rolf in the woods-第31部分

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unruffled　brow。



When　business　was　done　　keen　and　complete　　he　said：　〃Now；

I'm　a　goin'　to　give　each　of　ye　a　present；〃　and　handed　out　two

double…bladed　jackknives；　new　things　in　those　days；　wonderful

things；　precious　treasures　in　their　eyes；　sources　of　endless　joy；

and　even　had　they　known　that　one　marten　skin　would　buy　a　quart　of

them；　their　pleasant　surprise　and　childish　joy　would　not　have

been　in　any　way　tempered　or　alloyed。



〃Ye　better　eat　with　me；　boys；　an'　start　in　the　morning。〃　So　they

joined　the　miller's　long；　continuous　family；　and　shared　his

evening　meal。　　Afterward　as　they　sat　for　three　hours　and　smoked

on　the　broad　porch　that　looked　out　on　the　river；　old　Sylvanne；

who　had　evidently　taken　a　fancy　to　Rolf；　regaled　them　with　a

long；　rambling　talk　on　〃fellers　　and　things；〃　that　was　one　of　the

most　interesting　Rolf　had　ever　listened　to。　　At　the　time　it　was

simply　amusing；　it　was　not　till　years　after　that　the　lad　realized

by　its　effect　on　himself；　its　insight；　and　its　hold　on　his

memory；　that　Si　Sylvanne's　talk　was　real　wisdom。　　Parts　of　it

would　not　look　well　in　print；　but　the　rugged　words；　the　uncouth

Saxonism；　the　obscene　phrase；　were　the　mere　oaken　bucket　in　which

the　pure　and　precious　waters　were　hauled　to　the　surface。



〃Looked　like　he　had　ye　pinched　when　that　shyster　got　ye　in　to

Lyons　Falls。　　Wall；　there's　two　bad　places　for　Jack　Hoag；　one　is

where　they　don't　know　him　at　all；　an'　take　him　on　his　looks；　an'

