rolf in the woods-第8部分

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

Quonab　pointed　to　the　near　water。　There　was　someting　afloat　like

a　small；　round　leaf；　with　two　beads　well　apart；　on　it。　　Then　Rolf

noticed；　two　feet　away；　a　larger　floating　leaf；　and　now　he　knew

that　the　first　was　the　head　and　eyes；　the　last　the　back；　of　a

huge　snapping　turtle。　　A　moment　more　and　it　quickly　sank　from

view。　　Turtles　of　three　different　kinds　were　common；　and　snappers

were　well　known　to　Rolf；　but　never　before　had　he　seen　such　a　huge

and　sinister…looking　monster　of　the　deep。



〃That　is　Bosikado。　　I　know　him；　he　knows　me；〃　said　the　red　man。

〃There　has　long　been　war　between　us；　some　day　we　will　settle　it。

I　saw　him　here　first　three　years　ago。　　I　had　shot　a　duck；　it

floated　on　the　water。　　Before　I　could　get　to　it　something　pulled

it　under；　and　that　was　the　last　of　it。　　Then　a　summer　duck　came

with　young　ones。　One　by　one　he　took　them；　and　at　last　got　her。

He　drives　all　ducks　away；　so　I　set　many　night　lines　for　him。　　I

got　some　little　snappers；　eight　and　ten　pounds　each。　　They　were

good　to　eat；　and　three　times　already　I　took　Bosikado　on　the

hooks；　but　each　time　when　I　pulled　him　up　to　the　canoe；　he　broke

my　biggest　line　and　went　down。　　He　was　as　broad　as　the　canoe；　his

claws　broke　through　the　canoe　skin；　he　made　it　bulge　and　tremble。

He　looked　like　the　devil　of　the　lake。　　I　was　afraid！



〃But　my　father　taught　me　there　is　only　one　thing　that　can　shame　a

man　　that　is　to　be　afraid；　and　I　said　I　will　never　let　fear　be

my　guide。　　I　will　seek　a　fair　fight　with　Bosikado。　　He　is　my

enemy。　　He　made　me　afraid　once；　I　will　make　him　much　afraid。　　For

three　years　we　have　been　watching　each　other。　　For　three　years　he

has　kept　all　summer　ducks　away；　and　robbed　my　fish…lines；　my

nets；　and　my　muskrat　traps。　　Not　often　do　I　see　him　　mostly

like　today。



〃Before　Skookum　I　had　a　little　dog；　Nindai。　　He　was　a　good　little

dog。　　He　could　tree　a　coon；　catch　a　rabbit；　or　bring　out　a　duck；

although　he　was　very　small。　　We　were　very　good　friends。　　One　time

I　shot　a　duck；　it　fell　into　the　lake；　I　called　Nindai。　　He　jumped

into　the　water　and　swam　to　the　duck。　　Then　that　duck　that　I

thought　dead　got　up　and　flew　away；　so　I　called　Nindai。　　He　came

across　the　water　to　me。　　By　and　by；　over　that　deep　place；　he

howled　and　splashed。　　Then　he　yelled；　like　he　wanted　me。　I　ran

for　the　canoe　and　paddled　quick；　I　saw　my　little　dog　Nindai　go

down。　　Then　I　knew　it　was　that　Bosikado　again。　　I　worked　a　long

time　with　a　pole；　but　found　nothing；　only　five　days　later　one　of

Nindai's　paws　floated　down　the　stream。　　Some　day　I　will　tear　open

that　Bosikado！



〃Once　I　saw　him　on　the　bank。　　He　rolled　down　like　a　big　stone　to

the　water。　　He　looked　at　me　before　he　dived；　and　as　we　looked　in

each　other's　eyes　I　knew　he　was　a　Manito；　but　he　is　evil；　and　my

father　said；　'When　an　evil　Manito　comes　to　trouble　you；　you　must

kill　him。'



