rolf in the woods-第16部分

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In　those　days　beaver　was　one　of　the　most　valued　furs。　The

creature　is　very　easy　to　trap；　so　the　discovery　of　the　pond　was

like　the　finding　of　a　bag　of　gold。　　They　skirted　its　uncertain

edges　and　Quonab　pointed　out　the　many　landing　places　of　the

beaver；　little　docks　they　seemed；　built　up　with　mud　and　stones

with　deep　water　plunge　holes　alongside。　　Here　and　there　on　the

shore　was　a　dome…shaped　ant's　nest　with　a　pathway　to　it　from　the

pond；　showing；　as　the　Indian　said；　that　here　the　beaver　came　on

sunny　days　to　lie　on　the　hill　and　let　the　swarming　ants　come

forth　and　pick　the　vermin　from　their　fur。　At　one　high　point

projecting　into　the　still　water　they　found　a　little　mud　pie　with

a　very　strong　smell；　this；　the　Indian　said；　was　a　〃castor　cache；〃

the　sign　that；　among　beavers；　answers　the　same　purpose　as　the

bear　tree　among　bears。



Although　the　pond　seemed　small　they　had　to　tramp　a　quarter　of　a

mile　before　reaching　the　upper　end　and　here　they　found　another

dam；　with　its　pond。　　This　was　at　a　slightly　higher　level　and

contained　a　single　lodge；　after　this　they　found　others；　a　dozen

ponds　in　a　dozen　successive　rises；　the　first　or　largest　and　the

second　only　having　lodges；　but　all　were　evidently　part　of　the

thriving　colony；　for　fresh　cut　trees　were　seen　on　every　side。

〃Ugh；　good；　we　get　maybe　fifty　beaver；〃　said　the　Indian；　and　they

knew　they　had　reached　the　Promised　Land。



Rolf　would　gladly　have　spent　the　rest　of　the　day　exploring　the

pond　and　trying　for　a　beaver；　when　the　eventide　should　call　them

to　come　forth；　but　Quonab　said；　〃Only　twenty　deadfall；　we　should

have　one　hundred　and　fifty。〃　　So　making　for　a　fine　sugar　bush　on

the　dry　ground　west　of　the　ponds　they　blazed　a　big　tree；　left　a

deadfall　there；　and　sought　the　easiest　way　over　the　rough　hills

that　lay　to　the　east；　in　hopes　of　reaching　the　next　stream

leading　down　to　their　lake。







Chapter　24。　The　Porcupine



Skookum　was　a　partly　trained　little　dog；　he　would　stay　in　camp

when　told；　if　it　suited　him；　and　would　not　hesitate　to　follow　or

lead　his　master；　when　he　felt　that　human　wisdom　was　inferior　to

the　ripe　product　of　canine　experience　covering　more　than　thirteen

moons　of　recollection。　　But　he　was　now　living　a　life　in　which　his

previous　experience　must　often　fail　him　as　a　guide。　　A　faint

rustling　on　the　leafy　ground　had　sent　him　ahead　at　a　run；　and　his

sharp；　angry　bark　showed　that　some　hostile　creature　of　the　woods

had　been　discovered。　　Again　and　again　the　angry　yelping　was

changed　into　a　sort　of　yowl；　half　anger；　half　distress。　The

hunters　hurried　forward　to　find　the　little　fool　charging　again

and　again　a　huge　porcupine　that　was　crouched　with　its　head　under

a　log；　its　hindquarters　exposed　but　bristling　with　spines；　and

its　tail　lashing　about；　left　a　new　array　of　quills　in　the　dog's

mouth　and　face　each　time　he　charged。　Skookum　was　a　plucky

fighter；　but　plainly　he　was　nearly　sick　of　it。　　The　pain　of　the

quills　would；　of　course；　increase　every　minute　and　with　each

movement。　　Quonab　took　a　stout　stick　and　threw　the　porcupine　out

of　its　retreat；　（Rolf　supposed　to　kill　it　when　the　head　was

exposed；）　but　the　spiny　one；　finding　a　new　and　stronger　enemy；

wasted　no　time　in　galloping　at　its　slow　lumbering　pace　to　the

