rolf in the woods-第27节

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quills；　some　of　them　new；　some　of　them　dating　　evidently　from

another　fight　of　the　same　kind；　but　none　of　them　had　done　any

damage。　　There　was　no　inflammation　or　sign　of　poisoning。　　〃It　is

ever　so；〃　said　Quonab；　〃the　quills　cannot　hurt　him。〃　　Then；

turning　to　the　porcupine；　he　remarked；　as　he　prepared　to　skin　it：



〃Ho；　Kahk！　you　see　now　it　was　a　big　mistake　you　did　not　let　Nana

Bojou　sit　on　the　dry　end　of　that　log。〃







Chapter　38。　The　Silver　Fox



They　were　returning　to　the　cabin；　one　day；　when　Quonab　stopped

and　pointed。　　Away　off　on　the　snow　of　the　far　shore　was　a　moving

shape　to　be　seen。



〃Fox；　and　I　think　silver　fox；　he　so　black。　　I　think　he　lives

there。〃



〃Why？〃　　　〃I　have　seen　many　times　a　very　big　fox　track；　and　they

do　not　go　where　they　do　not　live。　　Even　in　winter　they　keep　their

own　range。〃



〃He's　worth　ten　martens；　they　say？〃　queried　Rolf。



〃Ugh！　fifty。〃



〃Can't　we　get　him？〃



〃Can　try。　　But　the　water　set　will　not　work　in　winter；　we　must　try

different。〃



This　was　the　plan；　the　best　that　Quonab　could　devise　for　the

snow：　Saving　the　ashes　from　the　fire　（dry　sand　would　have

answered）；　he　selected　six　open　places　in　the　woods　on　the　south

of　the　lake；　and　in　each　made　an　ash　bed　on　which　he　scattered

three　or　four　drops　of　the　　smell…charm。　　Then；　twenty…five　yards

from　each；　on　the　north　or　west　side　（the　side　of　the　prevailing

wind）　he　hung　from　some　sapling　a　few　feathers；　a　partridge　wing

or　tail　with　some　red　yarns　to　it。　　He　left　the　places　unvisited

for　two　weeks；　then　returned　to　learn　the　progress　of　act　one。



Judging　from　past　experience　of　fox　nature　and　from　the　few　signs

that　were　offered　by　the　snow；　this　is　what　had　happened：　A　fox

came　along　soon　after　the　trappers　left；　followed　the　track　a

little　way；　came　to　the　first　　opening；　smelled　the　seductive

danger…lure；　swung　around　it；　saw　the　dangling　feathers；　took

alarm；　and　went　off。　Another　of　the　places　had　been　visited　by　a

marten。　　He　had　actually　scratched　in　the　ashes。　　A　wolf　had　gone

around　another　at　a　safe　distance。



Another　had　been　shunned　several　times　by　a　fox　or　by　foxes；　but

they　had　come　again　and　again　and　at　last　yielded　to　the

temptation　to　investigate　the　danger…smell；　finally　had　rolled　in

it；　evidently　wallowing　in　an　abandon　of　delight。　　So　far；　the

plan　was　working　there。



The　next　move　was　to　set　the　six　strong　fox　traps；　each

thoroughly　smoked；　and　chained　to　a　fifteen…pound　block　of　wood。



Approaching　the　place　carefully　and　using　his　blood…rubbed

glove；　Quonab　set　in　each　ash　pile　a　trap。　　Under　its　face　he　put

a　wad　of　white　rabbit　fur。　　Next　he　buried　all　in　the　ashes；

scattered　a　few　bits　of　rabbit　and　a　few　drops　of　smell…charm；

then　dashed　snow　over　the　place；　renewed　the　dangling　feathers　to

lure　the　eye；　and　finally　left　the　rest　to　the　weather。



Rolf　was　keen　to　go　the　next　day；　but　the　old　man　said：　〃Wah！　no

good！　no　trap　go　first　night；　man　smell　too　strong。〃　　The　second

day　there　was　a　snowfall；　and　the　third　morning　Quonab　said；　〃Now

seem　like　good　time。〃



The　first　trap　was　untouched；　but　there　was　clearly　the　track　of

a　large　fox　within　ten　yards　of　it。



The　second　was　gone。　　Quonab　said；　with　surprise　in　his　voice；

〃Deer！〃　　Yes；　truly；　there　was　the　record。　A　deer　　a　big　one　

had　come　wandering　past；　his　keen　nose　soon　apprised　him　of　a

strong；　queer　appeal　near　by。　　He　had　gone　unsuspiciously　toward

it；　sniffed　and　pawed　the　unaccountable　and　exciting　nose

medicine；　then　〃snap！〃　and　he　had　sprung　a　dozen　feet；　with　that

diabolic　smell…thing　hanging　to　his　foot。　　Hop；　hop；　hop；　the

terrified　deer　had　gone　into　a　slashing　windfall。　　Then　the　drag

had　caught　on　the　logs；　and；　thanks　to　the　hard　and　taper　hoofs；

