rolf in the woods-第25部分

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autumn　chases　because　they　were　by　night；　but　foxes　hunt　much　by

day　in　winter；　perforce；　and　are　often　seen；　and　more　than　once

they　witnessed　one　of　these　farcical　races。



And　now　the　shining　white　furnished　background　for　a　much　more

important　affair。



It　was　near　sundown　one　day　when　a　faint　fox　bark　was　heard　out

on　the　snow…covered　ice　of　the　lake。



〃That's　for　me；〃　Skookum　seemed　to　think；　and　jumping　　up；　with　a

very　fierce　growl；　he　trotted　forth；　the　men　looked　first　from

the　window。　　Out　on　the　snow；　sitting　on　his　haunches；　was　their

friend；　the　big；　black　silver　fox。



Quonab　reached　for　his　gun　and　Rolf　tried　to　call　Skookum；　but　it

was　too　late。　　He　was　out　to　catch　that　fox；　their　business　was

to　look　on　and　applaud。　　The　fox　sat　on　his　haunches；　grinning

apparently；　until　Skookum　dashed　through　the　snow　within　twenty

yards。　　Then；　that　shining；　black　fox　loped　gently　away；　his　huge

tail　level　out　behind　him；　and　Skookum；　sure　of　success；　raced

up；　within　six　or　seven　yards。　　A　few　more　leaps　now；　and　the

victory　would　be　won。　　But　somehow　he　could　not　close　that　six　or

seven　yard　gap。　　No　matter　how　he　strained　and　leaped；　the　great

black　brush　was　just　so　far　ahead。　　At　first　they　had　headed　for

the　shore；　but　the　fox　wheeled　back　to　the　ice　and　up　and　down。

Skookum　felt　it　was　because　escape　was　hopeless；　and　he　redoubled

his　effort。　　But　all　in　vain。　　He　was　only　wearing　himself　out；

panting　noisily　now。　　The　snow　was　deep　enough　to　be　a　great

disadvantage；　more　to　dog　than　to　fox；　since　weight　counted　as

such　a　handicap。　　Unconsciously　Skookum　　slowed　up。　　The　fox

increased　his　headway；　then　audaciously　turned　around　and　sat

down　in　the　snow。



This　was　too　much　for　the　dog。　　He　wasted　about　a　lungful　of　air

in　an　angry　bark；　and　again　went　after　the　enemy。　　Again　the

chase　was　round　and　round；　but　very　soon　the　dog　was　so　wearied

that　he　sat　down；　and　now　the　black　fox　actually　came　back　and

barked　at　him。



It　was　maddening。　　Skookum's　pride　was　touched。



He　was　in　to　win　or　break。　　His　supreme　effort　brought　him　within

five　feet　of　that　white…tipped　brush。　　Then；　strange　to　tell；　the

big　black　fox　put　forth　his　large　reserve　of　speed；　and　making

for　the　woods；　left　Skookum　far　behind。　　Why？　　The　cause　was

clear。　　Quonab；　after　vainly　watching　for　a　chance　to　shoot；　that

would　not　endanger　the　dog；　had；　under　cover；　crept　around　the

lake　and　now　was　awaiting　in　a　thicket。　　But　the　fox's　keen　nose

had　warned　him。　　He　knew　that　the　funny　part　was　over；　so　ran　for

the　woods　and　disappeared　as　a　ball　tossed　up　the　snow　behind

him。



Poor　Skookum's　tongue　was　nearly　a　foot　long　as　he　walked　meekly

ashore。　　He　looked　depressed；　his　tail　was　depressed；　so　were　his

ears；　but　there　was　nothing　to　show　whether　he　would　have　told

that　reporter　that　he　〃wasn't　feeling　up　to　his　usual；　to…day；〃

or　〃Didn't　you　see　me　get　the　best　of　him？〃







Chapter　40。　The　Rarest　of　Pelts



They　saw　that　silver　fox　three　or　four　times　during　the　winter；

and　once　found　that　he　had　had　the　audacity　to　jump　from　a　high

snowdrift　onto　the　storehouse　and　thence　to　the　cabin　roof；　where

he　had　feasted　on　some　white　rabbits　kept　there　for　deadfall

