rolf in the woods-第7部分

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

the　northwest　that　would　indeed　have　wrecked　the　lodge；　but　for

the　great　sheltering　rock。　　Under　its　lea　there　was　hardy　a

breeze；　but　not　fifty　yards　away　were　two　trees　that　rubbed

together；　and　in　the　storm　they　rasped　so　violently　that　fine

shreds　of　smoking　wood　were　dropped　and；　but　for　the　rain；　would

surely　have　made　a　blaze。　The　thunder　was　loud　and　lasted　long；

and　the　water　poured　down　in　torrents。　　They　were　ready　for　rain；

but　not　for　the　flood　that　rushed　over　the　face　of　the　cliff　；

soaking　everything　in　the　lodge　except　the　beds；　which；　being

four　inches　off　the　ground；　were　safe；　and　lying　on　them　the　two

campers　waited　patiently；　or　impatiently；　while　the　weather　raged

for　two　drenching　hours。　　And　then　the　pouring　became　a

pattering；　the　roaring；　a　swishing；　the　storm；　a　shower　which

died　away；　leaving　changing　patches　of　blue　in　the　lumpy　sky；　and

all　nature　calm　and　pleased；　but　oh；　so　wet！　　Of　course　the　fire

was　out　in　the　lodge　and　nearly　all　the　wood　was　wet。　　Now　Quonab

drew　from　a　small　cave　some　dry　cedar　and　got　down　his　tinder…box

with　flint　and　steel　to　light　up；　but　a　serious　difficulty

appeared　at　once　　the　tinder　was　wet　and　useless。



These　were　the　days　before　matches　were　invented。　Every　one　counted

on　flint　and　steel　for　their　fire；　but　the　tinder　was　an　essential；

and　now　a　fire　seemed　hopeless；　at　least　Rolf　thought　so。



〃Nana　Bojou　was　dancing　that　time；〃　said　the　Indian。



〃Did　you　see　him　make　fire　with　those　two　rubbing　trees？　So　he

taught　our　fathers；　and　so　make　we　fire　when　the　tricks　of　the

white　man　fail　us。〃



Quonab　now　cut　two　pieces　of　dry　cedar；　one　three　fourths　of　an

inch　thick　and　eighteen　inches　long；　round；　and　pointed　at　both

ends；　the　other　five　eighths　of　an　inch　thick　and　flat。　　In　the

flat　one　he　cut　a　notch　and　at　the　end　of　the　notch　a　little　pit。

Next　he　made　a　bow　of　a　stiff；　curved　stick；　and　a　buckskin

thong：　a　small　pine　knot　was　selected　and　a　little　pit　made　in　it

with　the　point　of　a　knife。　　These　were　the　fare…making　sticks；

but　it　was　necessary　to　prepare　the　firewood；　lay　the　fire；　and

make　some　fibre　for　tinder。　　A　lot　of　fine　cedar　shavings；

pounded　up　with　cedar　bark　and　rolled　into　a　two…inch　ball；　made

good　tinder；　and　all　was　ready。　　Quonab　put　the　bow　thong　once

around　the　long　stick；　then　held　its　point　in　the　pit　of　the　flat

stick；　and　the　pine　knot　on　the。　top　to　steady　it。　　Now　he　drew

the　bow　back　and　forth；　slowly；　steadily；　till　the　long　stick　or

drill　revolving　ground　smoking　black　dust　out　of　the　notch。　　Then

faster；　until　the　smoke　was　very　strong　and　the　powder　filled　the

notch。　　Then　he　lifted　the　flat　stick；　fanning　the　powder　with

his　hands　till　a　glowing　coal　appeared。　　Over　this　he　put　the

cedar　tinder　and　blew　gently；　till　it　flamed；　and　soon　the　wigwam

was　aglow。



The　whole　time　taken；　from　lifting　the　sticks　to　the　blazing

fire；　was　less　than　one　minute。



This　is　the　ancient　way　of　the　Indian；　Rolf　had　often　heard　of　it

as　a　sort　of　semi…myth；　never　before　had　he　seen　it；　and　so　far

as　he　could　learn　from　the　books；　it　took　an　hour　or　two　of　hard

work；　not　a　few　deft　touches　and　a　few　seconds　of　time。



