rolf in the woods- 第34部分

crutches　away。



The　month　of　May　was　nearly　gone；　June　was　at　hand；　that　is；　the

spring　was　over。　！



In　all　ages；　man　has　had　the　impulse；　if　not　the　habit；　of　spring

migration。　Yielding　to　it　he　either　migrated　or　made　some　radical

change　in　his　life。　Most　of　the　Adirondack　men　who　trapped　in　the

winter　sought　work　on　the　log　drives　in　spring；　some　who　had

families　and　a　permanent　home　set　about　planting　potatoes　and

plying　the　fish　nets。　Rolf　and　Quonab　having　neither　way　open；

yet　feeling　the　impulse；　decided　to　go　out　to　Warren's　with　the　fur。



Quonab　wanted　tobacco　　and　a　change。



Rolf　wanted　a　rifle；　and　to　see　the　Van　Trumpers　　and　a　change。



So　June　Ist　saw　them　all　aboard；　with　Quonab　steering　at　the

stern；　and　Skookum　bow…wowing　at　the　bow；　bound　for　the　great

centre　of　Warren's　settlement　　one　store　and　three　houses；　very

wide　apart。



There　was　a　noble　flush　of　water　in　the　streams；　and；　thanks　to

their　axe　work　in　September；　they　passed　down　Jesup's　River

without　a　pause；　and　camped　on　the　Hudson　that　night；　fully

twenty…five　miles　from　home。



Long；　stringing　flocks　of　pigeons　going　north　were　the　most

numerous　forms　of　life。　But　a　porcupine　on　the　bank　and　a　bear　in

the　water　aroused　Skookum　to　a　pitch　of　frightful　enthusiasm　and

vaulting　ambition　that　he　was　forced　to　restrain。



On　the　evening　of　the　third　day　they　landed　at　Warren's　and　found

a　hearty　welcome　from　the　trader；　who　left　a　group　of　loafers　and

came　forward：



〃Good　day　to　ye；　boy。　My；　how　ye　have　growed。〃



So　he　had。　Neither　Rolf　nor　Quonab　had　remarked　it；　but　now　they

were　much　of　the　same　height。　〃Wall；　an'　how'd　ye　make　out　with

yer　hunt？　　Ah；　that's　fine！〃　as　each　of　them　dropped　a　fur　pack

on　the　counter。　〃Wall；　this　is　fine；　we　must　have　a　drink　on　the

head　of　it；〃　and　the　trader　was　somewhat　nonplussed　when　both　the

trappers　refused。　He　was　disappointed；　too；　for　that　refusal

meant　that　they　would　get　much　better　prices　for　their　fun　But　he

concealed　his　chagrin　and　rattled　on：　〃I　reckon　I'll　sell　you　the

finest　rifle　in　the　country　this　time；　〃and　he　knew　by　Rolf's

face　that　there　was　business　to　do　in　that　line。



Now　came　the　listing　of　the　fur；　and　naturally　the　bargaining　was

between　the　shrewd　Yankee　boy　and　the　trader。　The　Indian　stood

shyly　aside；　but　he　did　not　fail　to　help　with　significant　grunts

and　glances。



〃There；　now；〃　said　Warren；　as　the　row　of　martens　were　laid　out

side　by　side；　〃　thirty　martens　　a　leetle　pale　　　worth　three

dollars　and　fifty　cents　each；　or；　to　be　generous；　we'll　say　four

dollars。〃　Rolf　glanced　at　Quonab；　who；　unseen　by　the　trader　shook

his　head；　held　his　right　hand　out；　open　hollow　up；　then　raised　it

with　a　jerk　for　two　inches。



Quickly　Rolf　caught　the　idea　and　said；　〃No；　I　don't　reckon　them

pale。　I　call　them　prime　dark；　every　one　of　them。〃　Quonab　spread

his　hand　with　all　five　fingers　pointed　up；　and　Rolf　continued；

〃They　are　worth　five　dollars　each；　if　they're　worth　a　copper。〃



〃Phew！〃　said　the　trader。　〃you　forget　fur　is　an　awful　risky　thing；

what　with　mildew；　moth；　mice；　and　markets；　we　have　a　lot　of　risk。

But　I　want　to　please　you；　so　let　her　go；　five　each。　There's　a

fine　black　fox；　that's　worth　forty　dollars。〃



〃I　should　think　it　is；〃　said　Rolf；　as　Quonab；　by　throwing　to　his

right　an　imaginary　pinch　of　sand；　made　the　sign　〃refuse。〃



They　had　talked　over　the　value　of　that　fox　skin　and　Rolf　said；

〃Why；　I　know　of　a　black　fox　that　sold　for　two　hundred　dollars。〃



〃Where？〃



〃Oh；　down　at　Stamford。〃



〃Why；　that's　near　New　York。〃



〃Of　course；　don't　you　send　your　fur　to　New　York？〃



〃Yes；　but　it　costs　a　lot　to　get　it　there。



〃Now；〃　said　Warren；　〃if　you'll　take　it　in　trade；　I'll　meet　you

half…way　and　call　it　one　hundred　dollars。〃



〃Make　it　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　dollars　and　I'll　take　a

