rolf in the woods- 第43部分

young　Van　Cortlandt　and　certain　young　ladies；　assisted　by　some

very　gay　young　men　and　the　general。　Their　chatter　was　funny；　but

nothing　more。　Now　a　different　air　was　on　the　group；　different

subjects　were　discussed；　and　by　different　men；　in　a　totally

different　manner。



〃We've　stood　just　about　all　we　can　stand；〃　said　the　governor；

alluding　to　an　incident　newly　told；　of　a　British　frigate　boarding

an　American　merchant　vessel　by　force　and　carrying　off　half　her

crew；　under　presence　that　they　were　British　seamen　in　disguise。

〃That's　been　going　on　for　three　years　now。　It's　either　piracy　or

war；　and；　in　either　case；　it's　our　duty　to　fight。〃



〃Jersey's　dead　against　war；〃　said　a　legislator　from　down　the　river。



〃Jersey　always　was　dead　against　everything　that　was　for　the

national　good；　sir；〃　said　a　red…faced；　puffy；　military　man；　with

a　husky　voice；　a　rolling　eye；　and　a　way　of　ending　every　sentence

in　〃sir。〃



〃So　is　Connecticut；〃　said　another；　〃they　say；　'Look　at　all　our

defenceless　coasts　and　harbour　towns。'〃



〃They're　not　risking　as　much　as　New　York；〃　answered　the

governor；〃　with　her　harbours　all　the　way　up　the　Hudson　and　her

back　door　open　to　invasion　from　Canada。〃



〃Fortunately；　sir；　Pennyslvania；　Maryland；　and　the　West　have　not

forgotten　the　glories　of　the　past。　All　I　ask　　is　a　chance　to

show　what　we　can　do；　sir。　I　long　for　the　smell　of　powder　once

more；　sir。〃



〃I　understand　that　President　Madison　has　sent　several　protests；

and；　in　spite　of　Connecticut　and　New　Jersey；　will　send　an

ultimatum　within　three　months。　He　believes　that　Britain　has　all

she　can　manage；　with　Napoleon　and　his　allies　battering　at　her

doors；　and　will　not　risk　a　war。



〃It's　my　opinion；〃　said　Sylvanne；　〃that　these　English　men　is　too

pig…headed　an'　ornery　to　care　a　whoop　in　hell　whether　we　get　mad

or　not。　They've　a　notion　Paul　Jones　is　dead；　but　I　reckon　we've

got　plenty　of　the　breed　only　waitin'　a　chance。　Mor'n　twenty…five

of　our　merchantmen　wrecked　each　year　through　being　stripped　of

their　crews　by　a　'friendly　power。'　'Pears　to　me　we　couldn't　be

worse　off　going　to　war；　an'　might　be　a　dum　sight　better。〃



〃Your　home　an'　holdings　are　three　hundred　safe　miles　from　the

seacoast；〃　objected　the　man　from　Manhattan。



〃Yes；　and　right　next　Canada；〃　was　the　reply。



〃The　continued　insults　to　our　flag；　sir；　and　the　personal

indignities　offered　to　our　people　are　even　worse　than　the　actual

loss　in　ships　and　goods。　It　makes　my　blood　fairly　boil；〃　and　the

worthy　general　looked　the　part　as　his　purple　jowl　quivered　over

his　white　cravat。



〃Gosh　all　hemlock！　the　one　pricks；　but　t'other　festers。　it's

tarnal　sure　you　steal　a　man's　dinner　and　tell　him　he's　one　o'

nature's　noblemen；　he's　more　apt　to　love　you　than　if　you　give　him

five　dollars　to　keep　out　o'　your　sight；〃　said　Sylvanne；　with　slow

emphasis。



〃There's　something　to　be　said　on　the　other　side；〃　said　the　timid

one。　〃You　surely　allow　that　the　British　government　is　trying　to

do　right；　and　after　all　we　must　admit　that　that　Jilson　affair

resected　very　little　credit　on　our　own　administration。〃



〃A　man　ken　make　one　awful　big　mistake　an'　still　be　all　right；　but

he　can't　go　on　making　a　little　mistake　every　day　right　along　an'

