animal heroes(动物英雄)-第19节
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great Wolf turned and faced them。 With fore…feet braced； with head low
and tail a little raised； his dusky mane a…bristling； his glittering tusks laid
bare； but uttering no sound that we could hear； he faced the crew。 His legs
were weak with toil； but his neck； his jaws； and his heart were strong； and…
…now all you who love the Dogs had better close the bookonup and
downfifteen to one； they came； the swiftest first； and how it was done；
the eye could scarcely see； but even as a stream of water pours on a rock
to be splashed in broken Jets aside； that stream of
Dogs came pouring down the path； in single file perforce； and
Duskymane received them as they came。 A feeble spring； a counter…lunge；
a gash； and 〃Fango's down；〃 has lost his foothold and is gone。 Dander and
Coalie close and try to clinch； a rush； a heave； and they are fallen from
that narrow path。 Blue…spot then； backed by mighty Oscar and fearless
Tigebut the Wolf is next the rock and the flash of combat clears to show
him there alone； the big Dogs gone； the rest close in； the hindmost force
the foremost ondown…to their death。 Slash； chop and heave； from the
swiftest to the biggest； to the last； downdownhe sent them whirling
from the ledge to the gaping gulch below； where rocks and snags of trunks
were sharp to do their work。 In fifty seconds it was done。 The rock had
splashed the stream asidethe Penroof pack was all wiped out； and
Badlands Billy stood there； alone again on his mountain。
A moment he waited to look for more to come。 There were no more；
the pack was dead； but waiting he got his breath； then raising his voice for
the first time in that fatal scene； he feebly gave a long yell of triumph； and
scaling the next low bank； was screened from view in a ca 駉 n of Sentinel
Butte。
We stared like men of stone。 The guns in our hands were forgotten。 It
was all so quick； so final。 We made no move till the Wolf was gone。 It was
not far to the place： we went on foot to see if any had escaped。 Not one
was left alive。 We could do nothingwe could say nothing。
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XI
THE HOWL AT SUNSET
A week later we were riding the upper trail back of the Chimney Pot；
King and I。 〃The old man is pretty sick of it；〃 he said。 〃He'd sell out if he
could。 He don't know what's the next move。〃
The sun went down beyond Sentinel Butte。 It was dusk as we reached
the turn that led to Dumont's place； and a deep…toned rolling howl came
from the river flat below； followed by a number of higher…pitched howls in
answering chorus。 We could see nothing； but we listened hard。 The song
was repeated； the hunting…cry of the Wolves。 It faded； the night was stirred
by another； the sharp bark and the short howl； the signal 〃close in〃； a
bellow came up； very short； for it was cut short。
And King as he touched his Horse said grimly： 〃That's him； he is out
with the pack； an' thar goes another Beef。〃
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THE BOY AND THE LYNX
I
THE BOY
He was barely fifteen； a lover of sport and uncommonly keen； even for
a beginner。 Flocks of Wild Pigeons had been coming all day across the
blue Lake of Cayggeonull； and perching in line on the dead limbs of the
great rampikes that stood as monuments of fire； around the little clearing
in the forest； they afforded tempting marks； but he followed them for
hours in vain。 They seemed to know the exact range of the old…fashioned
shotgun and rose on noisy wings each time before he was near enough to
fire。 At length a small flock scattered among the low green trees that grew
about the spring； near the log shanty； and taking advantage of the cover；
Thorburn went in gently。 He caught sight of a single Pigeon close to him；
took a long aim and fired。 A sharp crack resounded at almost the same
time and the bird fell dead。 Thorburn rushed to seize the prize just as a tall
young man stepped into view and picked it up。
〃Hello； Corney！ you got my bird！〃
〃Your burrud！ Sure yours flew away thayre。 I saw them settle hayer
and thought I'd make sure of wan with the rifle。〃
A careful examination showed that a rifle…ball as well as a charge of
shot had struck the Pigeon。 The gunners had fired on the same bird。 Both
enjoyed the joke； though it had its serious side； for food as well as
ammunition was scarce in that backwoods home。
Corney； a superb specimen of a six…foot Irish…Canadian in early
manhood； now led away to the log shanty where the very scarcity of
luxuries and the roughness of their lives were sources of merriment。 For
the Colts； though born and bred in the backwoods of Canada； had lost
nothing of the spirit that makes the Irish blood a world…wide synonym of
heartiness and wit。
Corney was the eldest son of a large family。 The old folks lived at
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Petersay； twenty…five miles to the southward。 He had taken up a 〃claim〃 to
carve his own home out of the woods at Fenebonk； and his grown sisters；
Margat； staid and reliable； and Loo； bright and witty； were keeping house
for him。 Thorburn Alder was visiting them。 He had just recovered from a
severe illness and had been sent to rough it in the woods in hope of
winning some of the vigor of his hosts。 Their home was of unhewn logs；
unfloored； and roofed with sods； which bore a luxuriant crop of grass and
weeds。 The primitive woods around were broken in two places： one where
the roughest of roads led southward to Petersay； the other where the
sparkling lake rolled on a pebbly shore and gave a glimpse of their nearest
neighbor's house four miles across the water。
Their daily round had little change。 Corney was up at daybreak to light
the fire； call his sisters； and feed the horses while they prepared breakfast。
At six the meal was over and Corney went to his work。 At noon； which
Margat knew by the shadow of a certain rampike falling on the spring； a
clear notification to draw fresh water for the table； Loo would hang a
white rag on a pole； and Corney； seeing the signal； would return from
summer fallow or hayfield； grimy； swarthy； and ruddy； a picture of manly
vigor and honest toil。 Thor might be away all day； but at night； when they
again assembled at the table； he would come from lake or distant ridge and
eat a supper like the dinner and breakfast； for meals as well as days were
exact repeats： pork； bread； potatoes； and tea； with occasionally eggs
supplied by a dozen hens around the little log stable； with； rarely； a
variation of wild meat； for Thor was not a hunter and Corney had little
time for anything but the farm。
II
THE LYNX
A huge four…foot basswood had gone the way of all trees。 Death had
been generoushad sent the three warnings： it was the biggest of its kind；
its children were grown up； it was hollow。 The wintry blast that sent it
down had broken it across and revealed a great hole where should have
been its heart。 A long wooden cavern in the middle of a sunny opening； it
now lay； and presented an ideal home for a Lynx when she sought a
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sheltered nesting…place for her coming brood。
Old was she and gaunt； for this was a year of hard times for the Lynxes。
A Rabbit plague the autumn before had swept away their main support； a
winter of deep snow and sudden crusts had killed off nearly all the
Partridges； a long wet spring had destroyed the few growing coveys and
had kept the ponds and streams so full that Fish and Frogs were safe from
their armed paws； and this mother Lynx fared no better than her kind。