nearest　small　spruce　tree　and　up　that　it　scrambled　to　a　safe

place　in　the　high　branches。



Now　the　hunters　called　the　dog。　　He　was　a　sorry…looking　object；

pawing　at　his　muzzle；　first　with　one　foot；　then　another；　trying

to　unswallow　the　quills　in　his　tongue；　blinking　hard；　uttering

little　painful　grunts　and　whines　as　he　rubbed　his　head　upon　the

ground　or　on　his　forelegs。　　Rolf　held　him　while　Quonab；　with　a

sharp　jerk；　brought　out　quill　after　quill。　　Thirty　or　forty　of

the　poisonous　little　daggers　were　plucked　from　his　trembling

legs；　head；　face；　and　nostrils；　but　the　dreadful　ones　were　those

in　his　lips　and　tongue。　　Already　they　were　deeply　sunk　in　the

soft；　quivering　flesh。　　One　by　one　those　in　the　lips　were　with…

drawn　by　the　strong　fingers　of　the　red　man；　and　Skookum　whimpered

a　little；　but　he　shrieked　outright　when　those　in　the　tongue　were

removed。　　Rolf　had　hard　work　to　hold　him；　and　any　one　not　knowing

the　case　might　have　thought　that　the　two　men　were　deliberately

holding　the　dog　to　administer　the　most　cruel　torture。



But　none　of　the　quills　had　sunk　very　deep。　　All　were　got　out　at

last　and　the　little　dog　set　free。



Now　Rolf　thought　of　vengeance　on　the　quill…pig　snugly　sitting　in

the　tree　near　by。



Ammunition　was　too　predous　to　waste；　but　Rolf　was　getting　ready

to　climb　when　Quonab　said：　〃No；　no；　you　must　not。　　Once　I　saw

white　man　climb　after　the　Kahk；　it　waited　till　he　was　near；　then

backed　down；　lashing　its　tail。　He　put　up　his　arm　to　save　his

face。　　It　speared　his　arm　in　fifty　places　and　he　could　not　save

his　face；　so　he　tried　to　get　down；　but　the　Kahk　came　faster；

lashing　him；　then　he　lost　his　hold　and　dropped。　　His　leg　was

broken　and　his　arm　was　swelled　up　for　half　a　year。　　They　are　very

poisonous。　He　nearly　died。〃



〃Well；　I　can　at　least　chop　him　down；〃　and　Rolf　took　the　axe。



〃Wah！〃　Quonab　said；　〃no；　my　father　said　you　must　not　kill　the

Kahk；　except　you　make　sacrifice　and　use　his　quills　for　household

work。　　It　is　bad　medicine　to　kill　the　Kahk。〃



So　the　spiny　one　was　left　alone　in　the　place　he　had　so　ably

fought　for。　　But　Skookum；　what　of　him？　　He　was　set　free　at　last。

To　be　wiser？　　Alas；　no！　before　one　hour　he　met　with　another

porcupine　and　remembering　only　his　hate　of　the　creature　repeated

the　same　sad　mistake；　and　again　had　to　have　the　painful　help；

without　which　he　must　certainly　have　died。　　Before　night；

however；　he　began　to　feel　his　real　punishment　and　next　morning　no

one　would　have　known　the　pudding…headed　thing　that　sadly　followed

the　hunters；　for　the　bright　little　dog　that　a　day　before　had　run

so　joyously　through　the　woods。　　It　was　many　a　long　day　before　he

fully　recovered　and　at　one　time　his　life　was　in　the　balance；　and

yet　to　the　last　of　his　days　he　never　fully　realized　the　folly　of

his　insensate　attacks　on　the　creature　that　fights　with　its　tail。



〃It　is　ever　so；〃　said　the　Indian。　　〃The　lynx；　the　panther；　the

wolf；　the　fox；　the　eagle；　all　that　attack　the　Kahk　must　die。

Once　my　father　saw　a　bear　that　was　killed　by　the　quills。　　He　had

tried　to　bite　the　Kahk；　it　filled　his　mouth　with　quills　that　he

could　not　spit　out。　　They　sunk　deeper　and　his　jaws　swelled　so　he

could　not　open　or　shut　his　mouth　to　eat；　then　he　starved。　　My

people　found　him　near　a　fish　pond　below　a　rapid。　　There　were　many