be　fit　company　for　a　clean　crowd；〃　retorted　the　new　senator。



At　length　the　governor　rose　and　led　the　way　to　the　drawing…room；

where　they　rejoined　the　ladies　and　the　conversation　took　on　a

different　colour　and　weight；　by　which　it　lost　all　value　for　those

who　knew　not　the　art　of　twittering　persiflage　and　found　less　joy

in　a　handkerchief　flirtation　than　in　the　nation's　onward　march。

Rolf　and　Quonab　enjoyed　it　now　about　as　much　as　Skookum　had　done

all　the　time。







Chapter　65。　The　Grebes　and　the　Singing　Mouse



Quonab　puzzled　long　over　the　amazing　fact　that　young　Van

Cortlandt　had　evident　high　standing　〃in　his　own　tribe。〃　〃He　must

be　a　wise　counsellor；　for　I　know　he　cannot　fight　and　is　a　fool　at

hunting；〃　was　the　ultimate　decision。



They　had　a　final　interview　with　the　governor　and　his　son　before

they　left。　Rolf　received　for　himself　and　his　partner　the　promised

one　hundred　and　fifty　dollars；　and　the　hearty　thanks　of　all　in

the　governor's　home。　Next；　each　was　presented　with　a　handsome

hunting　knife；　not　unlike　the　one　young　Van　had　carried；　but

smaller。　Quonab　received　his　with　〃Ho　　then；　after　a　pause；　〃He

pull　out；　maybe；　when　I　need　him。〃　　〃Ho！　good！〃　he　exclaimed；

as　the　keen　blade　appeared。



〃Now；　Rolf；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃I　want　to　come　back　next　year　and