baits。　　But　all　attempts　to　trap　or　shoot　him　were　vain；　and

their　acquaintance　might　have　ended　as　it　began；　but　for　an

accident。



It　proved　a　winter　of　much　snow。　　Heavy　snow　is　the　worst

misfortune　that　can　befall　the　wood　folk　in　fur。　　It　hides　their

food　beyond　reach；　and　it　checks　their　movements　　so　they　can

neither　travel　far　in　search　of　provender　nor　run　fast　to　escape

their　enemies。　　Deep　snow　then　means　fetters；　starvation；　and

death。　　There　are　two　ways　of　meeting　the　problem：　stilts　and

snowshoes。　　The　second　is　far　the　better。　　The　caribou；　and　the

moose　have　stilts；　the　rabbit；　the　panther；　and　the　lynx　wear

snowshoes。　　When　there　are　three　or　four　feet　of　soft　snow；　the

lynx　is　king　of　all　small　beasts；　and　little　in　fear　of　the　large

ones。　　Man　on　his　snowshoes　has　most　wild　four…foots　at　his

mercy。



Skookum；　without　either　means　of　meeting　the　trouble　was　left

much　alone　in　the　shanty。　　Apparently；　it　was　on　one　of　these

occasions　that　the　silver　fox　had　driven　him　nearly　frantic　by

eating　rabbits　on　the　roof　above　him。



The　exasperating　robbery　of　their　trap　line　had　gone　on

irregularly　all　winter；　but　the　thief　was　clever　enough　or　lucky

enough　to　elude　them。



They　were　returning　to　the　cabin　after　a　three　days'　round；　when

they　saw；　far　out　on　the　white　expanse　of　the　lake；　two　animals；

alternately　running　and　fighting。　〃Skookum　and　the　fox；〃　was　the

first　thought　that　came；　but　on　entering　the　cabin　Skookum

greeted　them　in　person。



Quonab　gazed　intently　at　the　two　running　specks　and　said：　〃One

has　no　tail。　　I　think　it　is　a　peeshoo　（lynx）　and　a　fox。〃



Rolf　was　making　dinner。　　From　time　to　time　he　glanced　over　the

lake　and　saw　the　two　specks；　usually　running。　　After　dinner　was

over；　he　said；　〃Let's　sneak　'round　and　see　if　we　can　get　a　shot。〃



So；　putting　on　their　snowshoes　and　keeping　out　of　sight；　they

skimmed　over　the　deer　crossing　and　through　the　woods；　till　at　a

point　near　the　fighters；　and　there　they　saw　something　that

recalled　at　once　the　day　of　Skookum's　humiliation。



A　hundred　yards　away　on　the　open　snow　was　a　huge　lynx　and　their

old　friend；　the　black　and　shining　silver　fox；　face　to　face；　the

fox　desperate；　showing　his　rows　of　beautiful　teeth；　but　sinking

belly　deep　in　the　snow　as　he　strove　to　escape。　　Already　he　was

badly　wounded。　　In　any　case　he　was　at　the　mercy　of　the　lynx　who；

in　spite　of　his　greater　weight；　had　such　broad　and　perfect

snowshoes　that　he　skimmed　on　the　surface；　while　the　fox's　small

feet　sank　deep。　　The　lynx　was　far　from　fresh；　and　still　stood　in

some　awe　of　those　rows　of　teeth　that　snapped　like　traps　when　he

came　too　near。　　He　was　minded；　of　course；　to　kill　his　black

rival；　but　not　to　be　hurt　in　doing　so。　　Again　and　again　there　was

in　some　sort　a　closing　fight；　the　wearied　fox　plunging

breathlessly　through　the　treacherous；　relentless　　snow。　　If　he

could　only　get　back　to　cover；　he　might　find　a　corner　to　protect

his　rear　and　have　some　fighting　chance　for　life。　　But　wherever　he

turned　that　huge　cat　faced　him；　doubly　armed；　and　equipped　as　a

fox　can　never　be　for　the　snow。



No　one　could　watch　that　plucky　fight　without　feeling　his

sympathies　go　out　to　the　beautiful　silver　fox。　　Rolf；　at　least；

was　for　helping　him　to　escape；　when　the　final　onset　came。　　In

