animal heroes-第17节

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the　Lynx　was　gone；　with　the　white　bird　squirming　in　her　jaws。

Uttering　an　unnecessary　growl　of　inborn　ferocity　and　joy　she
bounded　into　the　forest；　and　bee…like　sped　for　home。　The　last
quiver　had　gone　from　the　warm　body　of　the　victim　when　she　heard
the　sound　of　heavy　feet　ahead。　She　leaped　on　a　log。　The　wings　of
her　prey　were　muffling　her　eyes；　so　she　laid　the　bird　down　and
held　it　safely　with　one　paw。　The　sound　drew　nearer；　the　bushes
bent；　and　a　Boy　stepped　into　view。　The　old　Lynx　knew　and　hated
his　kind。　She　had　watched　them　at　night；　had　followed　them；　had
been　hunted　and　hurt　by　them。　For　a　moment　they　stood　face　to
face。　The　huntress　growled　a　warning　that　was　also　a　challenge
and　a　defiance；　picked　up　the　bird　and　bounded　from　the　log　into
the　sheltering　bushes。　It　was　a　mile　or　two　to　the　den；　but　she
stayed　not　to　eat　till　the　sunlit　opening　and　the　big　basswood
came　to　view；　then　a　low　〃prr…prr〃　called　forth　the　little　ones
to　revel　with　their　mother　in　a　plenteous　meal　of　the　choicest
food。


III

THE　HOME　OF　THE　LYNX

At　first　Thor；　being　town…bred；　was　timid　about　venturing　into
the　woods　beyond　the　sound　of　Corney's　axe；　but　day　by　day　he
went　farther；　guiding　himself；　not　by　unreliable　moss　on　trees；
but　by　sun；　compass；　and　landscape　features。　His　purpose　was　to
learn　about　the　wild　animals　rather　than　to　kill　them；　but　the
naturalist　is　close　kin　to　the　sportsman；　and　the　gun　was　his
constant　companion。　In　the　clearing；　the　only　animal　of　any　size
was　a　fat　Woodchuck；　it　had　a　hole　under　a　stump　some　hundred
yards　from　the　shanty。　On　sunny　mornings　it　used　to　lie　basking
on　the　stump；　but　eternal　vigilance　is　the　price　of　every　good
thing　in　the　woods。　The　Woodchuck　was　always　alert　and　Thor　tried
in　vain　to　shoot　or　even　to　trap　him。

〃Hyar；〃　said　Corney　one　morning；　〃time　we　had　some　fresh　meat。〃
He　took　down　his　rifle；　an　old…fashioned　brass…mounted
small…bore；　and　loading　with　care　that　showed　the　true　rifleman；
he　steadied　the　weapon　against　the　door…jamb　and　fired。　The
Woodchuck　fell　backward　and　lay　still。　Thor　raced　to　the　place
and　returned　in　triumph　with　the　animal；　shouting：　〃Plumb　through
the　headone　hundred　and　twenty　yards。〃

Corney　controlled　the　gratified　smile　that　wrestled　with　the
corners　of　his　mouth；　but　his　bright　eyes　shone　a　trifle　brighter
for　the　moment。

It　was　no　mere　killing　for　killing's　sake；　for　the　Woodchuck　was
spreading　a　belt　of　destruction　in　the　crop　around　his　den。　Its
flesh　supplied　the　family　with　more　than　one　good　meal　and　Corney
showed　Thor　how　to　use　the　skin。　First　the　pelt　was　wrapped　in
hardwood　ashes　for　twenty…four　hours。　This　brought　the　hair　off。
Then　the　skin　was　soaked　for　three　days　in　soft　soap　and　worked
by　hand；　as　it　dried；　till　it　came　out　a　white　strong　leather。