bring　three　companions；　and　we　will　pay　you　at　the　same　rate　per

month　for　each。　What　do　you　say？〃



〃Glad　to　have　you　again；〃　said　Rolf：　〃we'll　come　for　you　on

August　fifteenth；　but　remember　you　should　bring　your　guitar　and

your　spectacles。〃



〃One　word；〃　said　the　governor；　〃do　you　know　the　canoe　route

through　Champlain　to　Canada？　〃



〃Quonab　does。〃



〃Could　you　undertake　to　render　scout　service　in　that　region？〃



The　Indian　nodded。



〃In　case　of　war；　we　may　need　you　both；　so　keep　your　ears　open。〃



And　once　more　the　canoe　made　for　the　north；　with　Quonab　in　the

stern　and　Skookum　in　the　bow。



In　less　than　a　week　they　were　home；　and　none　too　soon；　for

already　the　trees　were　bare；　and　they　had　to　break　the　ice　on　the

river　before　they　ended　their　trip。



Rolf　had　gathered　many　ideas　the　last　two…months。　He　did　not

propose　to　continue　all　his　life　as　a　trapper。　He　wanted　to　see

New　York。　He　wanted　to　plan　for　the　future。　He　needed　money　for

his　plans。　He　and　Quonab　had　been　running　a　hundred　miles　of

traps；　but　some　men　run　more　than　that　single　handed。　They　must

get　out　two　new　lines　at　once；　before　the　frost　came。　One　of

these　they　laid　up　the　Hudson；　above　Eagle's　Nest；　the　other

northerly　on　Blue　Mountain；　toward　Racquet　River。　Doing　this　was

hard　work；　and　when　they　came　again　to　their　cabin　the　robins　had

gone　from　the　bleak　and　leafless　woods；　the　grouse　were　making

long　night　flights；　the　hollows　had　tracks　of　racing　deer；　there

was　a　sense　of　omen；　a　length　of　gloom；　for　the　Mad　Moon　was

afloat　in　the　shimmering　sky；　its　wan　light　ghasted　all　the

hills。



Next　day　the　lake　was　covered　with　thin；　glare　ice；　on　the　glassy

surface　near　the　shore　were　two　ducks　floundering。　The　men　went

as　near　as　they　could；　and　Quonab　said；　〃　No；　not　duck；　but

Shingebis；　divers。



They　cannot　rise　except　from　water。　In　the　night　the　new　ice

looks　like　water；　they　come　down　and　cannot　rise。　I　have　often

seen　it。〃　Two　days　after；　a　harder　frost　came　on。　The　ice　was

safe　for　a　dog；　the　divers　or　grebes　were　still　on　its　surface。

So　they　sent　Skookum。　He　soon　returned　with　two　beautiful　grebes；

whose　shining；　white　breast　feathers　are　as　much　prized　as　some

furs。



Quonab　grunted　as　he　held　them　up。　〃Ugh；　it　is　often　so　in　this

Mad　Moon。　My　father　said　it　is　because　of　Kaluskap's　dancing。〃



〃I　don't　remember　that　one。〃



〃Yes；　long　ago。　Kaluskap　felt　lazy。　He　wanted　to　eat；　but　did　not

wish　to　hunt；　so　he　called　the　bluejay　and　said：　'Tell　all　the

woods　that　to…morrow　night　Kaluskap　gives　a　new　dance　and　teaches

a　new　song；'　and　he　told　the　hoot　owl　to　do　the　same；　so　one　kept

it　up　all　day　　'Kaluskap　teaches　a　new　dance　to…morrow　night；'

and　the　other　kept　it　up　all　night：　'Kaluskap　teaches　a　new　song

at　next　council。'



〃Thus　it　came　about　that　all　the　woods　and　waters　sent　their　folk

to　the　dance。



〃Then　Kaluskap　took　his　song…drum　and　said：　'When　I　drum　and　sing

you　must　dance　in　a　circle　the　same　way　as　the　sun；　close　your

eyes　tightly；　and　each　one　shout　his　war　whoop；　as　I　cry　〃new

songs〃！'



〃So　all　began；　with　Kaluskap　drumming　in　the　middle；　singing：



〃'New　songs　from　the　south；　brothers；　Close　your　eyes　tightly；

brothers；　Dance　and　learn　a　new　song。



〃As　they　danced　around；　he　picked　out　the　fattest；　and；　reaching

out　one　hand；　seized　them　and　twisted　their　necks；　shouting　out；

'More　war…cries；　more　poise！　that's　it；　now　you　are　learning！'



〃At　length　Shingebis　the　diver　began　to　have　his　doubts　and　he

cautiously　opened　one　eye；　saw　the　trick；　and　shouted：　'Fly；

brothers；　fly！　Kaluskap　is　killing　us　！'



〃Then　all　was　confusion。　Every　one　tried　to　escape；　and　Kaluskap；

in　revenge；　tried　to　kill　the　Shingebis。　But　the　diver　ran　for

the　water　and；　just　as　he　reached　the　edge；　Kaluskap　gave　him　a

kick　behind　that　sent　him　half　a　mile；　but　it　knocked　off　all　his

tail　feathers　and　twisted　his　shape　so　that　ever　since　his　legs

have　stuck　out　where　his　tail　was；　and　he　cannot　rise　from　the

land　or　the　ice。　I　know　it　is　so；　for　my　father；　Cos　Cob；　told　me

it　was　true；　and　we　ourselves　have　seen　it。　It　is　ever　so。　To　go

against　Kaluskap　brings　much　evil　to　brood　over。〃



A　few　nights　later；　as　they　sat　by　their　fire　in　the　cabin；　a

curious　squeaking　was　heard　behind　the　logs。　They　had　often　heard

it　before；　but　never　so　much　as　now。　Skookum　turned　his　head　on

one　side；　set　his　ears　at　forward　cock。　Presently；　from　a　hole

'twixt　logs　and　chimney；　there　appeared　a　small；　white　breasted

mouse。



Its　nose　and　ears　shivered　a　little；　its　black　eyes　danced　in　the

firelight。　It　climbed　up　to　a　higher　log；　scratched　its　ribs；

then　rising　on　its　hind　legs；　uttered　one　or　two　squeaks　like

those　they　had　heard　so　often；　but　soon　they　became　louder　and

continuous：



〃Peg；　　peo；　peo；　peo；　peo；　peo；　peo；　oo。　Tree；　tree；　tree；　tree；

trrrrrrr；　Turr；　turr；　turr；　tur；　tur；　Wee；　wee；　wee；　we　〃



The　little　creature　was　sitting　up　high　on　its　hind　legs；　its

belly　muscles　were　working；　its　mouth　was　gaping　as　it　poured　out

its　music。　For　fully　half　a　minute　this　went　on；　when　Skookum

made　a　dash；　but　the　mouse　was　quick　and　it　flashed　into　the

safety　of　its　cranny。



Rolf　gazed　at　Quonab　inquiringly。



〃That　is　Mish…a…boh…quas；　the　singing　mouse。　He　always　comes　to

tell　of　war。　In　a　littl