rolf in the woods-第29部分

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neighbour。



And　yet；　〃Woof；　woof；　woof；〃　said　Skookum；　and　ran　ahead。



〃Come　back；　you　little　fool！〃　cried　Rolf。



But　Skookum　had　a　mind　of　his　own。　　He　trotted　ahead；　then

stopped；　paused；　and　sniffed　at　something　in　the　snow。　　The

Indian　picked　it　up。　　It　was　the　pocket　jackscrew　　that　every

bear　trapper　carries　to　set　the　powerful　trap；　and　without　which；

indeed；　one　man　cannot　manage　the　springs。



He　held　it　up　with　〃Ugh！　Hoag　in　trouble　now。〃　　Clearly　the　rival

trapper　had　lost　this　necessary　tool。



But　the　finding　was　an　accident。　　Skookum　pushed　on。　They　came

along　a　draw　to　a　little　hollow。　　The　dog；　far　forward；　began

barking　and　angrily　baying　at　something。　　　The　men　hurried　to　the

scene　to　find　on　the　snow；　fast　held　in　one　of　those　devilish

engines　called　a　bear　trap　　the　body　of　their　enemy　　Hoag；

the　trapper；　held　by　a　leg；　and　a　hand　in　the　gin　he　himself　had

been　setting。



A　fierce　light　played　on　the　Indian's　face。　　Rolf　was　stricken

with　horror。　　But　even　while　they　contemplated　the　body；　the

faint　cry　was　heard　again　coming　from　it。



〃He's　alive；　hurry！〃　cried　Rolf。　　The　Indian　did　not　hurry；　but　he　came。

He　had　vowed　vengeance　at　sight；　why　should　he　haste　to　help？



The　implacable　iron　jaws　had　clutched　the　trapper　by　one　knee　and

the　right　hand。　　The　first　thing　was　to　free　him。　　How？　　No　man

has　power　enough　to　force　that　spring。　　But　the　jackscrew！



〃Quonab；　help　him！　　For　God's　sake；　come！〃　cried　Rolf　in　agony；

forgetting　their　feud　and　seeing　only　tortured；　dying　man。



The　Indian　gazed　a　moment；　then　rose　quickly；　and　put　on　the

jackscrew。　　Under　his　deft　fingers　the　first　spring　went　down；

but　what　about　the　other？　　They　had　no　other　screw。　　The　long

buckskin　line　they　always　carried　was　quickly　lashed　round　and

round　the　down　spring　to　hold　it。　　Then　the　screw　was　removed　and

put　on　the　other　spring；　it　bent；　and　the　jaws　hung　loose。　　The

Indian　forced　them　wide　open；　drew　out　the　mangled　limbs；　a　the

trapper　was　free；　but　so　near　death；　it　seemed　they　were　too

late。



Rolf　spread　his　coat。　　The　Indian　made　a　fire。　　In　fifteen

minutes　they　were　pouring　hot　tea　between　victim's　lips。　　Even　as

they　did；　his　feeble　throat　gave　out　again　the　long；　low　moan。



The　weather　was　mild　now。　　The　prisoner　was　not　actually　frozen；

but　numbed　and　racked。　　Heat；　hot　tea；　kindly　rubbing；　and　he

revived　a　little。



At　first　they　thought　him　dying；　but　in　an　hour　recovered　enough

to　talk。　　In　feeble　accents　and　broken　phrases　they　learned　the

tale：



〃Yest　　m…m…m。　　Yesterday　　no；　two　or　three　days　back　

m…m…m…m…m　　I　dunno；　I　was　a　goin'　　roun'　me　traps　　me　bear

traps。　　Didn't　have　no　luck　m…m…m　（yes；　I'd　like　another　sip；　ye

ain't　got　no　whiskey　no？）　m…m…m。　　Nothing　in　any　trap；　and　when　I

come　to　this　un　　oh…h　…　m…m；　I　seen　…　the　bait　was　stole　by

birds；　an'　the　pan　　m…m…m；　an'　the　pan；　m…m…m　…　（yes；　that's

better）　　an'　the　pan　laid　bare。　　So　I　starts　to　cover　it　with

　ce…ce…dar；　the　ony　thing　I　c'd　get　　m…m…m…w…　　wuz　leanin'