He　soon　learned　to　do　it　himself；　and　in　the　years　which

followed；　he　had　the　curious　experience　of　showing　it　to　many

Indians　who　had　forgotten　how；　thanks　to　the　greater　portability

of　the　white　man's　flint　and　steel。



As　they　walked　in　the　woods　that　day；　they　saw　three　trees　that

had　been　struck　by　lightning　during　the　recent　storm；　all　three

were　oaks。　　Then　it　occurred　to　Rolf　that　he　had　never　seen　any

but　an　oak　struck　by　lightning。



〃Is　it　so；　Quonab？〃



〃No；　there　are　many　others；　the　lightning　strikes　the　oaks　most

of　all；　but　it　will　strike　the　pine；　the　ash；　the　hemlock；　the

basswood；　and　many　more。　　Only　two　trees　have　I　never　seen

struck；　the　balsam　and　the　birch。〃



〃Why　do　they　escape？〃



〃My　father　told　me　when　I　was　a　little　boy　it　was　because　they

sheltered　and　warmed　the　Star…girl；　who　was　the　sister　of　the

Thunder…bird。〃



〃I　never　heard　that；　tell　me　about　it。〃



〃Sometime　maybe；　not　now。〃







Chapter　12。　Hunting　the　Woodchucks



Cornmeal　and　potatoes；　with　tea　and　apples；　three　times　a　day；

are　apt　to　lose　their　charm。　Even　fish　did　not　entirely　satisfy

the　craving　for　flesh　meat。　　So　Quonab　and　Rolf　set　out　one

morning　on　a　regular　hunt　for　food。　　The　days　of　big　game　were

over　on　the　Asamuk；　but　there　were　still　many　small　kinds　and

none　more　abundant　than　the　woodchuck；　hated　of　farmers。　　Not

without　reason。　　Each　woodchuck　hole　in　the　field　was　a　menace　to

the　horses'　legs。　　Tradition；　at　least；　said　that　horses'　legs

and　riders'　necks　had　been　broken　by　the　steed　setting　foot　in

one　of　these　dangerous　pitfalls：　besides　which；　each　chuck　den

was　the　hub　centre　of　an　area　of　desolation　whenever　located；　as

mostly　it　was；　in　the　cultivated　fields。　　Undoubtedly　the　damage

was　greatly　exaggerated；　but　the　farmers　generally　agreed　that

the　woodchuck　was　a　pest。



Whatever　resentment　the　tiller　of　the　soil　might　feel　against　the

Indian's　hunting　quail　on　his　land；　he　always　welcomed　him　as　a

killer　of　woodchucks。



And　the　Indian　looked　on　this　animal　as　fair　game　and　most

excellent　eating。



Rolf　watched　eagerly　when　Quonab；　taking　his　bow　and　arrows；　said

they　were　going　out　for　a　meat　hunt。　Although　there　were　several

fields　with　woodchucks　resident；　they　passed　cautiously　from　one

to　another；　scanning　the　green　expanse　for　the　dark…brown　spots

that　meant　woodchucks　out　foraging。　　At　length　they　found　one；

with　a　large　and　two　small　moving　brown　things　among　the　clover。

The　large　one　stood　up　on　its　hind　legs　from　time　to　time；　ever

alert　for　danger。　　It　was　a　broad；　open　field；　without　cover；　but

close　to　the　cleared　place　in　which；　doubtless；　was　the　den；

there　was　a　ridge　that　Quonab　judged　would　help　him　to　approach。



Rolf　was　instructed　to　stay　in　hiding　and　make　some　Indian　signs

that　the　hunter　could　follow　when　he　should　lose　sight　of　the

prey。　　First；　〃Come　on〃　（beckoning）；　and；　second；　〃Stop；〃　（hand

raised；　palm　forward）；　〃All　right〃　（hand　drawn　across　level　and

waist　high）；　forefinger　moved　forward；　level；　then　curved

straight　down；　meant　〃gone　in　hole。〃　But　Rolf　was　not　to　sign

anything　or　move；　unless　Quonab　asked　him　by　making　the　question

sign　（that　is　waving　his　hand　with　palm　forward　and　spread

fingers）。



Quonab　went　back　into　the　woods；　then　behind　the　stone　walls　to

