rolf in the woods-第6部分

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close　at　hand；　or　deer。　　Third；　the　bird　bolts：　these　were　left

with　a　large；　round；　wooden　head。　　They　were　intended　for　quail；

partridges；　rabbits；　and　squirrels；　but　also　served　very　often；

and　most　admirably；　in　punishing　dogs；　either　the　Indian's　own

when　he　was　not　living　up　to　the　rules　and　was　too　far　off　for　a

cuff　or　kick；　or　a　farmer's　dog　that　was　threatening　an　attack。



Now　the　outfit　was　complete；　Rolf　thought；　but　one　other　touch

was　necessary。　　Quonab　painted　the　feather　part　of　the　shaft

bright　red；　and　Rolf　learned　why。　　Not　for　ornament；　not　as　an

owner's　mark；　but　as　a　finding　mark。　　Many　a　time　that　brilliant

red；　with　the　white　feather　next　it；　was　the　means　of　saving　the

arrow　from　loss。　　An　uncoloured　arrow　among　the　sticks　and　leaves

of　the　woods　was　usually　hidden；　but　the　bright…coloured　shaft

could　catch　the　eye　ioo　yards　away。



It　was　very　necessary　to　keep　the　bow　and　arrows　from　the　wet。

For　this；　every　hunter　provides　a　case；　usually　of　buckskin；　but

failing　that　they　made　a　good　quiver　of　birch　bark　laced　with

spruce　roots　for　the　arrows；　and　for　the　bow　itself　a　long　cover

of　tarpaulin。



Now　came　the　slow　drilling　in　archery；　the　arrow　held　and　the　bow

drawn　with　three　fingers　on　the　cord　…　the　thumb　and　little

finger　doing　nothing。　　The　target　was　a　bag　of　hay　set　at　twenty

feet；　until　the　beginner　could　hit　it　every　time：　then　by　degrees

it　was　moved　away　until　at　the　standard　distance　of　forty　yards

he　could　do　fair　shooting；　although　of　course　he　never　shot　as

well　as　the　Indian；　who　had　practised　since　he　was　a　baby。



There　are　three　different　kinds　of　archery　tests：　the　first　for

aim：　Can　you　shoot　so　truly　as　to　hit　a　three…inch　mark；　ten

times　in　succession；　at　ten　paces？



Next　for　speed：　Can　you　shoot　so　quickly　and　so　far　up；　as　to

have　five　arrows　in　the　air　at　once？　　If　so；　you　are　good：　Can

you　keep　up　six？　　Then　you　are　very　good。　　Seven　is　wonderful。

The　record　is　said　to　be　eight。　Last　for　power：　Can　you　pull　so

strong　a　bow　and　let　the　arrow　go　so　clean　that　it　will　fly　for

250　yards　or　will　pass　through　a　deer　at　ten　paces？　　There　is　a

record　of　a　Sioux　who　sent　an　arrow　through　three　antelopes　at

one　shot；　and　it　was　not　unusual　to　pierce　the　huge　buffalo

through　and　through；　on　one　occasion　a　warrior　with　one　shot

pierced　the　buffalo　and　killed　her　calf　running　at　the　other

side。



If　you　excel　in　these　three　things；　you　can　down　your　partridge

and　squirrel　every　time；　you　can　get　five　or　six　out　of　each

flock　of　birds；　you　can　kill　your　deer　at　twenty…　five　yards；　and

so　need　never　starve　in　the　woods　where　there　is　game。



Of　course；　Rolf　was　keen　to　go　forth　and　try　in　the　real　chase；

but　it　was　many　a　shot　he　missed　and　many　an　arrow　lost　or

