rolf in the woods- 第23部分

tom…tom；　singing：



〃Evil　spirit　leave　me；

Dog…face　do　not　harm　me。〃



Quonab　sat　up　in　amazement。　　Rolf　paid　no　heed；　but　went　on；

bawling　and　drumming　and　staring　upward　into　vacant　space。　　After

a　few　minutes　Skookum　scratched　and　whined　at　the　shanty　door。

Rolf　rose；　took　his　knife；　cut　a　bunch　of　hair　from　Skookum's

neck　and　burned　it　in　the　torch；　then　went　on　singing　with　horrid

solemnity：



〃Evil　spirit　leave　me；

Dog…face　do　not　harm　me。〃



At　last　he　turned；　and　seeming　to　discover　that　Quonab　was

looking　on；　said：



〃The　dream　dog　came　to　me。　　I　thought　I　saw　him　lick　deer　grease

from　the　frying　pan　behind　the　shanty。　　He　laughed；　for　he　knew

that　he　made　evil　medicine　for　me。　I　am　trying　to　drive　him　away；

so　he　cannot　harm　me。　　I　do　not　know。　　I　am　like　my　mother。　　She

was　very　wise；　but　she　died　after　it。〃



Now　Quonab　arose；　cut　some　more　hair　from　Skookum；　added　a　pinch

of　tobacco；　then；　setting　it　ablaze；　he　sang　in　the　rank　odour　of

the　burning　weed　and　hair；　his　strongest　　song　to　kill　ill　magic；

and　Rolf；　as　he　chuckled　and　sweetly　sank　to　sleep；　knew　that　the

fight　was　won。　　His　friend　would　never；　never　more　install　Skookum

in　the　high　and　sacred　post　of　pot…licker；　dishwasher；　or　final　polisher。







Chapter　35。　Snaring　Rabbits



The　deepening　snow　about　the　cabin　was　marked　in　all　the　thickets

by　the　multitudinous　tracks　of　the　snowshoe　rabbits　or　white

hares。　　Occasionally　　the　hunters　saw　them；　but　paid　little　heed。

Why　should　they　look　at　rabbits　when　deer　were　plentiful？



〃You　catch　rabbit？〃　asked　Quonab　one　day　when　Rolf　was　feeling

fit　again。



〃I　can　shoot　one　with　my　bow；〃　was　the　answer；　〃but　why　should　I；

when　we　have　plenty　of　deer？〃



〃My　people　always　hunted　rabbits。　　Sometimes　no　deer　were　to　be

found；　then　the　rabbits　were　food。　　Sometimes　　in　the　enemy's

country　it　was　not　safe　to　hunt；　except　rabbits；　with　blunt

arrows；　and　they　were　food。　Sometimes　only　squaws　and　children　in

camp　　nothing　to　eat；　no　guns；　then　the　rabbits　were　food。〃



〃Well；　see　me　get　one；〃　and　Rolf　took　his　bow　and　arrow。　　He

found　many　white　bunnies；　but　always　in　the　thickest　woods。

Again　and　again　he　tried；　but　the　tantalizing　twigs　and　branches

muffled　the　bow　and　turned　the　arrow。　　It　was　hours　before　he

returned　with　a　fluffy　snowshoe　rabbit。



〃That　is　not　our　way。〃　　Quonab　led　to　the　thicket　and　selecting　a

place　of　many　tracks　he　cut　a　lot　of　brush　and　made　a　hedge

across　with　half　a　dozen　openings。　　At　each　of　these　openings　he

made　a　snare　of　strong　cord　tied　to　a　long　pole；　hung　on　a

crotch；　and　so　arranged　that　a　tug　at　the　snare　would　free　the

pole　which　in　turn　would　hoist　the　snare　and　the　creature　in　it

high　in　the　air。



Next　morning　they　went　around　and　found　that　four　of　the　snares

had　each　a　snow…white　rabbit　hanging　by　the　neck。　　As　he　was

handling　these；　Quonab　felt　a　lump　I　on　the　hind　leg　of　one。　　He

carefully　cut　it　open　and　turned　out　a　curious…looking　object

about　the　size　of　an　acorn；　flattened；　made　of　flesh　and　covered

with　hair；　and　nearly　the　shape　of　a　large　bean。　　He　gazed　at　it；

and；　turning　to　Rolf；　said　with　intense　meaning：



〃Ugh！　we　have　found　the　good　hunting。　　This　is　the

Peeto…wab…oos…once；　the　little　medicine　rabbit。　　Now　we　have