get　around　to　the　side　next　the　ridge；　and　crawling　so　flat　on

his　breast　in　the　clover　that；　although　it　was　but　a　foot　high；

he　was　quite　invisible　to　any　one　not　placed　much　above　him。



In　this　way　he　came　to　the　little　ridge　back　of　the　woodchuck

den；　quite　unknown　to　its　occupants。　　But　now　he　was　in　a

difficulty。　　He　could　not　see　any　of　them。



They　were　certainly　beyond　range　of　his　bow；　and　it　was　difficult

to　make　them　seek　the　den　without　their　rushing　into　it。　　But　he

was　equal　to　the　occasion。　　He　raised　one　hand　and　made　the　query

sign；　and　watching　Rolf　he　got　answer；　〃All　well；　they　are　there。〃

（A　level　sweep　of　the　flat　hand　and　a　finger　pointing　steadily。）

Then　he　waited　a　few　seconds　and　made　exactly　the　same　sign；

getting　the　same　answer。



He　knew　that　the　movement　of　the　distant　man　would　catch　the　eye

of　the　old　woodchuck；　she　would　sit　up　high　to　see　what　it　was；

and　when　it　came　a　second　time　she　would；　without　being　exactly

alarmed；　move　toward　the　den　and　call　the　young　ones　to　follow。



The　hunter　had　not　long　to　wait。　　He　heard　her　shrill；　warning

whistle；　then　the　big　chuck　trotted　and　waddled　into　sight；

stopping　occasionally　to　nibble　or　look　around。　Close　behind　her

were　the　two　fat　cubs。　　Arrived　near　the　den　their　confidence　was

restored；　and　again　they　began　to　feed；　the　young　ones　close　to

the　den。　　Then　Quonab　put　a　blunt　bird　dart　in　his　bow　and　laid

two　others　ready。　　Rising　as　little　as　possible；　he　drew　the　bow。

'Tsip！　the　blunt　arrow　hit　the　young　chuck　on　the　nose　and　turned

him　over。　　The　other　jumped　in　surprise　and　stood　up。　　So　did　the

mother。　　'Tsip！　another　bolt　and　the　second　chuck　was　kicking。

But　the　old　one　dashed　like　a　flash　into　the　underground　safety

of　her　den。　　Quonab　knew　that　she　had　seen　nothing　of　him　and

would　likely　come　forth　very　soon。　　He　waited　for　some　time；　then

the　gray…brown　muzzle　of　the　fat　old　clover…stealer　came　partly

to　view；　but　it　was　not　enough　for　a　shot；　and　she　seemed　to　have

no　idea　of　coming　farther。　　The　Indian　waited　what　seemed　like　a

long　time；　then　played　an　ancient　trick。　　He　began　to　whistle　a

soft；　low　air。　　Whether　the　chuck　thinks　it　is　another　woodchuck

calling；　or　merely　a　pleasant　sound；　is　not　known；　but　she　soon

did　as　her　kind　always　does；　came　out　of　the　hole　slowly　and　ever

higher；　till　she　was　half　out　and　sitting　up；　peering　about。



This　was　Quonab's　chance。　　He　now　drew　a　barbed　hunting　arrow　to

the　head　and　aimed　it　behind　her　shoulders。　'Tsip！　and　the　chuck

was　transfixed　by　a　shaft　that　ended　her　life　a　minute　later；　and

immediately　pre…　vented　that　instinctive　scramble　into　the　hole；

by　which　so　many　chucks　elude　the　hunter；　even　when　mortally

wounded。



Now　Quonab　stood　up　without　further　concealment；　and　beckoned　to

Rolf；　who　came　running。　　Three　fat　woodchucks　meant　abundance　of

the　finest　fresh　meat　for　a　week；　and　those　who　have　not　tried　it

have　no　idea　what　a　delicacy　is　a　young；　fat；　clover…fed

woodchuck；　pan…roasted；　with　potatoes；　and　served　at　a　blazing

campfire　to　a　hunter　who　is　young；　strong；　and　exceedingly　hungry。







Chapter　13。　The　Fight　with　the　Demon　of　the　Deep



One　morning；　as　they　passed　the　trail　that　skirts　the　pond；

Quonab　pointed　to　the　near　water。　There　was　someting　afloa