rolf in the woods-第15节

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wounded；　not　a　mile　travelled；　and　not　an　hour　lost。　　And　yet　it

seemed　much　more　full　of　interesting　thrills　than　did　any　one　of

the　many　stirring　bear　hunts　that　Rolf　and　Quonab　shared　together

in　the　days　that　were　to　come。







Chapter　19。　The　Footprint　on　the　Shore



Jesup's　River　was　a　tranquil　stream　that　came　from　a　region　of

swamps；　and　would　have　been　easy　canoeing　but　for　the　fallen

trees。　　Some　of　these　had　been　cut　years　ago；　showing　that　the

old　trapper　had　used　this　route。　　Once　they　were　unpleasantly

surprised　by　seeing　a　fresh　chopping　on　the　bank；　but　their

mourning　was　changed　into　joy　when　they　found　it　was　beaver…work。



Ten　miles　they　made　that　day。　　In　the　evening　they　camped　on　the

shore　of　Jesup's　Lake；　proud　and　happy　in　the　belief　that　they

were　the　rightful　owners　of　it　all。　That　night　they　heard　again

and　again　the　howling　of　wolves；　but　it　seemed　on　the　far　side　of

the　lake。　　In　the　morning　they　went　out　on　foot　to　explore；　and

at　once　had　the　joy　of　seeing　five　deer；　while　tracks　showed　on

every　side。　　It　was　evidently　a　paradise　for　deer；　and　there　were

in　less　degree　the　tracks　of　other　animals　　mink　in　fair

abundance；　one　or　two　otters；　a　mountain　lion；　and　a　cow　moose

with　her　calf。　　It　was　thrilling　to　see　such　a　feast　of

possibilities。　　The　hunters　were　led　on　and　on；　revelling　in　the

prospect　of　many　joys　before　them；　when　all　at　once　they　came　on

something　that　turned　their　joy　to　grief　　the　track　of　a　man；

the　fresh　imprint　of　a　cowhide　boot。　　It　was　maddening。　　At　first

blush；　it　meant　some　other　trapper　ahead　of　them　with　a　prior

claim　to　the　valley；　a　claim　that　the　unwritten　law　would　allow。

They　followed　it　a　mile。　　It　went　striding　along　the　shore　at　a

great　pace；　sometimes　running；　and　keeping　down　the　west　shore。

Then　they　found　a　place　where　he　had　sat　down　and　broken　a　lot　of

clam　shells；　and　again　had　hastened　on。　　But　there　was　no　mark　of

gunstock　or　other　weapon　where　he　sat；　and　why　was　he　wearing

boots？　The　hunters　rarely　did。



For　two　miles　the　Indian　followed　with　Rolf；　and　sometimes　found

that　the　hated　stranger　had　been　running　hard。　　Then　they　turned

back；　terribly　disappointed。　　At　first　it　seemed　a　crushing　blow。

They　had　three　courses　open　to　them　…　to　seek　a　location　farther

north；　to　assume　that　one　side　of　the　lake　was　theirs；　or　to　find

out　exactly　who　and　what　the　stranger　was。　　They　decided　on　the

last。　The　canoe　was　launched　and　loaded；　and　they　set　out　to　look

for　what　they　hoped　they　would　not　find；　a　trapper's　shanty　on

the　lake。



After　skirting　the　shore　for　four　or　five　miles　and　disturbing

one　or　two　deer；　as　well　as　hosts　of　ducks；　the　voyagers　landed

and　there　still　they　found　that　fateful　bootmark　steadily

tramping　southward。　　By　noon　they　had　reached　the　south　end　of

the　west　inlet　that　leads　to　another　lake；　and　again　an

examination　of　the　shore　showed　the　footmarks；　here　leaving　the

lake　and　going　southerly。　Now　the　travellers　retired　to　the　main

lake　and　by　noon　had　reached　the　south　end。　　At　no　point　had　they

seen　any　sign　of　a　cabin；　though　both　sides　of　the　lake　were　in

plain　view　all　day。　　The　travelling　stranger　was　a　mystery；　but

he　did　not　live　here　and　there　was　no　good　reason　why　they　should

not　settle。



Where？　　The　country　seemed　equally　good　at　all　points；　but　it　is

usually　best　to　camp　on　an　outlet。　　Then　when　a　storm　comes　up；

the　big　waves　do　not　threaten　your　canoe；　or　compel　you　to　stay

on　land。　　It　is　a　favourite　crossing　for　animals　avoiding　the

lake；　and　other　trappers　coming　in　are　sure　to　see　your　cabin

before　they　enter。



Which　side　of　the　outlet？　　Quonab　settled　that　　the　west。　　He

wanted　to　see　the　sun　rise；　and；　not　far　back　from　the　water；　was

a　hill　with　a　jutting；　rocky　pinnade。　He　pointed　to　this　and

uttered　the　one　word；　〃Idaho。〃　Here；　then；　on　the　west　side；

where　the　lake　enters　the　river；　they　began　to　clear　the　ground

for　their　home。







Chapter　20。　The　Trappers'　Cabin



It's　a　smart　fellow　that　knows　what　he　can't　do。　…Sayings　of　Si　Sylvanne。



I　suppose　every　trapper　that　ever　lived；　on　first　building　a

cabin；　said；　〃Oh；　any　little　thing　will　do；　so　long　as　it　has　a

roof　and　is　big　enough　to　lie　down　in。〃　　And　every　trapper　has

realized　before　spring　that　he　made　a　sad　mistake　in　not　having

it　big　enough　to　live　in　and　store　goods　in。　　Quonab　and　Rolf

