rolf in the woods- 第19部分

course。　　He　sprang　into　the　open　river　and　swam　for　his　life。

And　the　marten　…　why　should　it　go　in？　　It　hated　the　water；　it　was

not　hungry；　it　was　out　for　sport；　and　water　sport　is　not　to　its

liking。　　It　braced　its　sinewy　legs　and　halted　at　the　very　brink；

while　bunny　crossed　to　the　safe　woods。



Back　now　came　Wahpestan；　the　brown　death；　over　the　logs　like　a

winged　snake；　skimming　the　ground　like　a　sinister　shadow；　and

heading　for　the　cabin　as　the　cabin's　owner　watched。　　Passing　the

body　of　the　squirrel　it　paused　to　rend　it　again；　then　diving　into

the　brush　came　out　so　far　away　and　so　soon　that　the　watcher

supposed　at　first　that　this　was　another　marten。　　Up　the　shanty

corner　it　flashed；　hardly　appearing　to　climb；　swung　that　yellow

throat　and　dark…brown　muzzle　for　a　second；　then　made　toward　the　entry。



Rolf　sat　with　staring　eyes　as　the　beautiful　demon；　elegantly

spurning　the　roof　sods；　went　at　easy；　measured　bounds　toward　the

open　chink　　toward　its　doom。　　One；　two；　three　　clearing　the

prickly　cedar　bush；　its　forefeet　fell　on　the　hidden　trap；　clutch；

a　savage　shriek；　a　flashing；　　a　struggle　baffling　the　eyes　to

follow；　and　the　master　of　the　squirrels　was　himself　under

mastery。



Rolf　rushed　forward　now。　　The　little　demon　in　the　trap　was

frothing　with　rage　and　hate；　it　ground　the　iron　with　its　teeth；

it　shrieked　at　the　human　foeman　coming。



The　scene　must　end；　the　quicker　the　better；　and　even　as　the

marten　itself　had　served　the　flying　squirrel　and　the　mice；　and　as

Quonab　served　the　mink；　so　Rolf　served　the　marten　and　the　woods

was　still。







Chapter　29。　Snowshoes



That's　for　Annette；〃　said　Rolf；　remembering　his　promise　as　he

hung　the　stretched　marten　skin　to　dry。



〃Yi！　　Yi！　　Yi！〃　came　three　yelps；　just　as　he　had　heard　them　the

day　he　first　met　Quonab；　and　crossing　the　narrow　lake　he　saw　his

partner's　canoe。



〃We　have　found　the　good　hunting；〃　he　said；　as　Rolf　steadied　the

canoe　at　the　landing　and　Skookum；　nearly　well　again；　wagged　his

entire　ulterior　person　to　welcome　the　wanderer　home。　　The　first

thing　to　catch　the　boy's　eye　was　a　great；　splendid　beaver　skin

stretched　on　a　willow　hoop。



〃Ho；　ho！〃　he　exclaimed。



〃Ugh；　found　another　pond。〃



〃Good；　good；〃　said　Rolf　as　he　stroked　the　flrst　beaver　skin　he

had　ever　seen　in　the　woods。



〃This　is　better；〃　said　Quonab；　and　held　up　the　two　barkstones；

castors；　or　smell…glands　that　are　found　in　every　beaver　and　which

for　some　hid　reason　have　an　irresistible　attraction　for　all　wild

animals。　　To　us　the　odour　is　slight；　but　they　have　the　power　of

intensifying；　perpetuating；　and　projecting　such　odorous

substances　as　may　be　mixed　with　them。　　No　trapper　considers　his

bait　to　be　perfect　without　a　little　of　the　mysterious　castor。　　So

that　that　most　　stenchable　thing　they　had　already　concocted　of

fish…oil；　　putrescence；　sewer…gas；　and　sunlight；　when　commingled

and　multiplied　with　the　dried…up　powder　of　a　castor；　was

intensified　into　a　rich；　rancid；　gas…exhaling　hell…broth　as

rapturously　bewitching　to　our　furry　brothers　as　it　is

poisonously　nauseating　to　ourselves　　seductive　afar　like　the

sweetest　music；　inexorable　as　fate；　insidious　as　laughing…gas；

soothing　and　numbing　as　absinthe　　this；　the　lure　and

caution…luller；　is　the　fellest　trick　in　all　the　trappers'　code。