rifle；　anyway。〃



〃Phew！〃　whistled　the　trader。　〃Where　do　ye　get　such　notions？　〃



〃Nothing　wrong　about　the　notion；　old　Si　Sylvanne　offered　me

pretty　near　that；　if　I'd　come　out　his　way　with　the　stuff。〃



This　had　the　desired　effect　of　showing　that　there　were　other

traders。　At　last　the　deal　was　closed。　Besides　the　fox　skin；　they

had　three　hundred　dollars'　worth　of　fur。　The　exchange　for　the　fox

skin　was　enough　to　buy　all　the　groceries　and　dry　goods　they

needed。　But　Rolf　had　something　else　in　mind。



He　had　picked　out　some　packages　of　candies；　some　calico　prints

and　certain　bright　ribbons；　when　the　trader　grasped　the　idea。　〃I

see；　yer　goin'　visitin'。　Who　is　it？　Must　be　the　Van　Trumpers！　〃



Rolf　nodded　and　now　he　got　some　very　intelligent　guidance。　He　did

not　buy　Annette's　dress；　because　part　of　her　joy　was　to　be　the

expedition　in　person　to　pick　it　out；　but　he　stocked　up　with　some

gorgeous　pieces　of　jewellery　that　were　ten　cents　each；　and

ribbons　whose　colours　were　as　far　beyond　expression　as　were　the

joys　they　could　create　in　the　backwoods　female　heart。



Proudly　clutching　his　new　rlile；　and　carrying　in　his　wallet　a

memorandum　of　three　hundred　dollars　for　their　joint　credit；　Rolf

felt　himself　a　person　of　no　little　impor…　tance。　As　he　was

stepping　out　of　the　store；　the　trader　said；　〃Ye　didn't　run　across

Jack　Hoag　agin；　did　ye？〃



〃Did　we？　Hmph！〃　and　Rolf　told　briefly　of　their　experience　with

that　creature。



〃Just　like　him；　just　like　him；　served　him　right；　he　was　a　dirty

cuss。　But；　say；　don't　you　be　led　into　taking　your　fur　out　Lyons

Falls　way。　They're　a　mean　lot　in　there；　and　it　stands　to　reason　I

can　give　you　better　prices；　being　a　hundred　miles　nearer　New

York。〃



And　that　lesson　was　not　forgotten。　The　nearer　New　York　the　better

the　price；　seventy…five　dollars　at　Lyons　Falls；　one　hundred　and

twenty…five　dollars　at　Warren's；　two　hundred　dollars　at　New　York。

Rolf　pondered　long　and　the　idea　was　one　which　grew　and　bore

fruit。







Chapter　51。　Back　at　Van　Trumper's



Nibowaka〃　　Quonab　always　said　〃Nibowaka〃　when　he　was　impressed

with　Rolf's　astuteness　　〃What　about　the　canoe　and　stuff？〃



〃I　think　we　better　leave　all　here。　Callan　will　lend　us　a　canoe。〃

So　they　shouldered　the　guns；　Rolf　clung　to　his；　and　tramped

across　the　portage；　reaching　Callan's　in　less　than　two　hours。



〃Why；　certainly　you　can　have　the　canoe；　but　come　in　and　eat

first；〃　was　the　kindly　backwoods　greeting。　However；　Rolf　was　keen

to　push　on；　they　launched　the　canoe　at　once　and　speedily　were

flashing　their　paddles　on　the　lake。



The　place　looked　sweetly　familiar　as　they　drew　near。　The　crops　in

the　fields　were　fair；　the　crop　of　chickens　at　the　barn　was　good；

and　the　crop　of　children　about　the　door　was　excellent。



〃Mein　Hemel！　mein　Hemel！　〃　shouted　fat　old　Hendrik；　as　they

walked　up　to　the　stable　door。　In　a　minute　he　was　wringing　their

hands　and　smiling　into　great　red；　white；　and　blue　smiles。　〃Coom

in；　coom　in；　lad。　Hi；　Marta；　here　be　Rolf　and　Quonab。　Mein　Hemel！