strong　medicine　in　the　lodge。　　You　shall　see。〃



He　went　out　to　the　two　remaining　snares　and　passed　the　medicine

rabbit　through　each。　　An　hour　later；　when　they　retumed；　they

found　a　rabbit　taken　in　the　first　snare。



〃It　is　ever　so；〃　said　the　Indian。　　〃We　can　always　catch　rabbits

now。　　My　father　had　the　Peeto…wab…i…ush　once；　the　little　medicine

deer；　and　so　he　never　failed　in　hunting　but　twice。　　Then　he　found

that　his　papoose；　Quonab；　had　stolen　his　great　medcine。　　He　was　a

very　wise　papoose。　He　killed　a　chipmunk　each　of　those　days。〃



〃Hark！　what　is　that？〃　　A　faint　sound　of　rustling　branches；　and

some　short　animal　noises　in　the　woods　had　caught　Rolf's　ear；　and

Skookum's；　too；　for　he　was　off　like　one　whose　life　is　bound　up　in

a　great　purpose。



〃Yap；　yap；　yap；〃　came　the　angry　sound　from　Skookum。　Who　can　say

that　animals　have　no　language？　　His　merry　〃yip；　yip；　yip；〃　for

partridge　up　a　tree；　or　his　long；　　hilarious；　〃Yow；　yow；　yow；〃

when　despite　all　orders　he　chased　some　deer；　were　totally

distinct　from　the　angry　〃Yap；　yap；〃　he　gave　for　the　bear　up　the

tree；　or　the　　〃Grrryapgrryap；〃　with　which　he　voiced　his　hatred　of

the　　porcupine。



But　now　it　was　the　〃Yap；　yap；〃　as　when　he　had　treed　the　bears。



〃Something　up　a　tree；〃　was　the　Indian's　interpretation；　as　they

followed　the　sound。　　Something　up　a　tree！　　A　whole　menagerie　it

seemed　to　Rolf　when　they　got　there。　Hanging　by　the　neck　in　the

remaining　snare；　and　limp　now；　was　a　young　lynx；　a　kit　of　the

year。　　In　the　adjoining　　tree；　with　Skookum　circling　and　yapping

'round　the　base；　was　a　savage　old　lynx。　　In　the　crotch　above　her

was　another　young　one；　and　still　higher　was　a　third；　all　looking

their　unutterable　disgust　at　the　noisy　dog　below；　the　mother；

indeed；　expressing　it　in　occasional　hisses；　but　none　of　them

daring　to　come　down　and　face　him。　　The　lynx　is　very　good　fur　and

very　easy　prey。　　The　Indian　brought　the　old　one　down　with　a　shot；

then；　as　fast　as　he　could　reload；　the　others　were　added　to　the

bag；　and；　with　the　one　from　the　snare；　they　returned　laden　to　the

cabin。



The　Indian's　eyes　shone　with　a　peculiar　light。　　〃Ugh！　Ugh！　　My

father　told　me；　it　is　great　medicine。　　You　see；　now；　it　does　not

fail。







Chapter　36。　Something　Wrong　at　the　Beaver　Traps



Once　they　had　run　the　trap　lines；　and　their　store　of　furs

was　increasing　finely。　They　had　taken　twenty…five　beavers　and

counted　on　getting　two　or　three　each　time　they　went　to　the　ponds。

But　they　got　an　unpleasant　surprise　in　December；　on　going　to　the

beaver　grounds；　to　find　all　the　traps　empty　and　unmistakable

signs　that　some　man　had　been　there　and　had　gone　off　with　the

catch。　　They　followed　the　dim　trail　of　his　snowshoes；　half　hidden

by　a　recent　wind；　but　night　came　on　with　more　snow；　and　all　signs

were　lost。



The　thief　had　not　found　the　line　yet；　for　the　haul　of　marten　and

mink　was　good。　　But　this　was　merely　the　beginning。



The　trapper　law　of　the　wilderness　is　much　like　all　primitive

laws；　first　come　has　first　right；　provided　he　is　able　to　hold　it。

If　a　strong　rival　comes　in；　the　first　must　fight　as　best　he　can。

The　law　justifies　him　in　anything　he　may　do；　if　he　succeeds。　　The

law　justifies　the　second　in　anything　he　may　do；　except　murder。