another　dash　for　the　woods　the　fox　plunged　out　of　sight　in　a

drift　made　soft　by　sedge　sticking　through；　and　before　he　could

recover；　the　lynx's　jaws　closed　on　the　back　of　his　neck　and　the

relentless　claws　had　pierced　his　vitals。



The　justification　of　killing　is　self…preservation；　and　in　this

case　the　proof　would　have　been　the　lynx　making　a　meal　of　the　fox。

Did　he　do　so？　　Not　at　all。　　He　shook　his　fur；　licked　his　chest

and　paws　in　a　self…congratulatory　way；　then　giving　a　final　tug　at

the　body；　walked　calmly　over　the　snow　along　the　shore。



Quonab　put　the　back　of　his　hand　to　his　mouth　and　made　a　loud

squeaking；　much　like　a　rabbit　caught　in　a　snare。　The　lynx

stopped；　wheeled；　and　came　trotting　straight　toward　the　promising

music。　　Unsuspectingly　he　came　within　twenty　yards　of　the

trappers。　　The　flint…lock　banged　and　the　lynx　was　kicking　in　the

snow。



The　beautiful　silver　fox　skin　was　very　little　injured　and　proved

of　value　almost　to　double　their　catch　so　far；　while　the　lynx　skin

was　as　good　as　another　marten。



They　now　had　opportunity　of　studying　the　tracks　and　learned　that

the　fox　had　been　hunting　rabbits　in　a　thicket　when　he　was　set　on

by　the　lynx。　　At　first　he　had　run　around　in　the　bushes　and　saved

himself　from　serious　　injury；　for　the　snow　was　partly　packed　by

the　rabbits。　　After　perhaps　an　hour　of　this；　he　had　wearied　and

sought　to　save　himself　by　abandoning　the　lynx's　territory；　so　had

struck　across　the　open　lake。　　But　here　the　snow　was　too　soft　to

bear　him　at　all；　and　the　lynx　could　still　skim　over。　　So　it

proved　a　fatal　error。　　He　was　strong　and　brave。　　He　fought　at

least　another　hour　here　before　the　much　stronger；　heavier　lynx

had　done　him　to　death。　　There　was　no　　justification。　　It　was　a

clear　case　of　tyrannical　murder；　but　in　this　case　vengeance　was

swift　and　justice　came　sooner　than　its　wont。







Chapter　41。　The　Enemy's　Fort



It　pays　'bout　once　in　　a　hundred　times　to　git　mad；　but　there

ain't　any　　way　o'　tellin'　beforehand　which　is　the　time

…　Sayings　of　Si　Sylvanne。



It　generally　took　two　days　to　run　the　west　line　of　traps。　　　At　a

convenient　point　they　had　built　a　rough　shack　for　a　half…way

house。　　On　entering　this　one　day；　they　learned　that　since　their

last　visit　it　had　been　occupied　by　some　one　who　chewed　tobacco。

Neither　of　them　had　this　habit。　　Quonab's　face　grew　darker　each

time　fresh　evidence　of　the　enemy　was　discovered；　and　the　final

wrong　was　added　soon。



Some　trappers　mark　their　traps；　some　do　not　bother。　Rolf　had

marked　all　of　theirs　with　a　file；　cutting　notches　on　the　iron。

Two；　one；　three；　was　their　mark；　and　it　was　a　wise　plan；　as　it

turned　out。



On　going　around　the　west　beaver　pond　they　found　that　all　six

traps　had　disappeared。　　In　some；　there　was　no　evidence　of　the

thief；　in　some；　the　tracks　showed　clearly　that　they　were　taken　by

the　same　interloper　that　had　bothered　them　all　along；　and　on　a

jagged　branch　was　a　short　blue　yarn。



〃Now　will　I　take　up　his　trail　and　kill　him；〃　said　the　Indian。



Rolf　had　opposed　extreme　measures；　and　again　he　　remonstrated。

To　his　surprise；　the　Indian　turned　fiercely　and　said：　〃You　know

it　is　white　man。　　If　he　was　Indian　would　you　be　patient？　　No！〃



〃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。