animal heroes-第18节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Fawn。　Then　she　passed　out　of　sight。　The　Kittens　followed；　and　he
saw　her　no　more　until　the　time　when；　life　against　life；　they　were
weighed　in　the　balance　together。


IV

THE　TERROR　OF　THE　WOODS

Six　weeks　had　passed　in　daily　routine　when　one　day　the　young
giant　seemed　unusually　quiet　as　he　went　about。　His　handsome　face
was　very　sober　and　he　sang　not　at　all　that　morning。

He　and　Thor　slept　on　a　hay…bunk　in　one　corner　of　the　main　room；
and　that　night　the　Boy　awakened　more　than　once　to　hear　his
companion　groaning　and　tossing　in　his　sleep。　Corney　arose　as
usual　in　the　morning　and　fed　the　horses；　but　lay　down　again　while
the　sisters　got　breakfast。　He　roused　himself　by　an　effort　and
went　back　to　work；　but　came　home　early。　He　was　trembling　from
head　to　foot。　It　was　hot　summer　weather；　but　he　could　not　be　kept
warm。　After　several　hours　a　reaction　set　in　and　Corney　was　in　a
high　fever。　The　family　knew　well　now　that　he　had　the　dreaded
chills　and　fever　of　the　backwoods。　Margat　went　out　and　gathered　a
lapful　of　pipsissewa　to　make　tea；　of　which　Corney　was　encouraged
to　drink　copiously。

But　in　spite　of　all　their　herbs　and　nursing　the　young　man　got
worse。　At　the　end　of　ten　days　he　was　greatly　reduced　in　flesh　and
incapable　of　work；　so　on　one　of　the　〃well　days〃　that　are　usual　in
the　course　of　the　disease　he　said：

〃Say；　gurruls；　I　can't　stand　it　no　longer。　Guess　I　better　go
home。　I'm　well　enough　to　drive　to…day；　for　a　while　anyway；　if　I'm
took　down　I'll　lay　in　the　wagon；　and　the　horses　will　fetch　me
home。　Mother'll　have　me　all　right　in　a　week　or　so。　If　you　run　out
of　grub　before　I　come　back　take　the　canoe　to　Ellerton's。〃

So　the　girls　harnessed　the　horses；　the　wagon　was　partly　filled
with　hay；　and　Corney；　weak　and　white…faced；　drove　away　on　the
long　rough　road；　and　left　them　feeling　much　as　though　they　were
on　a　desert　island　and　their　only　boat　had　been　taken　from　them。

Half　a　week　had　scarcely　gone　before　all　three　of　them；　Margat；
Loo；　and　Thor；　were　taken　down　with　a　yet　more　virulent　form　of
chills　and　fever。

Corney　had　had　every　other　a　〃well　day；〃　but　with　these　three
there　were　no　〃well　days〃　and　the　house　became　an　abode　of
misery。

Seven　days　passed；　and　now　Margat　could　not　leave　her　bed　and　Loo
was　barely　able　to　walk　around　the　house。　She　was　a　brave　girl
with　a　fund　of　drollery　which　did　much　toward　keeping　up　all
their　spirits；　but　her　merriest　jokes　fell　ghastly　from　her　wan；
pinched　face。　Thor；　though　weak　and　ill；　was　the　strongest　and
did　for　the　others；　cooking　and　serving　each　day　a　simple　meal；
for　they　could　eat　very　little；　fortunately；　perhaps；　as　there
was　very　little；　and　Corney　could　not　return　for　another　week。

