoe

was　two　fingers　wider　on　every　side；　and　a　hand…breadth　longer

than　Quonab's；　be…　sides　the　right　frame　had　been　broken　and　the

binding　of　rawhide　was　faintly　seen　in　the　snow　mark。　　It　was　a

mark　they　had　seen　all　winter；　and　now　it　was　headed　as　before

for　the　west。



When　night　came　down；　they　camped　in　a　hollow。　　They　were　used　to

snow　camps。　　In　the　morning　they　went　on；　but　wind　and　snow　had

hidden　their　tell…tale　guide。



What　was　the　next　move？　　Rolf　did　not　ask；　but　　wondered。



Quonab　evidently　was　puzzled。



At　length　Rolf　ventured：　〃He　surely　lives　by　some　river　　that

way　　and　within　a　day's　journey。　　This　track　is　gone；　but　we

may　strike　a　fresh　one。　　We'll　know　it　when　we　see　it。〃



The　friendly　look　came　back　to　the　Indian's　face。　　〃You　are

Nibowaka。〃



They　had　not　gone　half　a　mile　before　they　found　a　fresh　track　

their　old　acquaintance。　　Even　Skookum　showed　his　hostile

recognition。　　And　in　a　few　minutes　it　led　them　to　a　shanty。　　They

slipped　off　their　snowshoes；　and　hung　them　in　a　tree。　　Quonab

opened　the　door　without　knocking。　　　They　entered；　and　in　a　moment

were　face　to　face　with　a　lanky；　ill…favoured　white　man　that　all

three；　including　　Skookum；　recognized　as　Hoag；　the　man　they　had

met　at　the　trader's。



That　worthy　made　a　quick　reach　for　his　rifle；　but　Quonab　covered

him　and　said　in　tones　that　brooked　no　discussion；　〃Sit　down！〃



Hoag　did　so；　sullenly；　then　growled：　〃All　right；　my　partners　will

be　here　in　ten　minutes。〃



Rolf　was　startled。　　Quonab　and　Skookum　were　not。



〃We　settled　your　partners　up　in　the　hills；〃　said　the　former；

knowing　that　one　bluff　was　as　good　as　another。　Skookum　growled

and　sniffed　at　the　enemy's　legs。　　The　prisoner　made　a　quick　move

with　his　foot。



〃You　kick　that　dog　again　and　it's　your　last　kick；〃　said　the　Indian。



〃Who's　kicked　yer　dog；　and　what　do　you　mean　coming　here　with　yer

cutthroat　ways？　　You'll　find　there's　law　in　this　country　before

yer　through；〃　was　the　answer。



〃That's　what　we're　looking　for；　you　trap　robber；　you　thief。

We're　here　first　to　find　our　traps；　second　to　tell　you　this：　the

next　time　you　come　on　our　line　there'll　be　meat　for　the　ravens。

Do　you　suppose　I　don't　know　them？　and　the　Indian　pointed　to　a

large　pair　of　snowshoes　with　long　heels　and　a　repair　lashing　on

the　right　frame。　　〃See　that　blue　yarn；〃　and　the　Indian　matched　it

with　a　blue　sash　hanging　to　a　peg。



〃Yes；　them　belongs　to　Bill　Hawkins；　he'll　be　'round　in　five

minutes　now。〃



The　Indian　made　a　gesture　of　scorn；　then　turning　to　Rolf　said：

〃look　'round　for　our　traps。〃　Rolf　made　a　thorough　search　in　and

about　the　shanty　and　the　adjoining　shed。　He　found　some　traps　but

none　with　his　mark；　none　of　a　familiar　make　even。



〃Better　hunt　for　a　squaw　and　papoose；〃　sneered　Hoag；　who　was

utterly　puzzled　by　the　fact　that　now　Rolf　was　obviously　a　white

lad。



But　all　the　search　was　vain。　　Either　Hoag　had　not　stolen　the

traps　or　had　hidden　them　elsewhere。　　The　only　large　traps　they

found　were　two　of　the　largest　size　for　taking　bear。



Hoag's　torrent　of　bad　language　had　been　quickly　checked　by　the

threat　of　turning　Skookum　loose　on　his　legs；　and　he　looked　such　a

grovelling　beast　that　presently　the　visitors　decided　to　leave　him

with　a　warning。



The　Indian　took　the　trapper's　gun；　fired　it　off　out　of　doors；　not

in　the　least　perturbed　by　the　possibility　of　its　being　heard　by

Hoag's　partners。　　He　knew　they　were　imaginary。　　　Then　changing

his　plan；　he　said　〃Ugh！　You　find　your　gun　in　half　a　mile　on　our

trail。　　But　don't　come　farther　and　don't　let　me　see　the　snowshoe

trail　on　the　divide　again。　Them　ravens　is　awful　hungry。〃



Skookum；　to　his　disappointment；　was　called　off　and；　talking　the

trapper's　gun　for　a　time；　they　left　it　in　a　bush　and　made　for

their　own　country。







Chapter　42。　Skookum's　Panther



〃Why　are　there　so　few　deer　tracks　now？〃



〃Deer　yarded　for　winter；〃　replied　the　Indian；　no　travel　in　deep　snow。〃



〃We'll　soon　need　another；〃　said　Rolf；　which　unfortunately　　was