were　new　at　the　business；　and　made　the　usual　mistake。　They

planned　their　cabin　far　too　small；　10　X　12　ft。；　instead　of　12　X

20　ft。　they　made　it；　and　6…ft。　walls；　instead　of　8…ft。　walls。

Both　were　expert　axemen。　　Spruce　was　plentiful　and　the　cabin　rose

quickly。　　In　one　day　the　walls　were　up。　An　important　thing　was

the　roof。　　What　should　it　be？　Overlapping　basswood　troughs；　split

shingles；　also　called　shakes；　or　clay？　　By　far　the　easiest　to

make；　the　warmest　in　winter　and　coolest　in　summer；　is　the　clay

roof。　　It　has　three　disadvantages：　It　leaks　in　long…continued　wet

weather；　it　drops　down　dust　and　dirt　in　dry　weather；　and　is　so

heavy　that　it　usually　ends　by　crushing　in　the　log　rafters　and

beams；　unless　they　are　further　supported　on　posts；　which　are　much

in　the　way。　　But　its　advantages　were　so　obvious　that　the　builders

did　not　hesitate。　　A　clay　roof　it　was　to　be。



When　the　walls　were　five　feet　high；　the　doorway　and　window　were

cut　through　the　logs；　but　leaving　in　each　case　one　half　of　the

log　at　the　bottom　of　the　needed　opening。　The　top　log　was　now

placed；　then　rolled　over　bottom　up；　wlile　half　of　its　thickness

was　cut　away　to　fit　over　the　door：　a　similar　cut　out　was　made

over　the　window。　　Two　flat　pieces　of　spruce　were　prepared　for

door　jambs　and　two　shorter　ones　for　window　jambs。　　Auger　holes

were　put　through；　so　as　to　allow　an　oak　pin　to　be　driven　through

the　jamb　into　each　log；　and　the　doorway　and　window　opening　were　done。



In　one　corner　they　planned　a　small　fireplace；　built　of　clay　and

stone。　　Not　stone　from　the　lake；　as　Rolf　would　have　had　it；　but

from　the　hillside；　and　why？　　Quonab　said　that　the　lake　stone　was

of　the　water　spirits；　and　would　not　live　near　fire；　but　would

burst　open；　while　the　hillside　stone　was　of　the　sun　and　fire

spirit；　and　in　the　fire　would　add　its　heat。



The　facts　are　that　lake　stone　explodes　when　greatly　heated　and

hill　stone　does　not；　and　since　no　one　has　been　able　to　improve

upon　Quonab's　explanation；　it　must　stand　for　the　present。



The　plan　of　the　fireplace　was　simple。　　Rolf　had　been　present　at

the　building　of　several；　and　the　main　point　was　to　have　the

chimney　large　enough；　and　the　narrowest　point　just　above　the　fire。



The　eaves　logs；　end　logs；　and　ridge　logs　were　soon　in　place；　then

came　the　cutting　of　small　poles；　spruce　and　tamarack；　long　enough

to　reach　from　ridge　to　eaves；　and　in　sufficient　number　to

completely　cover　the　roof。　　A　rank　sedge　meadow　near　by　afforded

plenty　of　coarse　grass　with　which　the　poles　were　covered　deeply；

and　lastly　clay　dug　out　with　a　couple　of　hand…made；　axe…hewn

wooden　spades　was　thrown　evenly　on　the　grass　to　a　depth　of　six

inches；　this；　when　trampled　flat；　made　a　roof　that　served　them　well。



The　chinks　of　the　logs　when　large　were　filled　with　split　pieces

of　wood；　when　small　they　were　plugged　with　moss。　A　door　was　made

of　hewn　planks；　and　hinged　very　simply　on　two　pins；　one　made　by

letting　the　plank　project　as　a　point；　the　other　by　nailing　on　a

pin　after　the　door　was　placed；　both　pins　fitting；　of　course；　into

inch　auger　holes。



A　floor　was　not　needed；　but　bed　bunks　were；　and　in　making　these

they　began　already　to　realize　that　the　cabin　was　too　small。　　But

now　after　a　week's　work　it　was　done。　It　had　a　sweet　fragrance　of

wood　and　moss；　and　the　pleasure　it　gave　to　Rolf　at　least　was

something　he　never　again　could　expect　to　find　in　equal　measure

about　any　other　dwelling　he　might　make。



Quonab　laid　the　fire　carefully；　then　lighted　his　pipe；　sang　a

little　crooning　song　about　the　〃home　spirits；〃　which　we　call

〃household　gods；〃　walked　around　the　shanty；　offering　the　pipestem

to　each　of　the　four　winds　in　turn；　then　entering　lighted　the　flre

from　his　pipe；　threw　some　tobacco　and　deer　hair　on　the　blaze；　and

the　house…warming　was　ended。



Nevertheless；　they　continued　to　sleep　in　the　tent　they　had　used

all　along；　for　Quonab　loved　not　the　indoors；　and　Rolf　was　growing

daily　more　of　his　mind。







Chapter　21。　Rolf's　First　Deer



Anxious　to　lose　no　fine　day　they　had　worked　steadily　on　the

shanty；　not　even　going　after　the　deer　that　were　seen　occasionally

over　the　lake；　so　that　now　they　were　out　of　fresh　meat；　and　Rolf

saw　a　chance　he　long　had　looked　for。　　〃Quonab；　I　want　to　go　out

alone　and　get　a　deer；　and　I　want　your　gun。



〃Ugh！　you　shall　go。　　To…night　is　good。〃



〃To…night〃　meant　evening；　so　Rolf　set　out　alone　as　soon　as　the

sun　was　low；　for　during　the　heat　of　the　day　the　deer　are　commonly

lying　in　some　thicket。　　In　general；　h