As　deadly　as　inexplicable；　not　a　few　of　the　states　have　classed

it　with　black　magic　and　declared　its　use　a　crime。



But　no　such　sentiment　prevailed　in　the　high　hills　of　Quonab's

time；　and　their　preparations　for　a　successful　trapping　season

were　nearly　perfect。　　Thirty　deadfalls　made　by　Quonab；　with　the

sixty　made　on　the　first　trip　and　a　dozen　steel　traps；　were　surely

promise　of　a　good　haul。　　It　was　nearly　November　now；　the　fur　was

prime；　then　why　not　begin？　　Because　the　weather　was　too　fine。

You　must　have　frosty　weather　or　the　creatures　taken　in　the

deadfalls　are　spoiled　before　the　trapper　can　get　around。



Already　a　good；　big　pile　of　wood　was　cut；　both　shanty　and

storeroom　were　chinked；　plugged；　and　banked　for　the　winter。　　It

was　not　safe　yet　to　shoot　and　store　a　number　of　deer；　but　there

was　something　they　could　do。　　Snowshoes　would　soon　be　a　necessary

of　life；　and　the　more　of　this　finger　work　they　did　while　the

weather　was　warm；　the　better。



Birch　and　ash　are　used　for　frames；　the　former　is　less　liable　to

split；　but　harder　to　work。　　White　ash　was　plentiful　on　the　near

flat；　and　a　small　ten…foot　log　was　soon　cut　and　split　into　a　lot

of　long　laths。　　Quonab　of　course　took　charge；　but　Rolf　followed

in　everything。　　Each　took　a　lath　and　shaved　it　down　evenly　until

an　inch　wide　and　three　quarters　of　an　inch　thick。　　The　exact

middle　was　marked；　and　for　ten　inches　at　each　side　of　that　it　was

shaved　down　to　half　an　inch　in　thickness。　　Two　flat　crossbars；

ten　and　twelve　inches　long；　were　needed　and　holes　to　receive

these　made　half　through　the　frame。　　The　pot　was　ready　boiling　and

by　using　a　cord　from　end　to　end　of　each　lath　they　easily　bent　it

in　the　middle　and　brought　the　wood　into　touch　with　the　boiling

water。　　Before　an　hour　the　steam　had　so　softened　the　wood；　and

robbed　it　of　spring；　that　it　was　easy　to　make　it　into　any　desired

shape。　　Each　lath　was　cautiously　bent　round；　the　crossbars

slipped　into　their　prepared　sockets；　a　temporary　lashing　of　cord

kept　all　in　place；　then　finally　the　frames　were　set　on　a　level

place　with　the　fore　end　raised　two　inches　and　a　heavy　log　put　on

the　frame　to　give　the　upturn　to　the　toe。



Here　they　were　left　to　dry　and　the　Indian　set　about　　preparing

the　necessary　thongs。　　A　buckskin　rolled　in　wet；　hard　wood　ashes

had　been　left　in　the　mud　hole。　　Now　after　a　week　the　hair　was

easily　scraped　off　and　the　hide；　cleaned　and　trimmed　of　all　loose

ends　and　tags；　was　spread　out　　soft；　white；　and　supple。

Beginning　outside；　and　following　round　and　round　the　edge；　Quonab

cut　a　thong　of　rawhide　as　nearly　as　possible　a　quarter　inch　wide。

This　he　carried　on　till　there　were　many　yards　of　it；　and　the　hide

was　all　used　up。　The　second　deer　skin　was　much　smaller　and

thinner。　He　sharpened　his　knife　and　cut　it　much　finer；　at　least

half　the　width　of　the　other。　　　　Now　they　were　ready　to　lace　the

shoes；　the　finer　for　the　fore　and　back　parts；　the　heavy　for　the

middle　on　which　the　wearer　treads。　　An　expert　squaw　would　have

laughed　at　the　rude　snowshoes　that　were　finished　that　day；　but

they　were　strong　and　serviceable。



Naturally　the　snowshoes　suggested　a　toboggan。　　That　was　easily

made　by　splitting　four　thin　boards　of　ash；　each　six　inches　wide

and　ten　feet　long。　　An　up…curl　was　steamed　on　the　prow　of　each；