Thor's　wanderings　extended　farther　in　search　of　the　things　which
always　came　as　surprises　however　much　he　was　looking　for　them。
Many　days　were　blanks　and　others　would　be　crowded　with　incidents；
for　unexpectedness　is　above　all　the　peculiar　feature　of　hunting；
and　its　lasting　charm。　One　day　he　had　gone　far　beyond　the　ridge
in　a　new　direction　and　passed　through　an　open　glade　where　lay　the
broken　trunk　of　a　huge　basswood。　The　size　impressed　it　on　his
memory。　He　swung　past　the　glade　to　make　for　the　lake；　a　mile　to
the　west；　and　twenty　minutes　later　he　started　back　as　his　eye
rested　on　a　huge　black　animal　in　the　crotch　of　a　hemlock；　some
thirty　feet　from　the　ground。　A　Bear！　At　last；　this　was　the　test
of　nerve　he　had　half　expected　all　summer；　had　been　wondering　how
that　mystery　〃himself〃　would　act　under　this　very　trial。　He　stood
still；　his　right　hand　dived　into　his　pocket　and；　bringing　out
three　or　four　buckshot；　which　he　carried　for　emergency；　he
dropped　them　on　top　of　the　birdshot　already　in　the　gun；　then
rammed　a　wad　to　hold　them　down。

The　Bear　had　not　moved　and　the　boy　could　not　see　its　head；　but
now　he　studied　it　carefully。　It　was　not　such　a　large　oneno；　it
was　a　small　one；　yes；　very　smalla　cub。　A　cub！　That　meant　a
mother　Bear　at　hand；　and　Thor　looked　about　with　some　fear；　but
seeing　no　signs　of　any　except　the　little　one；　he　levelled　the　gun
and　fired。

Then　to　his　surprise　down　crashed　the　animal　quite　dead；　it　was
not　a　Bear；　but　a　large　Porcupine。　As　it　lay　there　he　examined　it
with　wonder　and　regret；　for。　he　had　no　wish　to　kill　such　a
harmless　creature。　On　its　grotesque　face　he　found　two　or　three
long　scratches　which　proved　that　he　had　not　been　its　only　enemy。
As　he　turned　away　he　noticed　some　blood　on　his　trousers；　then　saw
that　his　left　hand　was　bleeding。　He　had　wounded　himself　quite
severely　on　the　quills　of　the　animal　without　knowing　it。　He　was
sorry　to　leave　the　specimen　there；　and　Loo；　when　she　learned　of
it；　said　it　was　a　shame　not　to　skin　it　when　she　〃needed
a　fur…lined　cape　for　the　winter。〃

On　another　day　Thor　had　gone　without　a　gun；　as　he　meant　only　to
gather　some　curious　plants　he　had　seen。　They　were　close　to　the
clearing；　he　knew　the　place　by　a　fallen　elm。　As　he　came　to　it　he
heard　a　peculiar　sound。　Then　on　the　log　his　eye　caught　two　moving
things。　He　lifted　a　bough　and　got　a　clear　view。　They　were　the
head　and　tail　of　an　enormous　Lynx。　It　had　seen　him　and　was
glaring　and　grumbling；　and　under　its　foot　on　the　log　was　a　white
bird　that　a　second　glance　showed　to　be　one　of　their　own　precious
hens。　How　fierce　and　cruel　the　brute　looked！　How　Thor　hated　it！
and　fairly　gnashed　his　teeth　with　disgust　that　now；　when　his
greatest　chance　was　come；　he　for　once　was　without　his　gun。　He　was
in　not　a　little　fear；　too；　and　stood　wondering　what　to　do。　The
Lynx　growled　louder；　its　stumpy　tail　twitched　viciously　for　a
minute；　then　it　picked　up　its　victim；　and　leaping　from　the　log
was　lost　to　view。

