animal heroes-第11节

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as　Wolves　and　Bears；　though　in　the　last　two　cases　it　was　power
merely　to　surmise　where　they　were　and　how　best　to　get　at　them。　He
had　been　a　wolver　for　years；　and　greatly　surprised　me　by　saying
that　〃never　in　all　his　experience　had　he　known　a　Gray…wolf　to
attack　a　human　being。〃

We　had　many　camp…fire　talks　while　the　other　men　were　sleeping；
and　then　it　was　I　learned　the　little　that　he　knew　about　Badlands
Billy。　〃Six　times　have　I　seen　him　and　the　seventh　will　be　Sunday；
you　bet。　He　takes　his　long　rest　then。〃　And　thus　on　the　very
ground　where　it　all　fell　out；　to　the　noise　of　the　night　wind　and
the　yapping　of　the　Coyote；　interrupted　sometimes　by　the
deep…drawn　howl　of　the　hero
himself；　I　heard　chapters　of　this　history　which；　with　others
gleaned　in　many　fields；　gave　me　the　story　of　the　Big　Dark　Wolf　of
Sentinel　Butte。


III

IN　THE　CANON

Away　back　in　the　spring　of　'92　a　wolver　was　〃wolving〃　on　the　east
side　of　the　Sentinel　Mountain　that　so　long　was　a　principal
landmark　of　the　old　Plainsmen。　Pelts　were　not　good　in　May；　but
the　bounties　were　high；　five　dollars　a　head；　and　double　for
She…wolves。　As　he　went　down　to　the　creek　one　morning　he　saw　a
Wolf　coming　to　drink　on　the　other　side。　He　had　an　easy　shot；　and
on　killing　it　found　it　was　a　nursing　She…wolf。　Evidently　her
family　were　somewhere　near；　so　he　spent　two　or　three　days
searching　in　all　the　likely　places；　but　found　no　clue　to　the　den。

Two　weeks　afterward；　as　the　wolver　rode　down　an　adjoining　ca駉n；
he　saw　a　Wolf　come　out　of　a　hole。　The　ever…ready　rifle　flew　up；
and　another　ten…dollar　scalp　was　added　to　his　string。　Now　he　dug
into　the　den　and　found　the　litter；　a　most　surprising　one　indeed；
for　it　consisted　not　of　the　usual　five　or　six　Wolf…pups；　but　of
eleven；　and　these；　strange　to　say；　were　of　two　sizes；　five　of
them　larger　and　older　than　the　other　six。　Here　were　two　distinct
families　with　one　mother；　and　as　he　added　their　scalps　to　his
string　of　trophies　the　truth　dawned　on　the　hunter。　One　lot　was
surely　the　family　of　the　She…wolf　he　had　killed　two　weeks　before。
The　case　was　clear：　the　little　ones　awaiting　the　mother　that　was
never　to　come；　had　whined　piteously　and　more　loudly　as　their
hunger…pangs　increased；　the　other　mother　passing　had　heard　the
Cubs；　her　heart　was　tender　now；　her　own　little　ones　had　so
recently　come；　and　she　cared　for　the　orphans；　carried　them　to　her
own　den；　and　was　providing　for　the　double　family　when　the
rifleman　had　cut　the　gentle　chapter　short。

Many　a　wolver　has　dug　into　a　wolf…den　to　find　nothing。　The　old
Wolves　or　possibly　the　Cubs　themselves　often　dig　little　side
pockets　and　off　galleries；　and　when　an　enemy　is　breaking　in　they
hide　in　these。　The　loose　earth　conceals　the　small　pocket　and　thus
the　Cubs　escape。　When　the　wolver　retired　with　his　scalps　he　did
not　know　that　the　biggest　of　all　the　Cubs；　was　still　in　the　den；
and　even　had　he　waited　about　for　two　hours；　he　might　have　been　no
wiser。　Three　hours　later　the　sun　went　down　and　there　was　a　slight
scratching　afar　in　the　hole；　first　two　little　gray　paws；　then　a
small　black　nose　appeared　in　a　soft　sand…pile　to　one　side　of　the
den。　At　length　the　Cub　came　forth　from　his　hiding。　He　had　been
frightened　by　the　attack　on　the　den；　now　he　was　perplexed　by　its
condition。