〃One　day；　when　I　swam　after　a　dead　duck；　he　took　me　by　the　toe；

but　I　reached　shallow　water　and　escaped　him；　and　once　I　drove　my

fish…spear　in　his　back；　but　it　was　not　strong　enough　to　hold　him。

Once　he　caught　Skookum's　tail；　but　the　hair　came　out；　the　dog　has

not　since　swum　across　the　pond。



〃Twice　I　have　seen　him　like　today　and　might　have　killed　him　with

the　gun；　but　I　want　to　meet　him　fighting。　Many　a　time　I　have　sat

on　the　bank　and　sung　to　him　the　'Coward's　Song；'　and　dared　him　to

come　and　fight　in　the　shallow　water　where　we　are　equals。　　He

hears　me。　　He　does　not　come。



〃I　know　he　made　me　sick　last　winter；　even　now　he　is　making

trouble　with　his　evil　magic。　　But　my　magic　must　prevail；　and　some

day　we　shall　meet。　　He　made　me　afraid　once。　　I　uill　make　him　much

afraid；　and　will　meet　him　in　the　water。〃



Not　many　days　were　to　pass　before　the　meeting。　　Rolf　had　gone　for

water　at　the　well；　which　was　a　hole　dug　ten　feet　from　the　shore

of　the　lake。　　He　had　learned　the　hunter's　cautious　trick　of　going

silently　and　peering　about；　before　he　left　cover。　　On　a　mud　bank

in　a　shallow　bay；　some　fifty　yards　off；　he　described　a　peculiar

gray　and　greenish　form　that　he　slowly　made　out　to　be　a　huge

turtle；　sunning　itself。　　The　more　he　looked　and　gauged　it　with

things　about；　the　bigger　it　seemed。　　So　he　slunk　back　quickly　and

silently　to　Quonab。　　〃He　is　out　sunning　himself　　Bosikado　　on

the　bank！〃



The　Indian　rose　quickly；　took　his　tomahawk　and　a　strong　line。

Rolf　reached　for　the　gun；　but　Quonab　shook　his　head。　　They　went

to　the　lake。　　Yes！　　There　was　the　great；　goggle…eyed　monster；

like　a　mud…coloured　log。　　The　bank　behind　him　was　without　cover。

It　would　be　impossible　to　approach　the　watchful　creature　within

striking　distance　before　he　could　dive。　　Quonab　would　not　use　the

gun；　in　this　case　he　felt　he　must　atone　by　making　an　equal　fight。

He　quickly　formed　a　plan；　he　fastened　the　tomahawk　and　the　coiled

rope　to　his　belt；　then　boldly　and　silently　slipped　into　the　lake；

to　approach　the　snapper　from　the　water　side　　quite　the　easiest

in　this　case；　not　only　because　the　snapper　would　naturally　watch

on　the　land　side；　but　because　there　was　a　thick　clump　of　rushes

behind　which　the　swimmer　could　approach。



Then；　as　instructed；　Rolf　went　back　into　the　woods；　and　came

silently　to　a　place　whence　he　could　watch　the　snapper　from　a

distance　of　twenty　yards。



The　boy's　heart　beat　fast　as　he　watched　the　bold　swimmer　and　the

savage　reptile。　　There　could　be　little　doubt　that　the　creature

weighed　a　hundred　pounds。　　It　is　the　strongest　for　its　size　and

the　fiercest　of　all　reptiles。　　Its　jaws；　though　toothless；　have

cutting　edges；　a　sharp　beak；　and　power　to　the　crushing　of　bones。

Its　armour　makes　it　invulnerable　to　birds　and　beasts　of　prey。

Like　a　log　it　lay　on　the　beach；　with　its　long　alligator　tail

stretched　up　the　bank　and　its　serpentine　head　and　tiny　wicked

eyes　vigilantly　watching　the　shore。　　Its　shell；　broad　and

ancient；　was　fringed　with　green　moss；　and　its　scaly　armpits

exposed；　were　decked　with　leeches；　at　which　a　couple　of　peetweets

pecked　with　eager　interest；　apparently　to　the　monster's

satisfaction。　　Its　huge　limbs　and　claws　were　in　marked　contrast

to　the　small；　red　eyes。　　But　the　latter　it　was　that　gave　the

thrill　of　unnervement。



Sunk　down　nearly　out　of　sight；　the　Indian　slowly　reached　the

reeds。　　Here　he　found　bottom；　and　pausing；　he　took　the　rope　in

one　hand；　the　tomahawk　in　the　other；　and　dived；　and　when　he