As　it　was　a　very　rainy　summer；　the　ground　was　soft　everywhere；
and　the　young　hunter　was　led　to　follow　tracks　that　would　have
defied　an　expert　in　dryer　times。　One　day　he　came　on　piglike
footprints　in　the　woods。　He　followed　them　with　little　difficulty；
for　they　were　new；　and　a　heavy　rain　two　hours　before　had　washed
out　all　other　trails。　After　about　half　a　mile　they　led　him　to　an
open　ravine；　and　as　he　reached　its　brow　he　saw　across　it　a　flash
of　white；　then　his　keen　young　eyes　made　out　the　forms　of　a　Deer
and　a　spotted　Fawn　gazing　at　him　curiously。　Though　on　their　trail
he　was　not　a　little　startled。　He　gazed　at　them　open…mouthed。　The
mother　turned　and　raised　the　danger　flag；　her　white　tail；　and
bounded　lightly　away；　to　be　followed　by　the　youngster；　clearing
low　trunks　with　an　effortless　leap；　or　bending　down　with　catlike
suppleness　when　they　came　to　a　log　upraised　so　that　they　might
pass　below。

He　never　again　got　a　chance　to　shoot　at　them；　though　more　than
once　he　saw　the　same　two　tracks；　or　believed　they　were　the　same；
as　for　some　cause　never　yet　explained；　Deer　were　scarcer　in　that
unbroken　forest　than　they　were　in　later　years　when　clearings
spread　around。

He　never　again　saw　them；　but　he　saw　the　mother　oncehe　thought
it　was　the　sameshe　was　searching　the　woods　with　her　nose；
trying　the　ground　for　trails；　she　was　nervous　and　anxious；
evidently　seeking。　Thor　remembered　a　trick　that　Corney　had　told
him。　He　gently　stooped；　took　up　a　broad　blade　of　grass；　laid　it
between　the　edges　of　his　thumbs；　then　blowing　through　this　simple
squeaker　he　made　a　short；　shrill　bleat；　a　fair　imitation　of　a
Fawn's　cry　for　the　mother；　and　the　Deer；　though　a　long　way　off；
came　bounding　toward　him。　He　snatched　his　gun；　meaning　to　kill
her；　but　the　movement　caught　her　eye。　She　stopped。　Her　mane
bristled　a　little；　she　sniffed　and　looked　inquiringly　at　him。　Her
big　soft　eyes　touched　his　heart；　held　back　his　hand；　she　took　a
cautious　step　nearer；　got　a　full　whiff　of　her　mortal　enemy；
bounded　behind　a　big　tree　and　away　before　his　merciful　impulse
was　gone。　〃Poor　thing；〃　said　Thor；　〃I　believe　she　has　lost　her
little　one。〃

Yet　once　more　the　Boy　met　a　Lynx　in　the　woods。　Half　an　hour　after
seeing　the　lonely　Deer　he　crossed　the　long　ridge　that　lay　some
miles　north　of　the　shanty。　He　had　passed　the　glade　where　the
great　basswood　lay　when　a　creature　like　a　big　bob…tailed　Kitten
appeared　and　looked　innocently　at　him。　His　gun　went　up；　as　usual；
but　the　Kitten　merely　cocked　its　head　on　one　side　and　fearlessly
surveyed　him。　Then　a　second　one　that　he　had　not　noticed　before
began　to　play　with　the　first；　pawing　at　its　tail　and　inviting　its
brother　to　tussle。

Thor's　first　thought　to　shoot　was　stayed　as　he　watched　their
gambols；　but　the　remembrance　of　his　feud　with　their　race　came
back。　He　had　almost　raised　the　gun　when　a　fierce　rumble　close　at
hand　gave　him　a　start；　and　there；　not　ten　feet　from　him；　stood
the　old　one；　looking　big　and　fierce　as　a　Tigress。　It　was　surely
folly　to　shoot　at　the　young　ones　now。　The　boy　nervously　dropped
some　buckshot　on　the　charge　while　the　snarling　growl　rose　and
fell；　but　before　he　was　ready　to　shoot　at　her　the　old　one　had
picked　up　something　that　was　by　her　feet；　the　boy　got　a　glimpse
of　rich　brown　with　white　spotsthe　limp　form　of　a　newly　killed
Fawn。　Then　she　passed　out　of　sight。　The　Kittens　followed；　and　he
saw　her　no　more　until　the　time　when；　life　against　l