It　was　thrice　as　large　as　it　had　been　and　open　at　the　top　now。
Lying　near　were　things　that　smelled　like　his　brothers　and
sisters；　but　they　were　repellent　to　him。　He　was　filled　with　fear
as　he　sniffed　at　them；　and　sneaked　aside　into　a　thicket　of　grass；
as　a　Night…hawk　boomed　over　his　head。　He　crouched　all　night　in
that　thicket。　He　did　not　dare　to　go　near　the　den；　and　knew　not
where　else　he　could　go。　The　next　morning　when　two　Vultures　came
swooping　down　on　the　bodies；　the　Wolf…cub　ran　off　in　the　thicket；
and　seeking　its　deepest　cover；　was　led　down　a　ravine　to　a　wide
valley。　Suddenly　there　arose　from　the　grass　a　big　She…wolf；　like
his　mother；　yet　different；　a　stranger；　and　instinctively　the
stray　Cub　sank　to　the　earth；　as　the　old　Wolf　bounded　on　him。　No
doubt　the　Cub　had　been　taken　for　some　lawful　prey；　but　a　whiff
set　that　right。　She　stood　over　him　for　an　instant。　He　grovelled
at　her　feet。　The　impulse　to　kill　him　or　at　least　give　him　a　shake
died　away。　He　had　the　smell　of　a　young　Cub。　Her　own　were　about
his　age；　her　heart　was　touched；　and　when　he　found　courage　enough
to　put　his　nose　up　and　smell　her　nose；　she　made　no　angry
demonstration　except　a　short　half…hearted　growl。　Now；　however；　he
had　smelled　something　that　he　sorely　needed。　He　had　not　fed　since
the　day　before；　and　when　the　old　Wolf　turned　to　leave　him；　he
tumbled　after　her　on　clumsy　puppy　legs。　Had　the　Mother…wolf　been
far　from　home　he　must　soon　have　been　left　behind；　but　the　nearest
hollow　was　the　chosen　place；　and　the　Cub　arrived　at　the　den's
mouth　soon　after　the　Mother…wolf。

A　stranger　is　an　enemy；　and　the　old　one　rushing　forth　to　the
defense；　met　the　Cub　again；　and　again　was　restrained　by　something
that　rose　in　her　responsive　to　the　smell。　The　Cub　had　thrown
himself　on　his　back　in　utter　submission；　but　that　did　not　prevent
his　nose　reporting　to　him　the　good　thing　almost　within　reach。　The
She…wolf　went　into　the　den　and　curled　herself　about　her　brood；
the　Cub　persisted　in　following。　She　snarled　as　he　approached　her
own　little　ones；　but　disarming　wrath　each　time　by　submission　and
his　very　cubhood；　he　was　presently　among　her　brood；　helping
himself　to　what　he　wanted　so　greatly；　and　thus　he　adopted　himself
into　her　family。　In　a　few　days　he　was　so　much　one　of　them　that
the　mother　forgot　about　his　being　a　stranger。　Yet　he　was
different　from　them　in　several　waysolder　by　two　weeks；
stronger；　and　marked　on　the　neck　and　shoulders　with　what
afterward　grew　to　be　a　dark　mane。　