and　rawhide　lashings　held　all　to　the　crossbars。







Chapter　30。　Catching　a　Fox



As　to　wisdom；　a　man　ain't　a　spring；　he's　a　tank；　an'　gives　out

only　what　he　gathers〃　　Sayings　of　Si　Sylvanne



Quonab　would　not　quit　his　nightly　couch　in　the　canvas　lodge　so

Rolf　and　Skookum　stayed　with　him。　　The　dog　was　himself　again；　and

more　than　once　in　the　hours　of　gloom　dashed　forth　in　noisy　chase

of　something　which　morning　study　of　the　tracks　showed　to　have

been　foxes。　　They　were　attracted　partly　by　the　carrion　of　the

deer；　partly　by　the　general　suitability　of　the　sandy　beach　for　a

gambolling　place；　and　partly　by　a　foxy　curiosity　concerning　the

cabin；　the　hunters；　and　their　dog。



One　morning　after　several　night　arousings　and　many　raids　by

Skookum；　Rolf　said：　〃Fox　is　good　now；　why　shouldn't　I　add　some

fox　pelts　to　that？〃　and　he　pointed　with　some　pride　to　the　marten

skin。



〃Ugh；　good；　go　ahead；　you　will　learn；〃　was　the　reply。



So　getting　out　the　two　fox　traps　Rolf　set　to　work。　　　Noting　where

chiefly　the　foxes　ran　or　played　he　chose　two　beaten　pathways　and

hid　the　traps　carefully；　exactly　as　he　did　for　the　marten；　then

selecting　a　couple　of　small　cedar　branches　he　cut　these　and　laid

them　across　the　path；　one　on　each　side　of　the　trap；　assuming　that

the　foxes　　following　the　usual　route　would　leap　over　the　boughs

and　land　in　disaster。　　To　make　doubly　sure　he　put　a　piece　of　meat

by　each　trap　and　half…way　between　them　set　a　large　piece　on　a

stone。



Then　he　sprinkled　fresh　earth　over　the　pathways　and　around　each

trap　and　bait　so　he　should　have　a　record　of　the　tracks。



Foxes　came　that　night；　as　he　learned　by　the　footprints　along　the

beach；　but　never　one　went　near　his　traps。　　He　studied　the　marks；

they　slowly　told　him　all　the　main　facts。　The　foxes　had　come　as

usual；　and　frolicked　about。　　They　had　discovered　the　bait　and　the

traps　at　once　　how　could　such　sharp　noses　miss　them　　and　as

quickly　noted　that　the　traps　were　suspicious…smelling　iron

things；　that　　manscent；　hand；　foot；　and　body；　were　very　evident

all　about；　that　the　only　inducement　to　go　forward　was　some　meat

which　was　coarse　and　cold；　not　for　a　moment　to　be　　compared　with

the　hot　juicy　mouse　meat　that　abounded　in　every　meadow。　　The

foxes　were　well　fed　and　unhungry。　Why　should　they　venture　into

such　evident　danger？　　In　a　word；　walls　of　stone　could　not　have

more　completely　protected　the　ground　and　the　meat　from　the　foxes

than　did　the　obvious　nature　of　the　traps；　not　a　track　was　near；

and　many　afar　showed　how　quickly　they　had　veered　off。



〃Ugh；　it　is　always　so；〃　said　Quonab。　　〃Will　you　try　again？　　〃



〃Yes；　I　will；　〃　replied　Rolf；　remembering　now　that　he　had　omitted

to　deodorize　his　traps　and　his　boots。



He　made　a　fire　of　cedar　and　smoked　his　traps；　chains；　and　all。

Then　taking　a　piece　of　raw　venison　he　rubbed　it　on　his　leather

gloves　and　on　the　soles　of　his　boots；　　wondering　how　he　had

expected　to　succeed　the　night　before　with　all　these　man…scent

killers　left　out。　　He　put　fine；　soft　moss　under　the　pan　of　each

trap；　then　removed　the　cedar　brush；　and　gently　sprinkled　all　with

fine；　dry　earth。　　The　set　was　perfect；　no　human　eye　could　have

told　that　there　was　any　trap　in　the　place。　　It　seemed　a　foregone

success。



〃Fox　don't　go　by　eye；　〃　was　all　the　Ind