reappeared　he　was　within　ten　yards　of　the　enemy；　and　in　water　but

four　feet　deep。



With　a　sudden　rush　the　reptile　splashed　into　the　pond　and　out　of

sight；　avoiding　the　rope　noose。　　But　Quonab　clutched　deep　in　the

water　as　it　passed；　and　seized　the　monster's　rugged　tail。　　Then

it　showed　its　strength。　　In　a　twinkling　that　mighty　tail　was

swung　sidewise；　crushing　the　hand　with　terrible　force　against　the

sharp…edged　points　of　the　back　armour。　　It　took　all　the　Indian's

grit　to　hold　on　to　that　knife…edged　war　club。　　He　dropped　his

tomahawk；　then　with　his　other　hand　swung　the　rope　to　catch　the

turtle's　head；　but　it　lurched　so　quickly　that　the　rope　missed

again；　slipped　over　the　shell；　and；　as　they　struggled；　encircled

one　huge　paw。　　The　Indian　jerked　it　tight；　and　they　were　bound

together。　　But　now　his　only　weapon　was　down　at　the　bottom　and　the

water　all　muddied。　　He　could　not　see；　but　plunged　to　grope　for

the　tomahawk。　The　snapper　gave　a　great　lurch　to　escape；　releasing

the　injured　hand；　but　jerking　the　man　off　his　legs。　　Then；

finding　itself　held　by　a　forepaw；　it　turned　with　gaping；　hissing

jaws；　and　sprang　on　the　foe　that　struggled　in　bottom　of　the

water。



The　snapper　has　the　bulldog　habit　to　seize　and　hold　till　the

piece　tears　out。　　In　the　muddy　water　it　had　to　seize　in　the　dark；

and　fending　first　the　left　arm　of　its　foe；　fastened　on　with

fierce　beak　and　desperate　strength。　　At　this　moment　Quonab

recovered　his　tomahawk；　rising　into　the　air　he　dragged　up　the

hanging　snapper；　and　swung　the　weapon　with　all　the　force　of　his

free　arm。　　The　blow　sank　through　the　monster's　shell；　deep　into

its　back；　without　any　visible　effect；　except　to　rob　the　Indian　of

his　weapon　as　he　could　not　draw　it　out。



Then　Rolf　rushed　into　the　water　to　help。　　But　Quonab　gasped；　〃No；

no；　go　back　　I'm　alone。〃



The　creature's　jaws　were　locked　on　his　arm；　but　its　front　claws；

tearing　downward　and　outward；　were　demolishing　the　coat　that　had

protected　it；　and　long　lines　of　mingled　blood　were　floating　on

the　waves。



After　a　desperate　plunge　toward　shallow　water；　Quonab　gave

another　wrench　to　the　tomahawk　…　it　moved；　loosed；　another；　and

it　was　free。　　Then　〃chop；　chop；　chop；〃　and　that　long；　serpentine

neck　was　severed；　the　body；　waving　its　great　scaly　legs　and

lashing　its　alligator　tail；　went　swimming　downward；　but　the　huge

head；　blinking　its　bleary；　red　eyes　and　streaming　with　blood；　was

clinched　on　his　arm。　　The　Indian　made　for　the　bank　hauling　the

rope　that　held　the　living　body；　and　fastened　it　to　a　tree；　then

drew　his　knife　to　cut　the　jaw　muscles　of　the　head　that　ground　its

beak　into　his　flesh。　　But　the　muscles　were　protected　by　armour

plates　and　bone；　he　could　not　deal　a　stab　to　end　their　power。　　In

vain　he　fumbled　and　slashed；　until　in　a　spasmodic　quiver　the　jaws

gaped　wide　and　the　bloody　head　fell　to　the　ground。　　Again　it

snapped；　but　a　tree　branch　bore　the　brunt；　on　this　the　strong

jaws　clinched；　and　so　remained。



For　over　an　hour　the　headless　body　crawled；　or　tried　to　crawl；

always　toward　the　lake。　　And　now　they　could　look　at　the　enemy。

Not　his　size　so　much　as　his　weight　surprised　them。　　Although

barely　four　feet　long；　he　was　so　heavy　that　Rolf　could　not　lift

him。　　Quonab's　scratches　were　many　but　slight；　only　the　deep　bill

wound　made　his　arm　and　the　bruises　of　the　jaws　were　at　all

serious　and　of　these　he　made　light。　　Headed　by　Skookum　in　full

'yap；'　they　carried　the　victim's　body　to　camp；　the　head；　still

dutching　the　stick；