Little　Duskymane　could　not　have　been　happier　in　his　choice　of　a
foster…mother；　for　the　Yellow　Wolf　was　not　only　a　good　hunter
with　a　fund　of　cunning；　but　she　was　a　Wolf　of　modern　ideas　as
well。　The　old　tricks　of　tolling　a　Prairie　Dog；　relaying　for
Antelope；　houghing　a　Bronco　or　flanking　a　Steer　she　had　learned
partly　from　instinct　and　partly　from　the　example　of　her　more
experienced　relatives；　when　they　joined　to　form　the　winter　bands。
But；　just　as　necessary　nowadays；　she　had　learned　that　all　men
carry　guns；　that　guns　are　irresistible；　that　the　only　way　to
avoid　them　is　by　keeping　out　of　sight　while　the　sun　is　up；　and
yet　that　at　night　they　are　harmless。　She　had　a　fair　comprehension
of　traps；　indeed　she　had　been　in　one　once；　and　though　she　left　a
toe　behind　in　pulling　free；　it　was　a　toe　most　advantageously
disposed　of；　thenceforth；　though　not　comprehending　the　nature　of
the　trap；　she　was　thoroughly　imbued　with　the　horror　of　it；　with
the　idea　indeed　that　iron　is　dangerous；　and　at　any　price　it
should　be　avoided。

On　one　occasion；　when　she　and　five　others　were　planning　to　raid　a
Sheep　yard；　she　held　back　at　the　last　minute　because　some
newstrung　wires　appeared。　The　others　rushed　in　to　find　the　Sheep
beyond　their　reach；　themselves　in　a　death…trap。

Thus　she　had　learned　the　newer　dangers；　and　while　it　is　unlikely
that　she　had　any　clear　mental　conception　of　them　she　had　acquired
a　wholesome　distrust　of　all　things　strange；　and　a　horror　of　one
or　two　in　particular　that　proved　her　lasting　safeguard。　Each　year
she　raised　her　brood　successfully　and　the　number　of　Yellow　Wolves
increased　in　the　country。　Guns；　traps；　men　and　the　new　animals
they　brought　had　been　learned；　but　there　was　yet　another　lesson
before　hera　terrible　one　indeed。

About　the　time　Duskymane's　brothers　were　a　month　old　his
foster…mother　returned　in　a　strange　condition。　She　was　frothing
at　the　mouth；　her　legs　trembled；　and　she　fell　in　a　convulsion
near　the　doorway　of　the　den；　but　recovering；　she　came　in。　Her
jaws　quivered；　her　teeth　rattled　a　little　as　she　tried　to　lick
the　little　ones；　she　seized　her　own　front　leg　and　bit　it　so　as
not　to　bite　them；　but　at　length　she　grew　quieter　and　calmer。　The
Cubs　had　retreated　in　fear　to　a　far　pocket；　but　now　they　returned
and　crowded　about　her　to　seek　their　usual　food。　The　mother
recovered；　but　was　very　ill　for　two　or　three　days；　and　those　days
with　the　poison　in　her　system　worked　disaster　for　the　brood。　They
were　terribly　sick；　only　the　strongest　could　survive；　and　when
the　trial　of　strength　was　over；　the　den　contained　only　the　old
one　and　the　Black…maned　Cub；　the　one　she　had　adopted。　Thus　little
Duskymane　became　her　sole　charge；　all　her　strength　was　devoted　to
feeding　him；　and　he　thrived　apace。

Wolves　are　quick　to　learn　certain　things。　The　reactions　of　smell
are　the　greatest　that　a　Wolf　can　feel；　and　thenceforth　both　Cub
and　foster…mother　experienced　a　quick；　unreasoning　sense　of　fear
and　hate　the　moment　the　smell　of　strychnine　reached　them。


IV

THE　RUDIMENTS　OF　WOLF　TRAINING

With　the　sustenance　of　seven　at　his　service　the　little　Wolf　had
every　reason　to　grow；　and　when　in　the　autumn　he　began　to　follow
his　mother　on　her　hunting　trips　he　was　as　tall　as　she　was。　Now　a
change　of　region　was　forced　on　them；　for　numbers　of　little　Wolves
were　growing　up。　Sentinel　Butte；　the　rocky　fastness　of　the
plains；　was　claimed　by　many　that　were　big　and　strong；　the　weaker
must　move　out；　a