rolf in the woods- 第11部分

plenty　of　hay；　and　a　roof。　　They　were　more　than　content；　for　now；

on　the　edge　of　the　wilderness；　they　were　very　close　to　wild　life。

Not　a　day　or　a　night　passed　without　bringing　proof　of　that。



One　end　of　the　barn　was　portioned　off　for　poultry。　　In　this　the

working　staff　of　a　dozen　hens　were　doing　their　duty；　which；　on

that　first　night　of　the　〃brown　angels'　visit；〃　consisted　of

silent　slumber；　when　all　at　once　the　hens　and　the　new　hands　were

aroused　by　a　clamorous　cackling；　which　speedily　stopped。　　It

sounded　like　a　hen　falling　in　a　bad　dream；　then　regaining　her

perch　to　go　to　sleep　again。　　But　next　morning　the　body　of　one　of

these　highly　esteemed　branches　of　the　egg…plant　was　found　in　the

corner；　partly　devoured。　　Quonab　examined　the　headless　hen；　the

dust　around；　and　uttered　the　word；　〃Mink。〃



Rolf　said；　〃Why　not　skunk？〃



〃Skunk　could　not　climb　to　the　perch。〃



〃Weasel　then。〃



〃Weasel　would　only　suck　the　blood；　and　would　kill　three　or　four。〃



〃Coon　would　carry　him　away；　so　would　fox　or　wildcat；　and　a　marten

would　not　come　into　the　building　by　night。〃



There　was　no　question；　first；　that　it　was　a　mink；　and；　second；

that　he　was　hiding　about　the　barn　until　the　hunger　pang　should

send　him　again　to　the　hen　house。　　Quonab　covered　the　hen's　body

with　two　or　three　large　stones　so　that　there　was　only　one

approach。　　In　the　way　of　this　approach　he　buried　a　〃number　one〃

trap。



That　night　they　were　aroused　again；　this　time　by　a　frightful

screeching；　and　a　sympathetic；　inquiring　cackle　from　the　fowls。



Arising；　quickly　they　entered　with　a　lantem。　　Rolf　then　saw　a

sight　that　gave　him　a　prickling　in　his　hair。　　The　mink；　a　large

male；　was　caught　by　one　front　paw。　　He　was　writhing　and　foaming；

tearing；　sometimes　at　the　trap；　sometimes　at　the　dead　hen；　and

sometimes　at　his　own　imprisoned　foot；　pausing　now　and　then　to

utter　the　most　ear…piercing　shrieks；　then　falling　again　in　crazy

animal　fury　on　the　trap；　splintering　his　sharp　white　teeth；

grinding　the　cruel　metal　with　bruised　and　bloody　jaws；　frothing；

snarling；　raving　mad。　　As　his　foemen　entered　he　turned　on　them　a

hideous　visage　of　inexpressible　fear　and　hate；　rage　and　horror。

His　eyes　glanced　back　green　fire　in　the　lantern　light；　he

strained　in　renewed　efforts　to　escape；　the　air　was　rank　with　his

musky　smell。　　The　impotent　fury　of　his　struggle　made　a　picture

that　continued　in　Rolf's　mind。　　Quonab　took　a　stick　and　with　a

single　blow　put　an　end　to　the　scene；　but　never　did　Rolf　forget

it；　and　never　afterward　was　he　a　willing　partner　when　the

trapping　was　done　with　those　relentless　jaws　of　steel。



A　week　later　another　hen　was　missing；　and　the　door　of　the　hen

house　left　open。　　After　a　careful　examination　of　the　dust；　inside

and　out　of　the　building；　Quonab　said；　〃Coon。〃　It　is　very　unusual

for　coons　to　raid　a　hen　house。　Usually　it　is　some　individual　with

abnormal　tastes；　and　once　he　begins；　he　is　sure　to　come　back。

The　Indian　judged　that　he　might　be　back　the　next　night；　so

prepared　a　trap。　　A　rope　was　passed　from　the　door　latch　to　a

tree；　on　this　rope　a　weight　was　hung；　so　that　the　door　was

selfshutting；　and　to　make　it　self…locking　he　leaned　a　long　pole

against　it　inside。　　Now　he　propped　it　open　with　a　single

platform；　so　set　that　the　coon　must　walk　on　it　once　he　was