broken；　before　he　brought　in　even　a　red　squirrel；　and　he　got；　at

least；　a　higher　appreciation　of　the　skill　of　those　who　could

count　on　the　bow　for　their　food。



For　those；　then；　who　think　themselves　hunters　and　woodmen；

let　this　be　a　test　and　standard：　Can　you　go　forth　alone　into

the　wilderness　where　there　is　game；　take　only　a　bow　and　arrows　for

weapons；　and　travel　afoot　250　miles；　living　on　the　country　as　you　go？







Chapter　10。　Rolf　Works　Out　with　Many　Results



He　is　the　dumbest　kind　of　a　dumb　fool　that　ain't　king　in　some　little

corner。　　Sayings　of　Si　Sylvanne



THE　man　who　has　wronged　you　will　never　forgive　you；　and　he　who　has

helped　you　will　be　forever　grateful。　　Yes；　there　is　nothing　that

draws　you　to　a　man　so　much　as　the　knowledge　that　you　have　helped　him。



Quonab　helped　Rolf；　and　so　was　more　drawn　to　him　than　to　many　of　the

neighbours　that　he　had　known　for　years；　he　was　ready　to　like　him。

Their　coming　together　was　accidental；　but　it　was　soon　very　clear

that　a　friendship　was　springing　up　between　them。　　Rolf　was　too　much

of　a　child　to　think　about　the　remote　future；　and　so　was　Quonab。　　Most

Indians　are　merely　tall　children。



But　there　was　one　thing　that　Rolf　did　think　of　　he　had　no　right　to

live　in　Quonab's　lodge　without　contributing　a　fair　share　of　the　things

needful。　　Quonab　got　his　living　partly　by　hunting；　partly　by　fishing；

partly　by　selling　baskets；　and　partly　by　doing　odd　jobs　for　the

neighbours。　Rolf's　training　as　a　loafer　had　been　wholly　neglected；

and　when　he　realized　that　he　might　be　all　summer　with　Quonab　he　said

bluntly：



〃You　let　me　stay　here　a　couple　of　months。　　I'll　work　out　odd　days；

and　buy　enough　stuff　to　keep　myself　any　way。〃　　Quonab　said　nothing；

but　their　eyes　met；　and　the　boy　knew　it　was　agreed　to。



Rolf　went　that　very　day　to　the　farm　of　Obadiah　Timpany；　and　offered

to　work　by　the　day；　hoeing　corn　and　root　crops。　　What　farmer　is　not

glad　of　help　in　planting　time　or　in　harvest？　　It　was　only　a　question

of　what　did　he　know　and　how　much　did　he　want？　　The　first　was　soon　made

clear；　two　dollars　a　week　was　the　usual　thing　for　boys　in　those　times；

and　when　he　offered　to　take　it　half　in　trade；　he　was　really　getting

three　dollars　a　week　and　his　board。　Food　was　as　low　as　wages；　and　at

the　end　of　a　week；　Rolf　brought　back　to　camp　a　sack　of　oatmeal；　a　sack

of　cornmeal；　a　bushel　of　potatoes；　a　lot　of　apples；　and　one　dollar　cash。

The　dollar　went　for　tea　and　sugar；　and　the　total　product　was　enough　to

last　them　both　a　month；　so　Rolf　could　share　the　wigwam　with　a　good

conscience。



Of　course；　it　was　impossible　to　keep　the　gossipy　little　town　of　Myanos

from　knowing；　first；　that　the　Indian　had　a　white　boy　for　partner；　and；

later；　that　that　boy　was　Rolf。　This　gave　rise　to　great　diversity　of

opinion　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Some　thought　it　should　not　be　allowed；