Soon　Thor　was　the　only　one　able　to　rise；　and　one　morning　when　he
dragged　himself　to　cut　the　little　usual　slice　of　their　treasured
bacon　he　found；　to　his　horror；　that　the　whole　piece　was　gone。　It
had　been　stolen；　doubtless　by　some　wild　animal；　from　the　little
box　on　the　shady　side　of　the　house；　where　it　was　kept　safe　from
flies。　Now　they　were　down　to　flour　and　tea。　He　was　in　despair；
when　his　eye　lighted　on　the　Chickens　about　the　stable；　but　what's
the　use？　In　his　feeble　state　he　might　as　well　try　to　catch　a　Deer
or　a　Hawk。　Suddenly　he　remembered　his　gun　and　very　soon　was
preparing　a　fat　Hen　for　the　pot。　He　boiled　it　whole　as　the
easiest　way　to　cook　it；　and　the　broth　was　the　first　really
tempting　food　they　had　had　for　some　time。

They　kept　alive　for　three　wretched　days　on　that　Chicken；　and　when
it　was　finished　Thor　again　took　down　his　gunit　seemed　a　much
heavier　gun　now。　He　crawled　to　the　barn；　but　he　was　so　weak　and
shaky　that　he　missed　several　times　before　he　brought　down　a　fowl。
Corney　had　taken　the　rifle　away　with　him　and　three　charges　of　gun
ammunition　were　all　that　now　remained。

Thor　was　surprised　to　see　how　few　Hens　there　were　now；　only　three
or　four。　There　used　to　be　over　a　dozen。　Three　days　later　he　made
another　raid。　He　saw　but　one　Hen　and　he　used　up　his　last
ammunition　to　get　that。

His　daily　routine　now　was　a　monotony　of　horror。　In　the　morning；
which　was　his　〃well　time；〃　he　prepared　a　little　food　for　the
household　and　got　ready　for　the　night　of　raging　fever　by　putting
a　bucket　of　water　on　a　block　at　the　head　of　each　bunk。　About　one
o'clock；　with　fearful　regularity；　the　chills　would　come　on；　with
trembling　from　head　to　foot　and　chattering　teeth；　and　cold；　cold；
within　and　without。　Nothing　seemed　to　give　any　warmthfire
seemed　to　have　lost　its　power。　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　lie
and　shake　and　suffer　all　the　slow　torture　of　freezing　to　death
and　shaking　to　pieces。　For　six　hours　it　would　keep　up；　and　to　the
torture；　nausea　lent　its　horrid　aid　throughout；　then　about　seven
or　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening　a　change　would　come；　a　burning
fever　set　in；　no　ice　could　have　seemed　cool　to　him　then；
waterwaterwas　all　he　craved；　and　drank　and　drank　until　three
or　four　in　the　morning；　when　the　fever　would　abate；　and　a　sleep
of　total　exhaustion　followed。

〃If　you　run　out　of　food　take　the　canoe　to　Ellerton's；〃　was　the
brother's　last　word。　Who　was　to　take　the　canoe？

There　was　but　half　a　Chicken　now　between　them　and　starvation；　and
no　sign　of　Corney。

For　three　interminable　weeks　the　deadly　program　dragged　along。　It
went　on　the　same　yet　worse；　as　the　sufferers　grew　weakera　few
days　more　and　the　Boy　also　would　be　unable　to　leave　his　couch。
Then　what？

Despair　was　on　the　house　and　the　silent　cry　of　each　was；　〃Oh；
God！　will　Corney　never　come？〃


V

THE　HOME　OF　THE　BOY

On　the　day　of　that　last　Chicken；　Thor　was　all　morning　carrying
water　enough　for　the　coming　three　fevers。　The　chill　attacked　him
sooner　than　it　was　due　and　his　fever　was　worse　than　ever　before。

He　drank　deeply　and　often　from　the　bucket　at　his　head。　He　had
filled　it；　and　it　was　nearly　emptied　when　about　two　in　the
morning　the　fever　left　him　and　he　fell　asleep。

In　the　gray　dawn　he　was　awakened　by　a　curious　sound　not　far
awaya　splashing　of　water。　He　turned　his　head　to　see　two　glaring
eyes　within　a　foot　of　his　facea　great　Beast　lapping　the　water
in　the　bucket　by　his　bed。