inside；　and　so　release　the　door。　　The　trappers　thought　they　would

hear　in　the　night　when　the　door　closed；　but　they　were　sleepy；

they　knew　nothing　until　next　morning。　Then　they　found　that　the

self…shutter　had　shut；　and　inside；　crouched　in　one　of　the　nesting

boxes；　was　a　tough；　old　fighting　coon。　　Strange　to　tell；　he　had

not　touched　a　second　hen。　　As　soon　as　he　found　himself　a　prisoner

he　had　experienced　a　change　of　heart；　and　presently　his　skin　was

nailed　on　the　end　of　the　barn　and　his　meat　was　hanging　in　the

larder。



〃Is　this　a　marten；〃　asked　little　Annette。　　And　when　told　not；　her

disappointment　elicited　the　information　that　old　Warren；　the

storekeeper；　had　promised　her　a　blue　cotton　dress　for　a　marten

skin。



〃You　shall　have　the　first　one　I　catch；〃　said　Rolf。



Life　in　Van　Trumper's　was　not　unpleasant。　　The　mother　was　going

about　again　in　a　week。　　Annette　took　charge　of　the　baby；　as　well

as　of　the　previous　arrivals。　　Hendrik　senior　was　gradually

overcoming　his　difficulties；　thanks　to　the　unexpected　help；　and　a

kindly　spirit　made　the　hard　work　not　so　very　hard。　　The　shyness

that　was　at　first　felt　toward　the　Indians　wore　off；　especially　in

the　case　of　Rolf；　he　was　found　so　companionable；　and　the

Dutchman；　after　puzzling　over　the　combination　of　brown　skin　and

blue　eyes；　decided　that　Rolf　was　a　half…breed。



August　wore　on　not　unpleasantly　for　the　boy；　but　Quonab　was

getting　decidedly　restless。　　He　could　work　for　a　week　as　hard　as

any　white　man；　but　his　race　had　not　risen　to　the　dignity　of

patient；　unremitting；　life…long　toil。



〃How　much　money　have　we　now；　Nibowaka？〃　was　one　of　the　mid…August

indications　of　restlessness。　　Rolf　reckoned　up；　half　a　month　for

Quonab；　15。00；　for　himself；　10。00；　for　finding　the　cows　2。00

　27。00　in　all。　　Not　enough。



Three　days　later　Quonab　reckoned　up　again。　　Next　day　he　said：　〃We

need　two　months'　open　water　to　find　a　good　country　and　build　a

shanty。〃　　Then　did　Rolf　do　the　wise　thing；　he　went　to　fat　Hendrik

and　told　him　all　about　it。　　They　wanted　to　get　a　canoe　and　an

outfit；　and　seek　for　a　trapping　or　hunting　ground　that　would　not

encroach　on　those　already　possessed；　for　the　trapping　law　is

rigid；　even　the　death　penalty　is　not　considered　too　high　in

certain　cases　of　trespass；　provided　the　injured　party　is　ready　to

be　judge；　jury；　and　executioner。　　Van　Trumper　was　able　to　help

them　not　a　little　in　the　matter　of　location　　there　was　no　use

trying　on　the　Vermont　side；　nor　anywhere　near　Lake　Champlain；　nor

near　Lake　George；　neither　was　it　worth　while　going　to　the　far

North；　as　the　Frenchmen　came　in　there；　and　they　were　keen

hunters；　so　that　Hamilton　County　was　more　promising　than　any

other；　but　it　was　almost　inaccessible；　remote　from　all　the　great

waterways；　and　of　course　without　roads；　its　inaccessibility　was

the　reason　why　it　was　little　known。　So　far　so　good；　but　happy

Hendrik　was　unpleasantly　surprised　to　learn　that　the　new　help

were　for　leaving　at　once。　Finally　he　made　this　offer：　If　they

would　stay　till　September　first；　and　so　leave　all　in　〃good　shape

fer　der　vinter；〃　he　would；　besides　the　wages　agreed；　give　them

the　canoe；　one　axe；　six　mink　traps；　and　a　fox　trap　now　hanging　in

the　barn；　and　carry　them　in　his　wagon　as　far　as　the　Five…　mile

portage　from　Lake　George　to　Schroon　River；　down　which　they　could