but　Horton；　who　owned　the　land　on　which　Quonab　was　camped；　could　not

see　any　reason　for　interfering。



Ketchura　Peck；　spinster；　however；　did　see　many　most　excellent　reasons。

She　was　a　maid　with　a　mission；　and　maintained　it　to　be　an　outrage　that

a　Christian　boy　should　be　brought　up　by　a　godless　pagan。　　She　worried

over　it　almost　as　much　as　she　did　over　the　heathen　in　Central　Africa；

where　there　are　no　Sunday　schools；　and　clothes　are　as　scarce　as　churches。

Failing　to　move　Parson　Peck　and　Elder　Knapp　in　the　matter；　and　despairing

of　an　early　answer　to　her　personal　prayers；　she　resolved　on　a　bold　move；

〃An'　it　was　only　after　many　a　sleepless；　prayerful　night；〃　namely；　to

carry　the　Bible　into　the　heathen's　stronghold。



Thus　it　was　that　one　bright　morning　in　June　she　might　have　been　seen；

prim　and　proper　　almost　glorified；　she　felt；　as　she　set　her　lips　just

right　in　the　mirror　　making　for　the　Pipestave　Pond；　Bible　in　hand　and

spectacles　clean　wiped；　ready　to　read　appropriate　selections　to　the

unregenerate。



She　was　full　of　the　missionary　spirit　when　she　left　Myanos；　and　partly

full　when　she　reached　the　Orchard　Street　Trail；　but　the　spirit　was

leaking　badly；　and　the　woods　did　appear　so　wild　and　lonely　that　she

wondered　if　women　had　any　right　to　be　missionaries。　　When　she　came

in　sight　of　the　pond；　the　place　seemed　unpleasantly　different　from

Myanos　and　where　was　the　Indian　camp？　　　She　did　not　dare　to　shout；

indeed；　she　began　to　wish　she　were　home　again；　but　the　sense　of　duty

carried　her　fully　fifty　yards　along　the　pond；　and　then　she　came　to　an

impassable　rock；　a　sheer　bank　that　plainly　said；　〃Stop！〃　　Now　she　must

go　back　or　up　the　bank。　　Her　Yankee　pertinacity　said；　〃Try　first　up　the

bank；〃　and　she　began　a　long；　toilsome　ascent；　that　did　not　end　until

she　came　out　on　a　bigh；　open　rock　which；　on　its　farther　side；　had　a

sheer　drop　and　gave　a　view　of　the　village　and　of　the　sea。



Whatever　joy　she　had　on　again　seeing　her　bome　was　speedily　queued　in

the　fearsome　discovery　that　she　was　right　over　the　Indian　camp；　and

the　two　inmates　looked　so　utterly；　dreadfully　savage　that　she　was

thankful　they　had　not　seen　her。　　At　once　she　shrank　back；　but　on

recovering　sufficiently　to　again　peer　down；　she　saw　something　roasting

before　the　fire　　〃a　tiny　arm　with　a　hand　that　bore　five　fmgers；〃　as

she　afterward　said；　and　〃a　sickening　horror　came　over　her。　　〃　Yes；　she

had　heard　of　such　things。　If　she　could　only　get　home　in　safety！　　Why

had　she　tempted　Providence　thus？　　She　backed　softly　and　prayed　only　to

escape。　　What；　and　never　even　deliver　the　Bible？　〃It　would　be　wicked

to　return　with　it！〃　　In　a　cleft　of　the　rock　she　placed　it；　and　then；

to　prevent　the　wind　blowing　off　loose　leaves；　she　placed　a　stone　on

top；　and　fled　from　the　dreadful　place。



That　night；　when　Quonab　and　Rolf　had　finished　their　meal　of　corn　and

roasted　coon；　the　old　man　climbed　the　rock　to　look　at　the　sky。　　The

book　caught　his　eye　at　once；　evidently　hidden　there　carefully；　and

therefore　in　cache。　A　cache　is　a　sacred　thing　to　an　Indian。　　He　disturbed

it　not；　but　later　asked　Rolf；　〃That　yours？〃



〃No。〃



It　was　doubtless　the　property　of　some　one　who　meant　to　return　for　it；

so　they　left　it　untouched。　　It　rested　there　for　many　months；　till　the

winter　storms　came　down；　dismantling　the　covers；　dissolving　the　pages；

but　leaving　such　traces　as；　in　the　long　afterward；　served　to　identify

the　book　and　give　the　rock　the　other　name；　the　one　it　bears　to…day　…

〃Bible　Rock；　where　Quonab；　the　son　of　Cos　Cob；　used　to　live。〃







Chapter　11。　The　Thunder…storm　and　the　Fire　Sticks



When　first　Rolf　noticed　the　wigwam's　place；　he　wondered　that

Quonab　had　not　set　it　somewhere　facing　the　lake；　but　he　soon

learned　that　it　is　best　to　have　the　morning　sun；　the　afternoon

shade；　and　shelter　from　the　north　and　west　winds。



The　first　two　points　were　illustrated　nearly　every　day；　but　it

was　two　weeks　before　the　last　was　made　clear。



That　day　the　sun　came　up　in　a　red　sky；　but　soon　was　lost　to　view

in　a　heavy　cloud…bank。　　There　was　no　wind；　and；　as　the　morning

passed；　the　day　grew　hotter　and　closer。　　Quonab　prepared　for　a

storm；　but　it　came　with　unexpected　force；　and　a　gale　of　wind　from

the　northwest　that　would　indeed　have　wrecked　the　lodge；