over　　to　fix　tother　side　　me　foot　slipped　on　　the　　ice　

ev'rytbing　was　icy　　an'　m…m…m…m　　I　lost　　me　balance　　me

knee　the　pan　　O　Lord　　how　I　suffer！　　m…m…m　it　grabbed　me　

knee　an'　h…h…hand　…〃　　His　voice　died　to　a　whisper　and　ceased；

he　seemed　sinking。



Quonab　got　up　to　hold　him。　　Then；　looking　at　Rolf；　Indian　shook

his　head　as　though　to　say　all　was　over；　the　poor　wretch　had　a

woodman's　constitution；　and　in　spite　of　a　mangled；　dying　body；　he

revived　again。　　They　gave　him　more　hot　tea；　and　again　he　began　in

a　whisper：



〃I　hed　one　arm　free　an'　　an'　　an'　　I　might　　a　　got　out

　m…m　　but　I　hed　no　wrench　　I　lost　it　some　place　　m…m…m…m。



〃Then　　I　yelled　　I　dun　　no　…　maybe　some　un　might　hear　　it

kin…kin…kinder　eased　me　　to　yell　m…m…m。



〃Say　　make　that　yer　dog　keep　　away　　will　yer　I　dunno　　it

seems　like　a　week　　must　a　fainted　some　M…m…m　　I　yelled　

when　I　could。〃



There　was　a　long　pause。　　Rolf　said；　〃Seems　to　me　I　heard　you　last

night；　when　we　were　up　there。　　And　dog　heard　you；　too。　　Do　you

want　me　to　move　that　leg　around？〃



〃M…m…m　　yeh　　that's　better　　say；　you　air　white　　ain't　ye？

Ye　won't　leave　me　　cos　　I　done　some　mean　things　　m…m…m。　　Ye

won't；　will　ye？〃



〃No；　you　needn't　worry　　we'll　stay　by　ye。〃



Then　he　muttered；　they　could　not　tell　what。　　He　closed　his　eyes。

After　long　silence　he　looked　around　wildly　and　began　again：



〃Say　　I　done　you　dirt　　but　don't　leave　me　　don't　leave　me。〃

Tears　ran　down　his　face　and　he　moaned　piteously。　　〃I'll　　make

it　　right　　you're　white；　ain't　ye？〃



Quonab　rose　and　went　for　more　firewood。　　The　trapper　whispered；

〃I'm　scared　o'　him　　now　　he'll　do　me　　say；　I'm　jest　a　poor

ole　man。　　If　I　do　live　　through　　this　　m…m…m…m　　I'll

never　walk　again。　　I'm　crippled　sure。〃



It　was　long　before　he　resumed。　　Then　he　began：　〃Say；　what　day　is

it　　Friday！　　I　must　　been　two　days　in　there　　m…m…m　　I

reckoned　it　was　a　week。　　When　　the　　dog　came　I　thought　it　was

wolves。　　Oh　　ah；　didn't　care　much　　m…m…m。　　Say；　ye　won't

leave　me　　coz　　coz　　I　treated　　ye　mean。　　I　　ain't　had

no　l…l…luck。〃　　He　went　off　into　a　stupor；　but　presently　let　out　a

long；　startling　cry；　the　same　as　that　they　had　heard　in　the

night。　　The　dog　growled；　the　men　stared。　　The　wretch's　eyes　were

rolling　again。　　He　seemed　delirious。



Quonab　pointed　to　the　east；　made　the　sun…up　sign；　and　shook　his

head　at　the　victim。　　And　Rolf　understood　it　to　mean　that　he　would

never　see　the　sunrise。　　But　they　were　wrong。



The　long　night　passed　in　a　struggle　between　heath　and　the　tough

make…up　of　a　mountaineer。　　The　waiting　light　of　dawn　saw　death

defeated；　retiring　from　the　scene。　As　the　sun　rose　high；　the

victim　seemed　to　gain　　considerably　in　strength。　　There　was　no

immediate　danger　of　an　end。



Rolf　said　to　Quonab：　〃Where　shall　we　take　him？　Guess　you　better

go　home　for　the　toboggan；　and　we'll　fetch　him　to　the　shanty。〃




But　the　invalid　was　able　to　take　part　in　the　conversation。　〃Say；

don't　take　me　there。　　Ah　　want　to　go　home。　'Pears　like　　I'd

be　better　at　home。　　My　folks　is　out　Moose　River　way。　　I'd　never

get　out　if　I　went　in　there；〃　and　by　〃there〃　he　seemed　to　mean　the

Indian's　lake；　and　glanced　furtively　at　the　unchanging

countenance　of　the　red　man。



〃Have　you　a　toboggan　at　your　shanty？〃　asked　Rolf。



〃Yes　　good　enough　　it's　on　the　roof　　say；〃　and　he　beckoned

feebly　to　Rolf；　〃let　him　go　after　it　　don't　leave　me　　he'll