That　is；　the　defender　may　shoot　to　kill；　the　offender　may　not。



But　the　fact　of　Quonab's　being　an　Indian　and　Rolf　supposedly　one；

would　turn　opinion　against　them　in　the　Adirondacks；　and　it　was

quite　likely　that　the　rival　　considered　them　trespassers　on　his

grounds；　although　the　fact　that　he　robbed　their　traps　without

removing　them；　and　kept　out　of　sight；　rather　showed　the　guilty

conscience　of　a　self…accused　　poacher。



He　came　in　from　the　west；　obviously；　probably　the　Racquet　River

country；　was　a　large　man；　judging　by　his　foot　and　stride；　and

understood　trapping；　but　lazy；　for　he　set　no　traps。　　His

principal　object　seemed　to　be　to　steal。



And　it　was　not　long　before　he　found　their　line　of　marten　traps；

so　his　depredations　increased。　　Primitive　emotions　are　near　the

surface　at　all　times；　and　under　primitive　　conditions　are　very

ready　to　appear。　　Rolf　and　Quonab　felt　that　now　it　was　war。







Chapter　37。　The　Pekan　or　Fisher



There　was　one　large　track　in　the　snow　that　they　saw　several　times

　it　was　like　that　of　a　marten；　but　much　larger。　　〃Pekan；〃　said

the　Indian；　〃the　big　marten；　the　very　strong　one；　that　fights

without　fear。〃



〃When　my　father　was　a　papoose　he　shot　an　arrow　at　a　pekan。　　He

did　not　know　what　it　was；　it　seemed　only　a　big　black　marten。　　It

was　wounded；　but　sprang　from　the　tree　on　my　father's　breast。　　It

would　have　killed　him；　but　for　the　dog；　then　it　would　have　killed

the　dog；　but　my　　grandfather　was　near。



〃He　made　my　father　eat　the　pekan's　heart；　so　his　heart　might　be

like　it。　　It　sought　no　fight；　but　it　turned；　when　struck；　and

fought　without　fear。　　That　is　the　right　way；　seek　peace；　but

fight　without　fear。　　That　was　my　father's　heart　and　mine。〃　　Then

glancing　toward　the　west　he　continued　in　a　tone　of　menace：　〃That

trap　robber　will　find　it　so。　　We　sought　no　fight；　but　some　day　I

kill　him。〃



The　big　track　went　in　bounds；　to　be　lost　in　a　low；　thick　woods。

But　they　met　it　again。



They　were　crossing　a　hemlock　ridge　a　mile　farther　on；　when　they

came　to　another　track　which　was　first　a　long；　deep　furrow；　some

fifteen　inches　wide；　and　in　this　were　the　wide…spread　prints　of

feet　as　large　as　those　of　a　fisher。



〃Kahk；〃　said　Quonab；　and　Skookum　said　〃Kahk；〃　too；　but　he　did　it

by　growling　and　raising　his　back　hair；　and　doubtless　also　by

sadly　remembering。　　His　discretion　seemed　as　yet　embryonic；　so

Rolf　slipped　his　sash　through　the　dog's　collar；　and　they　followed

the　track；　for　the　porcupine　　now　stood　in　Rolf's　mind　as　a　sort

of　embroidery　outfit。



They　had　not　followed　far　before　another　track　joined　on　　the

track　of　the　fisher…pekan；　and　soon　after　they　heard　in　the　woods

ahead　scratching　sounds；　as　of　something　　climbing；　and　once　or

twice　a　faint；　far；　fighting　snarl。



Quickly　tying　the　over…valiant　Skookum　to　a　tree；　they　crept

forward；　ready　for　anything；　and　arrived　on　the　scene　of　a　very

peculiar　action。



Action　it　was；　though　it　was　singularly　devoid　of　action。　First；

there　was　a　creature；　like　a　huge　black　marten　or　a　short…legged

black　fox；　standing　at　a　safe　distance；　while；　partly　hidden

under　a　log；　with　hind　quarters　and　tail　only　exposed；　was　a

large　porcupine。　　Both　were　very　still；　but　soon　the　fisher

snarled　and　made　a　forward　lunge。　　The　porcupine；　hearing　the

sounds　or　feeling　the　snow　dash