t'other　is　where　they　know　him　through　and　through　for　twenty

years；　like　we　hev。　A　smart　rogue　kin　put　up　a　false　front　fer　a

year　or　maybe　two；　but　given　twenty　year　to　try　him；　for　and　bye；

summer　an'　winter；　an'　I　reckon　a　man's　make　is　pretty　well

showed　up；　without　no　dark　corners　left　unexplored。



〃Not　that　I　want　to　jedge　him　harsh；　coz　I　don't　know　what　kind

o'　maggots　is　eatin'　his　innards　to　make　him　so　ornery。　　I'm

bound　to　suppose　he　has　'em；　or　he　wouldn't　act　so　dum　like　it。

So　I　says；　go　slow　and　gentle　before　puttin'　a　black　brand　on　any

feller；　as　my　mother　used　to　say；　never　say　a　bad　thing　till　ye

ask；　'Is　it　true；　is　it　kind；　is　it　necessary？'　　An'　I　tell　you；

the　older　I　git；　the　slower　I　jedge；　when　I　wuz　your　age；　I　wuz　a

steel　trap　on　a　hair　trigger；　an'　cocksure。　　I　tell　you；　there


ain't　anythin'　wiser　nor　a　sixteen…year…old　boy；　'cept　maybe　a

fifteen…year…old　girl。



〃Ye'll　genilly　find；　lad；　jest　when　things　looks　about　as　black

as　they　kin　look；　that's　the　sign　of　luck　a…comin'　your　way；

pervidin'　ye　hold　steady；　keep　cool　and　kind；　something　happens

every　time　to　make　it　all　easy。　　There's　always　a　way；　an'　the

stout　heart　will　find　it。



〃Ye　may　be　very　sure　o'　this；　boy；　yer　never　licked　till　ye　think

ye　air　an'　if　ye　won't　think　it；　ye　can't　be　licked。



It's　just　the　same　as　being　sick。　　I　seen　a　lot　o'　doctorin'　　in

my　day；　and　I'm　forced　to　believe　there　ain't　any　sick　folks

'cept　them　that　thinks　they　air　sick。



〃The　older　I　git；　the　more　I'm　bound　to　consider　that　most　things

is　inside；　anyhow；　and　what's　outside　don't　count　for　much。



〃So　it　stands　to　reason　when　ye　play　the　game　for　what's　inside；

ye　win　over　all　the　outside　players。　　When　ye　done　kindness　to

Hoag；　ye　mightn't　a　meant　it；　but　ye　was　bracin'　up　the　goodness

in　yerself；　or　bankin'　it　up　somewher'　on　the　trail　ahead；　where

it　was　needed。　　And　he　was　simply　chawin'　his　own　leg　off；　when

he　done　ye　dirt。　　I　ain't　much　o'　a　prattlin'　Christian；　but　I

reckon　as　a　cold…blooded；　business　proposition　it　pays　to　lend

the　neighbour　a　hand；　not　that　I　go　much　on　gratitude。　It's

scarcer'n　snowballs　in　hell　　which　ain't　the　point；　but　I　take

notice　there　ain't　any　man'll　hate　ye　more'n　the　feller　that

knows　he's　acted　mean　to　ye。　　An'　there　ain't　any　feller　more

ready　to　fight　yer　battles　than　the　chap　that　by　some　dum

accident　has　hed　the　luck　to　help　ye；　even　if　he　only　done　it　to

spite　some　one　else　　which　'minds　me　o'　McCarthy's　bull　pup

that　saved　the　drowning　kittens　by　mistake；　and　ever　after　was　a

fightin'　cat　protector；　whereby　he　lost　the　chief　joy　o'　his

life；　which　had　been　cat…killin'。　　An'　the　way　they　cured　the　cat

o'　eatin'　squirrels　was　givin'　her　a　litter　o'　squirrels　to　raise。



〃I　tell　ye　there's　a　lot　o'　common…sense　an'　kindness　in　the

country；　only　it's　so　dum　slow　to　git　around；　while　the

cussedness　and　meanness　always　acts　like　they　felt　the　hell　fire

sizzlin'　their　hind…end　whiskers；　an'　knowed　they　had　jest　so

many　minutes　to　live　an'　make　a　record。　　There's　where　a　man's

smart　that　fixes　things　so　he　kin　hold　out　a　long　time；　fer　the

good　stuff　in　men's　minds　is　what　lasts；　and　the　feller　what　can

stay　with　it　hez　proved　hisself　by　stayin'。　　How'd　ye　happen　to

tie　up　with　the　Injun；　Rolf？〃



〃Do　ye　want　me　to　tell　it　long　or　short？〃　was　the　reply。　〃Wall；

short；　fer　a　start；〃　and　Silas　Sylvanne　chuckled。



So　Rolf　gave　a　very　brief　account　of　his　early　life。



〃Pretty　good；〃　said　the　miller；　〃now　let's　hear　it　long。〃



And　when　he　had　finished；　the　miller　said：　〃I've　seen　yer　tried

fer　most　everything　that　goes　to　make　a　man；　Rolf；　an'　I　hev　my

own　notion　of　the　results。　　You　ain't　goin'　to　live　ferever　in

them　hills。　　When　ye've　hed　yer　fling　an'　want　a　change；　let　me　know。〃



Early　next　day　the　two　hunters　paddled　up　the　Moose　River　with　a

good　canoe；　an　outfit　of　groceries；　and　a　small　supply　of　ready　cash。



〃Good…bye；　lad；　good…bye！　　Come　back　again　and　ye'll　find　we

improve　on　acquaintance；　an'　don't　forget　I'm　buying　fur；〃　was　Si

Sylvanne's　last　word。　　And　as　they　rounded　the　point；　on　the　home

way；　Rolf　turned　in　the　canoe；　faced　Quonab；　and　said：　〃Ye　see

there　are　some　good　white　men　left；〃　but　the　Indian　neither

blinked；　nor　moved；　nor　made　a　sound。







Chapter　48。　Rolf's　Lesson　in　Trailing



The　return　journey　was　hard　paddling　against　strong　waters；　but

otherwise　uneventful。　　Once　over　any　trail　is　enough　to　fix　it　in

the　memory　of　a　woodman。　　They　made　no　mistakes　and　their　loads

were　light；　so　the　portages　were　scarcely　any　loss　of　time；　and

in　two　days　they　were　back　at　Hoag's　cabin。



Of　this　they　took　possession。　　First；　they　gathered　all　things　of

value；　and　that　was　little　since　the　furs　and　bedding　were　gone；

but　there　were　a　few　traps　and　some　dishes。　　The　stuff　was　made

in　two　packs；　now　it　was　an　overland　journey；　so　the　canoe　was

hidden　in　a　cedar　thicket；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　inland。　　The　two