fish。　　The　bear　could　kill　them　with　his　paw　but　not　eat；　so　with

his　mouth　wide　open　and　plenty　about　him　he　died　of　starvation　in

that　pool。



〃There　is　but　one　creature　that　can　kill　the　Kahk　that　is　the

Ojeeg　the　big　fisher　weasel。　　He　is　a　devil。　　He　makes　very

strong　medicine；　the　Kahk　cannot　harm　him。　He　turns　it　on　its

back　and　tears　open　its　smooth　belly。　It　is　ever　so。　　We　not

know；　but　my；　father　said；　that　it　is　because　when　in　the　flood

Nana　Bojou　was　floating　on　the　log　with　Kahk　and　Ojeeg；　Kahk　was

insolent　and　wanted　the　highest　place；　but　Ojeeg　was　respectful

to　Nana　Bojou；　he　bit　the　Kahk　to　teach　him　a　lesson　and　got

lashed　with　the　tail　of　many　stings。　　But　the　Manito　drew　out　the

quills　and　said：　'It　shall　be　ever　thus；　the　Ojeeg　shall　conquer

the　Kahk　and　the　quills　of　Kahk　shall　never　do　Ojeeg　any　harm。'〃







Chapter　25。　The　Otter　Slide



It　was　late　now　and　the　hunters　camped　in　the　high　cool　woods。

Skookum　whined　in　his　sleep　so　loudly　as　to　waken　them　once　or

twice。　　Near　dawn　they　heard　the　howling　of　wolves　and　the

curiously　similar　hooting　of　a　horned　owl。　　There　is；　indeed；

almost　no　differece　between　the　short　opening　howl　of　a　she…wolf

and　the　long　hoot　of　the　owl。　　As　he　listened；　half　awake；　Rolf

heard　a　whirr　of　wings　which　stopped　overhead；　then　a　familiar

chuckle。　　He　sat　up　and　saw　Skookum　sadly　lift　his　misshapen　head

to　gaze　at　a　row　of　black…breasted　grouse　partridge　on　a　branch

above；　but　the　poor　doggie　was　feeling　too　sick　to　take　any

active　interest。　　They　were　not　ruffed　grouse；　but　a　kindred

kind；　new　to　Rolf。　　As　he　gazed　at　the　perchers；　he　saw　Quonab

rise　gently；　go　to　nearest　willow　and　cut　a　long　slender　rod　at

least　two　feet　long；　on　the　top　of　this　he　made　a　short　noose　of

cord。　Then　he　went　cautiously　under　the　watching　grouse；　the

spruce　partridges；　and　reaching　up　slipped　the　noose　over　the

neck　of　the　first　one；　a　sharp　jerk　then　tightened　noose；　and

brought　the　grouse　tumbling　out　of　the　tree　while　its　companions

merely　clucked　their　puzzlement；　made　no　effort　to　escape。



A　short；　sharp　blow　put　the　captive　out　of　pain。　　The　rod　was

reached　again　and　a　second；　the　lowest　always；　was　jerked　down；

and　the　trick　repeated　till　three　grouse　were　secured。　　Then　only

did　it　dawn　on　the　others　that　they　were　in　a　most　perilous

neighbourhood；　so　they　took　flight。



Rolf　sat　up　in　amazement。　　Quonab　dropped　the　three　birds　by　the

fire　and　set　about　preparing　breakfast。



〃These　are　fool　hens；〃　he　explained。　　〃You　can　mostly　get　them

this　way；　sure；　if　you　have　a　dog　to　help；　but　ruffed　grouse　is

no　such　fool。〃



Rolf　dressed　the　birds　and　as　usual　threw　the　entrails　Skookum。

Poor　little　dog！　he　was；　indeed；　a　sorry　sight。　He　looked　sadly

out　of　his　bulging　eyes；　feebly　moved　swollen　jaws；　but　did　not

touch　the　food　he　once　would　have　pounced　on。　　He　did　not　eat

because　he　could　not　open　his　mouth。



At　camp　the　trappers　made　a　log　trap　and　continued　the　line　with

blazes　and　deadfalls；　until；　after　a　mile；　they　came　to　a　broad

tamarack　swamp；　and；　skirting　its　edge；　found　a　small；　outflowing

stream　that　brought　them　to　an　eastward…facing　hollow。

Everywhere　there　were　signs　game；　but　they　were　not　prepared　for

the　scene　that　opened　as　they　cautiously　pushed　through　the

thickets　into　a　high；　hardwood　b