go　to　its　junction　with　the　upper　Hudson；　which；　followed　up

through　forty　miles　of　rapids　and　hard　portages；　would　bring　them

to　a　swampy　river　that　enters　from　the　southwest；　and　ten　miles

up　this　would　bring　them　to　Jesup's　Lake；　which　is　two　miles　wide

and　twelve　miles　long。　　This　country　abounded　with　game；　but　was

so　hard　to　enter　that　after　Jesup's　death　it　was　deserted。



There　was　only　one　possible　answer　to　such　an　offer　　they　stayed。



In　spare　moments　Quonab　brought　the　canoe　up　to　the　barn；

stripped　off　some　weighty　patches　of　bark　and　canvas　and　some

massive　timber　thwarts；　repaired　the　ribs；　and　when　dry　and

gummed；　its　weight　was　below　one　hundred　pounds；　a　saving　of　at

least　forty　pounds　on　the　soggy　thing　he　crossed　the　lake　in　that

first　day　on　the　farm。



September　came。　　Early　in　the　morning　Quonab　went　alone　to　the

lakeside；　there　on　a　hill　top　he　sat；　looking　toward　the　sunrise；

and　sang　a　song　of　the　new　dawn；　beating；　not　with　a　tom…tom　

he　had　none　　but　with　one　stick　on　another。　　And　when　the

sunrise　possessed　the　earth　he　sang　again　the　hunter's　song：



〃Father；　guide　our　feet；　Lead　us　to　the　good　hunting。〃



Then　he　danced　to　the　sound；　his　face　skyward；　his　eyes　closed；

his　feet　barely　raised；　but　rythmically　moved。　So　went　he　three

times　round　to　the　chant　in　three　sun　circles；　dancing　a　sacred

measure；　as　royal　David　might　have　done　that　day　when　he　danced

around　the　Ark　of　the　Covenant　on　its　homeward　joumey。　　His　face

was　illumined；　and　no　man　could　have　seen　him　then　without

knowing　that　this　was　a　true　heart's　worship　of　a　true　God；　who

is　in　all　things　He　has　made。







Chapter　17。　Canoeing　on　the　Upper　Hudson



There　is　only　one　kind　of　a　man　I　can't　size　up；　that's　the

faller　that　shets　up　and　says　nothing。　…Sayings　of　Si　Sylvanne。



A　settler　named　Hulett　had　a　scow　that　was　borrowed　by　the

neighbours　whenever　needed　to　take　a　team　across　the　lake。　　On

the　morning　of　their　journey；　the　Dutchman's　team　and　wagon；　the

canoe　and　the　men；　were　aboard　the　scow；　Skookum　took　his　proper

place　at　the　prow；　and　all　was　ready　for　〃Goodbye。〃　Rolf　found　it

a　hard　word　to　say。　　The　good　old　Dutch　mother　had　won　his　heart；

and　the　children　were　like　his　brothers　and　sisters。



〃Coom　again；　lad；　coom　and　see　us　kvick。〃　　She　kissed　him；　he

kissed　Annette　and　the　three　later　issues。　They　boarded　the　scow

to　ply　the　poles　till　the　deep　water　was　reached；　then　the　oars。

An　east　wind　springing　up　gave　them　a　chance　to　profit　by　a

wagon…cover　rigged　as　a　sail；　and　two　hours　later　the　scow　was

safely　landed　at　West　Side；　where　was　a　country　store；　and　the

head　of　the　wagon　road　to　the　Schroon　River。



As　they　approached　the　door；　they　saw　a　rough…looking　man

slouching　against　the　building；　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　his

blear　eyes　taking　in　the　new…comers　with　a　look　of　contemptuous

hostility。　　As　they　passed；　he　spat　tobacco　juice　on　the　dog　and

across　the　feet　of　the　men。



Old　Warren　who　kept　the　store　was　not　partial　to　Indians；　but　he

was　a　good　friend　of　Hendrik　and　very　keen　to　trade　for　fur；　so

the　new　trappers　were　well　received；　and　now　came　the　settling　of

accounts。　　Flour；　oatmeal；　pork；　potatoes；　tea；　tobacco；　sugar；

salt；　powder；　ball；　sho