were　about　to　shoulder　the　packs；　Quonab　was　lighting　his　pipe

for　a　start；　when　Rolf　said：



〃Say；　Quonab！　that　fellow　we　saw　at　the　Falls　claimed　to　be

Hoag's　partner。　　He　may　come　on　here　and　make　trouble　if　we　don't

head　him　off。　　Let's　burn　her；〃　and　he　nodded　toward　the　shanty。



〃Ugh！〃　was　the　reply。



They　gathered　some　dry　brush　and　a　lot　of　birch　bark；　piled　them

up　against　the　wall　inside；　and　threw　plenty　of　firewood　on　this。

With　flint　and　steel　Quonab　made　the　vital　spark；　the　birch　bark

sputtered；　the　dry；　resinous　logs　were　easily　set　ablaze；　and

soon　great　volumes　of　smoke　rolled　from　the　door；　the　window；　and

the　chimney；　and　Skookum；　standing　afar；　barked　pleasantly　aloud。



The　hunters　shouldered　their　packs　and　began　the　long；　upward

slope。　　In　an　hour　they　had　reached　a　high；　rocky　ridge。　　Here

they　stopped　to　rest；　and；　far　below　them；　marked　with　grim　joy　a

twisted；　leaning　column　of　thick　black　smoke。



That　night　they　camped　in　the　woods　and　next　day　rejoiced　to　be

back　again　at　their　own　cabin；　their　own　lake；　their　home。



Several　times　during　the　march　they　had　seen　fresh　deer　tracks；

and　now　that　the　need　of　meat　was　felt；　Rolf　proposed　a　deer

hunt。



Many　deer　die　every　winter；　some　are　winter…killed；　many　are

devoured　by　beasts　of　prey；　or　killed　by　hunters；　their　numbers

are　at　low　ebb　in　April；　so　that　now　one　could　not　count　on

finding　a　deer　by　roaming　at　random。　It　was　a　case　for　trailing。



Any　one　can　track　a　deer　in　the　snow。　　It　is　not　very　hard　to

follow　a　deer　in　soft　ground；　when　there　are　no　other　deer　about。

But　it　is　very　hard　to　take　one　deer　trail　and　follow　it　over

rocky　ground　and　dead　leaves；　never　losing　it　or　changing　off；

when　there　are　hundreds　of　deer　tracks　running　in　all　directions。



Rolf's　eyes　were　better　than　Quonab's；　but　experience　counts　for

as　much　as　eyes；　and　Quonab　was　leading。　They　picked　out　a　big

buck　track　that　was　fresh　　no　good　hunter　kills　a　doe　at　this

season。　　They　knew　it　for　a　buck；　because　of　its　size　and　the

roundness　of　the　toes。



Before　long；　Rolf　said：　〃See；　Quonab；　I　want　to　learn　this

business；　let　me　do　the　trailing；　and　you　set　me　right　if　I　get

off　the　line。〃



Within　a　hundred　yards；　Quonab　gave　a　grunt　and　shook　his　head。

Rolf　looked　surprised；　for　he　was　on　a　good；　fresh　track。



Quonab　said　but　one　word；　〃Doe。〃



Yes；　a　closer　view　showed　the　tracks　to　be　a　little　narrower；　　a

little　closer　together；　and　a　little　sharper　than　those　he　began

with。



Back　went　Rolf　to　the　last　marks　that　he　was　sure　of；　and　plainly

read　where　the　buck　had　turned　aside。　For　a　time；　things　went

along　smoothly；　Quonab　and　Skookum　following　Rolf。　　The　last　was

getting　very　familiar　with　that　stub　hoof　on　the　left　foot。　　At

length　they　came　to　the　〃fumet〃　or　〃sign〃；　it　was　all　in　one

pile。　That　meant　the　deer　had　stood；　so　was　unalarmed；　and　warm；

that　meant　but　a　few　minutes　ahead。　　Now；　they　must　use　every

precaution　for　this　was　the　crux　of　the　hunt。　Of　this　much　only

they　were　sure　　the　deer　was　within　range　now；　and　to　get　him

they　must　see　him　before　he　saw　them。



Skookum　was　leashed。　　Rolf　was　allowed　to　get　well　ahead；　and

crawling　cautiously；　a　step　at　a　time；　he　went；　setting　down　his

moccasined　foot　only　after　he　had　tried　and　selected　a　place。

Once　or　twice　he　threw　into　the　air　a　tuft　of　dry　grass　to　make

sure　that　the　wind　was　right；　and　by　slow　degrees