kill　me；〃　and　he　wept　feebly　in　his　self　pity。



So　Quonab　started　down　the　mountain　…　a　sinewy　man　　a　striding

form；　a　speck　in　the　melting　distance。







Chapter　46。　Nursing　Hoag



In　two　hours　the　red　man　reached　the　trapper's　shanty；　and　at

once；　without　hesitation　or　delicacy；　set　about　a　thorough

examination　of　its　contents。　Of　course　there　was　the　toboggan　on

the　roof；　and　in　fairly　good　condition　for　such　a　shiftless

owner。



There　were　bunches　of　furs　hanging　from　the　rafters；　but　not

many；　for　fur　taking　is　hard　work；　and　Quonab；　looking

suspiciously　over　them；　was　'not　surprised　to　see　the　lynx　skin

he　had　lost；　easily　known　by　the　absence　of　wound　and　the　fur

still　in　points　as　it　had　dried　from　the　wetting。　　In　another

bundle；　he　discovered　the　beaver　that　had　killed　itself；　for

there　was　the　dark　band　across　its　back。



The　martens　he　could　not　be　sure　of；　but　he　had　a　strong

suspicion　that　most　of　this　fur　came　out　of　his　own　traps。



He　tied　Hoag's　blankets　on　the　toboggan；　and　hastened　back　to

where　he　left　the　two　on　the　mountain。



Skookum　met　him　long　before　he　was　near。　　Skookum　did　not　enjoy

Hoag's　company。



The　cripple　had　been　talking　freely　to　Rolf；　but　the　　arrival　of

the　Indian　seemed　to　suppress　him。



With　the　wounded　man　on　the　toboggan；　they　set　out；　The　ground

was　bare　in　many　places；　so　that　the　going　was　hard；　but；

fortunately；　it　was　all　down　hill；　and　four　hours'　toil　brought

them　to　the　cabin。



They　put　the　sick　man　in　his　bunk；　then　Rolf　set　about　preparing

a　meal；　while　Quonab　cut　wood。



After　the　usual　tea；　bacon；　and　flour　cakes；　all　were　feeling

refreshed。　　Hoag　seemed　much　more　like　himself。　He　talked　freely；

almost　cheerfully；　while　Quonab；　with　Skookum　at　his　feet；　sat

silently　smoking　and　staring　into　the　fire。



After　a　long　silence；　the　Indian　turned；　looked　straight　at　the

trapper；　and；　pointing　with　his　pipestem　to　the　furs；　said；　〃How

many　is　ours？〃



Hoag　looked　scared；　then　sulky；　and　said；　〃I　dunno　what　ye　mean。

I'm　a　awful　sick　man。　　You　get　me　out　to　Lyons　Falls　all　right；

and　ye　can　have　the　hull　lot；〃　and　he　wept。



Rolf　shook　his　head　at　Quonab；　then　turned　to　the　sufferer　and

said：　〃Don't　you　worry；　we'll　get　you　out　all　right。　　Have　you　a

good　canoe？〃



〃Pretty　fair；　needs　a　little　fixing。〃



The　night　passed　with　one　or　two　breaks；　when　the　invalid　asked

for　a　drink　of　water。　　In　the　morning　he　was　evidently

recovering；　and　they　began　to　plan　for　the　future。



He　took　the　first　chance　of　wispering　to　Rolf；　〃Can't　you　send

him　away？　　I'll　be　all　right　with　you。〃　　Rolf　said　nothing。



〃Say；〃　he　continued；　〃say；　young　feller；　what's　yer　name？〃



〃Rolf　Kittering。〃



〃Say；　Rolf；　you　wait　a　week　or　ten　days；　and　the　ice　'll　be　out；

then　I'll　be　fit　to　travel。　　There　ain't　on'y　a　few　carries

between　here　an'　Lyons　Falls。〃



After　a　long　pause；　due　to　Quonab's　entry；　he　continued　again：

〃Moose　River's　good　canoeing；　ye　can　get　me　out　in　five　days；　me

folks　is　at　Lyons　Falls。〃　　He　did　not　say　that　his　folks

consisted　of　a　wife　and　boy　that　he　neglected；　but　whom　he

counted　on　to　nurse　him　now。



Rolf　was　puzzled　by　the　situation。



〃Say！　　I'll　give　ye　all　them　furs　if　ye　git　me　out。〃　Rolf　gave

him　a　curious　look　　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Ye　mean　our　furs。〃



Again　the　conversation　was　ended　by　the　entry　of　Quonab。



Rolf　stepped　out；　tak