Thor　gazed　in　horror　for　a　moment；　then　closed　his　eyes；　sure
that　he　was　dreaming；　certain　that　this　was　a　nightmare　of　India
with　a　Tiger　by　his　couch；　but　the　lapping　continued。　He　looked
up；　yes；　it　still　was　there。　He　tried　to　find　his　voice　but
uttered　only　a　gurgle。　The　great　furry　head　quivered；　a　sniff
came　from　below　the　shining　eyeballs；　and　the　creature；　whatever
it　was；　dropped　to　its　front　feet　and　went　across　the　hut　under
the　table。　Thor　was　fully　awake　now；　he　rose　slowly　on　his　elbow
and　feebly　shouted　〃Sssh…hi；〃　at　which　the　shining　eyes
reappeared　under　the　table　and　the　gray　form　came　forth。　Calmly
it　walked　across　the　ground　and　glided　under　the　lowest　log　at　a
place　where　an　old　potato　pit　left　an　opening　and　disappeared。
What　was　it？　The　sick　boy　hardly　knewsome　savage　Beast　of　prey；
undoubtedly。　He　was　totally　unnerved。　He　shook　with　fear　and　a
sense　of　helplessness；　and　the　night　passed　in　fitful　sleep　and
sudden　starts　awake　to　search　the　gloom　again　for　those　fearful
eyes　and　the　great　gray　gliding　form。　In　the　morning　he　did　not
know　whether　it　were　not　all　a　delirium；　yet　he　made　a　feeble
effort　to　close　the　old　cellar　hole　with　some　firewood。

The　three　had　little　appetite；　but　even　that　they　restrained
since　now　they　were　down　to　part　of　a　Chicken；　and　Corney；
evidently　he　supposed　they　had　been　to　Ellerton's　and　got　all　the
food　they　needed。

Again　that　night；　when　the　fever　left　him　weak　and　dozing；　Thor
was　awakened　by　a　noise　in　the　room；　a　sound　of　crunching　bones。
He　looked　around　to　see　dimly　outlined　against　the　little　window；
the　form　of　a　large　animal　on　the　table。　Thor　shouted；　he　tried
to　hurl　his　boot　at　the　intruder。　It　leaped　lightly　to　the　ground
and　passed　out　of　the　hole；　again　wide　open。

It　was　no　dream　this　time；　he　knew；　and　the　women　knew　it；　too；
not　only　had　they　heard　the　creature；　but　the　Chicken；　the　last
of　their　food；　was　wholly　gone。

Poor　Thor　barely　left　his　couch　that　day。　It　needed　all　the
querulous　complaints　of　the　sick　women　to　drive　him　forth。　Down
by　the　spring　he　found　a　few　berries　and　divided　them　with　the
others。　He　made　his　usual　preparations　for　the　chills　and　the
thirst；　but　he　added　thisby　the　side　of　his　couch　he　put　an　old　
fish…spearthe　only　weapon　he　could　find；　now　the　gun　was
uselessa　pine…root　candle　and　some　matches。　He　knew　the　Beast
was　coming　back　againwas　coming　hungry。　It　would　find　no　food；
what　more　natural；　he　thought；　than　take　the　living　prey　lying
there　so　helpless？　And　a　vision　came　of　the　limp　brown　form　of
the　little　Fawn；　borne　off　in　those　same　cruel　jaws。

Once　again　he　barricaded　the　hole　with　firewood；　and　the　night
passed　as　usual；　but　without　any　fierce　visitor。　Their　food　that
day　was　flour　and　water；　and　to　cook　it　Thor　was　forced　to　use
some　of　his　barricade。　Loo　attempted　some　feeble　joke；　guessed
she　was　light　enough　to　fly　now　and　tried　to　rise；　but　she　got　no
farther　than　the　edge　of　the　bunk。　The　same　preparations　were
made；　and　the　night　wore　on；　but　early　in　the　morning；　Thor　was
again　awak