true。　　They　could　have　killed　many　deer　in　early　winter；　when　the

venison　was　in　fine　condition；　but　they　had　no　place　to　store　it。

Now　they　must　get　it　as　they　could；　and　of　course　it　was　thinner

and　poorer　every　week。



They　were　on　a　high　hill　some　days　later。　　There　was　a　clear　view

and　they　noticed　several　ravens　circling　and　swooping。



〃Maybe　dead　deer；　maybe　deer　yard；〃　said　the　Indian。



It　was　over　a　thick；　sheltered；　and　extensive　cedar　swamp　near

the　woods　where　last　year　they　had　seen　so　many　deer；　and　they

were　not　surprised　to　find　deer　tracks　in　numbers；　as　soon　as

they　got　into　its　dense　thicket。



A　deer　yard　is　commonly　supposed　to　be　a　place　in　which　the　deer

have　a　daily　〃bee〃　at　road　work　all　winter　long　and　deliberately

keep　the　snow　hammered　down　so　they　can　run　on　a　hard　surface

everywhere　within　its　limits。　　The　fact　is；　the　deer　gather　in　a

place　where　there　is　plenty　of　food　and　good　shelter。　　The　snow

does　not　drift　here；　so　the　deer；　by　continually　moving　about；

soon　make　a　network　of　tracks　in　all　directions；　extending　them

as　they　must　to　seek　more　food。　　They　may；　of　course；　leave　the

yard　at　any　time；　but　at　once　they　encounter　the　dreaded　obstacle

of　deep；　soft　snow　in　which　they　are　helpless。



Once　they　reached　the　well…worn　trails；　the　hunters　took　off

their　snowshoes　and　went　gently　on　these　deer　paths。　They　saw　one

or　two　disappearing　forms；　which　taught　them　the　thick　cover　was

hiding　many　more。　　They　made　for　the　sound　of　the　ravens；　and

found　that　the　feast　of　the　sable　birds　was　not　a　deer　but　the

bodies　of　three；　quite　recently　killed。



Quonab　made　a　hasty　study　of　the　signs　and　said；　〃Panther。〃



Yes；　a　panther；　cougar；　or　mountain　lion　also　had　found　the　deer

yard；　and　here　he　was　living；　like　a　rat　in　a　grocer　shop　with

nothing　to　do　but　help　himself　whenever　he　felt　like　feasting。



Pleasant　for　the　panther；　but　hard　on　the　deer；　for　the　killer　is

wasteful　and　will　often　kill　for　the　joy　of　murder。



Not　a　quarter　of　the　carcasses　lying　here　did　he　eat；　he　was

feeding　at　least　a　score　of　ravens；　and　maybe　foxes；　martens；　and

lynxes　as　well。



Before　killing　a　deer；　Quonab　thought　it　well　to　take　a　quiet

prowl　around　in　hopes　of　seeing　the　panther。　　Skookum　was　turned

loose　and　encouraged　to　display　his　talents。



Proud　as　a　general　with　an　ample　and　obedient　following；　he

dashed　ahead；　carrying　fresh　dismay　among　the　deer；　if　one　might

judge　from　the　noise。　　Then　he　found　some　new　smell　of

excitement；　and　voiced　the　new　thrill　in　a　new　sound；　one　not

unmixed　with　fear。　　At　length　his　barking　was　far　away　to　the

west　in　a　rocky　part　of　the　woods。　　Whatever　the　prey；　it　was

treed；　for　the　voice　kept　one　place。



The　hunters　followed　quickly　and　found　the　dog　yapping　　furiously

under　a　thick　cedar。　　The　first　thought　was　of　porcupine；　but　a

nearer　view　showed　the　game　to　be　a　huge　panther　on　the　ground；

not　greatly　excited；　　disdaining　to　climb；　and　taking　little

notice　of　the　dog；　　except　to　curl　his　nose　and　utter　a　hissing

kind　of　snarl　when　the　latter　came　too　near。



But　the　arrival　of　the　hunters　gave　a　new　colour　to　the　picture。

The　panther　raised　his　head；　then　sprang　up　a　large　tree　and

ensconced　himself　on　a　fork；　while　the　valorous　　Skookum　reared

against　the　trunk；　threatening　loudly　to　come　up　and　tear　him　to

pieces。



This　was　a　rare　find　and　a　noble　chance　to　conserve　their　stock

of　deer；　so　the　hunters　went　around　the　tree　seeking　for　a　fair

shot。　　But　every　point　of　view　had　some　serious　obstacle。　　It

seemed　as　though　the　branches　had　been　told　off　to　guard　the

panther's　vitals；　for　a　big　one　always　stood　in　the　bullet's　way。



After　vainly　going　around；　Quonab　said　to　Rolf：　〃Hit　him　with

something；　so　he'll　move。〃



Rolf　always　was　a　good　shot　with　stones；　but　he　found　none　to

throw。　　Near　where　they　stood；　however；　was　an　unfreezing　spring；

and　the　soggy　snow　on　it　was　easily　packed　into　a　hard；　heavy

snowball。　　Rolf　t