mein　Hemel！　what　am　I　now　so　happy。〃



〃Where's　Annette？〃　asked　Rolf。



〃Ach；　poor　Annette；　she　fever　have　a　little；　not　mooch；　some；〃

and　he　led　over　to　a　corner　where　on　a　low　cot　lay　Annette；　thin；

pale；　and　listless。



She　smiled　faintly；　in　response；　when　Rolf　stooped　and　kissed　her。



〃Why；　Annette；　I　came　back　to　see　you。　I　want　to　take　you　over　to

Warren's　store；　so　you　can　pick　out　that　dress。　See；　I　brought

you　my　first　marten　and　I　made　this　box　for　you；　you　must　thank

Skookum　for　the　quills　on　it。〃



〃Poor　chile；　she　bin　sick　all　spring；〃　and　Marta　used　a　bunch　of

sedge　to　drive　away　the　flies　and　mosquitoes　that；　bass　and

treble；　hovered　around　the　child。



〃What　ails　her？〃　asked　Rolf　anxiously。



〃Dot　ve　do　not　know；〃　was　the　reply。



〃Maybe　there's　some　one　here　can　tell；〃　and　Roll　glanced　at　the　Indian。



〃Ach；　sure！　Have　I　you　that　not　always　told　all…vays　　eet　is　so。

All…vays；　I　want　sumpin　bad　mooch。　I　prays　de　good　Lord　and　all…vays；

all…vays；　two　times　now；　He　it　send　by　next　boat。　Ach；　how　I　am　spoil；〃

and　the　good　Dutchman's　eyes　filled　with　tears　of　thankfulness。



Quonab　knelt　by　the　sufferer。　He　felt　her　hot；　dry　hand；　he

noticed　her　short；　quick　breathing；　her　bright　eyes；　and　the

untouched　bowl　of　mush　by　her　bed。



〃Swamp　fever；〃　he　said。　〃I　bring　good　medicine。〃　He　passed

quietly　out　into　the　woods。　When　he　returned；　he　carried　a　bundle

of　snake…root　which　he　made　into　tea。



Annette　did　not　wish　to　touch　it；　but　her　mother　persuaded　her　to

take　a　few　sips　from　a　cup　held　by　Rolf。



〃Wah！　this　not　good；〃　and　Quonab　glanced　about　the　close；

fly…infested　room。　〃I　must　make　lodge。〃　He　turned　up　the　cover　of

the　bedding；　three　or　four　large；　fiat　brown　things　moved　slowly

out　of　the　light。　〃Yes；　I　make　lodge。〃



It　was　night　now；　and　all　retired；　the　newcomers　to　the　barn。

They　had　scarcely　entered；　when　a　screaming　of　poultry　gave　a

familiar　turn　to　affairs。　On　running　to　the　spot；　it　proved　not　a

mink　or　coon；　but　Skookum；　up　to　his　old　tricks。　On　the　appearance

of　his　masters；　he　fled　with　guilty　haste；　crouched　beneath　the　post

that　he　used　to　be；　and　soon　again　was；　chained　to。



In　the　morning　Quonab　set　about　his　lodge；　and　Rolf　said：　〃I've

got　to　go　to　Warren's　for　sugar。〃　The　sugar　was　part　truth　and

part　blind。　As　soon　as　he　heard　the　name　swamp　fever；　Rolf

remembered　that；　in　Redding；　Jesuit's　bark　（known　later　as

quinine）　was　the　sovereign　remedy。　He　had　seen　his　mother

administer　it　many　times；　and；　so　far　as　he　knew；　with　uniform

success。　Every　frontier　（or　backwoods；　it's　the　same）　trader

carries　a　stock　of　medicine；　and　in　two　hours　Rolf　left　Warren's

counter　with　twenty…five　pounds　of　maple　sugar　and　a　bottle　of

quinine　extract　in　his　pack。



〃You　say　she's　bothered　with　the　flies；　why　don't　you　take　some

of　this　new　stuff　for　a　curtain？　〃　and　the　trader　held　up　a　web

of　mosquito　gauze；　the　first　Rolf　had　seen。　That　surely　was　a

good　idea；　and　ten　y