the　trap　had　slipped　off　and　been　left　behind；　while　the　deer　had

sought　safer　regions。



In　the　next　trap　they　found　a　beautiful　marten　dead；　killed　at

once　by　the　clutch　of　steel。　　The　last　trap　was　gone；　but　the

tracks　and　the　marks　told　a　tale　that　any　one　could　read；　a　fox

had　been　beguiled　and　had　gone　off；　dragging　the　trap　and　log。

Not　far　did　they　need　to　go；　held　in　a　thicket　they　found　him；

and　Rolf　prepared　the　mid…day　meal　while　Quonab　gathered　the

pelt。　　After　removing　the　skin　the　Indian　cut　deep　and　carefully

into　the　body　of　the　fox　and　removed　the　bladder。　　Its　　contents

sprinkled　near　each　of　the　traps　was　good　medicine；　he　said；　a

view　that　was　evidently　shared　by　Skookum。



More　than　once　they　saw　the　track　of　the　big　fox　of　the　region；

but　never　very　near　the　snare。　　He　was　too　clever　to　be　fooled　by

smell…spells　or　kidney　products；　no　matter　how　temptingly

arrayed。　　The　trappers　did；　indeed；　capture　three　red　foxes；　but

it　was　at　cost　of　great　labour。　　It　was　a　venture　that　did　not

pay。　　The　silver　fox　was　there；　but　he　took　too　good　care　of　his

precious　hide。　　The　slightest　hint　of　a　man　being　near　was　enough

to　treble　his　already　double　wariness。　　They　would　never　have

seen　him　near　at　hand；　but　for　a　stirring　episode　that　told　a

tale　of　winter　hardship。







Chapter　39。　The　Humiliation　of　Skookum



If　Skookum　could　have　been　interviewed　by　a　newspaper　man；　he

would　doubtless　have　said：　〃I　am　a　very　remarkable　dog。　　I　can

tree　partridges。　I'm　death　on　porcupines。　　I　am　pretty　good　in　a

dog　fight；　never　was　licked　in　fact：　but　my　really　marvellous

gift　is　my　speed；　I'm　a　terror　to　run。〃



Yes；　he　was　very　proud　of　his　legs；　and　the　foxes　that　came　about

in　the　winter　nights　gave　him　many　opportunities　　of　showing　what

he　could　do。　　Many　times　over　he　very　nearly　caught　a　fox。

Skookum　did　not　know　that　these　wily　ones　were　playing　with　him；

but　they　were；　and　enjoyed　it　immensely。



The　self…sufficient　cur　never　found　this　out；　and　never　lost　a

chance　of　nearly　catching　a　fox。　　The　men　did　not　see　those

autumn　chases　because　they　were　by　night；　but　foxes　hunt　much　by

day　in　winter；　perforce；　and　are　often　seen；　and　more　than　once

they　witnessed　one　of　these　farcical　races。



And　now　the　shining　white　furnished　background　for　a　much　more

important　affair。



It　was　near　sundown　one　day　when　a　faint　fox　bark　was　heard　out

on　the　snow…covered　ice　of　the　lake。



〃That's　for　me；〃　Skookum　seemed　to　think；　and　jumping　　up；　with　a

very　fierce　growl；　he　trotted　forth；　the　men　looked　first　from

the　window。　　Out　on　the　snow；　sitting　on　his　haunches；　was　their

friend；　the　big；　black　silver　fox。



Quonab　reached　for　his　gun　and　Rolf　tried　to　call　Skookum；　but　it

was　too　late。　　He　was　out　to　catch　that　fox；　their　business　was

to　look　on　and　applaud。　　The　fox　sat　on　his　haunches；　grinning

apparently；　until　Skookum　dashed　through　the　snow　within　twenty

yards。　　Then；　that　shining；　black　fox　loped　gently　away；　his　huge

tail　level　out　behind　him；　and　Skookum；　sure　of　success；　raced

up；　within　six　or　seven　yards。　　A　few　more　leaps　now；　and　the

victory　would　be　won。　　But　somehow　he　could　not　close　that　six　or

seven　yard　gap。　　No　matter　how　he　strained　and　leaped；　the　great

black　brush　was　just　so　far　ahead。　　At　first　they　had　headed　for

the　shore；　but　the　fox　wheeled　back　to　the　ice　and　up　and　down。

Skookum　felt　it　was　because　escape　was　hopeless；　and　he　redoubled

his　effort。　　But　all　in　vain。　　He　was　only　wearing　himself　out；

panting　noisily　now。　　The　snow　was　deep　enough　to　be　a　great

disadvantage；　more　to　dog　than　to　fox；　since　weight　counted　as

such　a　handicap。　　Unconsciously　Skookum　　slowed　up。　　The　fox

increased　his　headway；　then　audaciously　turned　around　and　sat

down　in　the　snow。



This　was　too　much　for　the　dog。　　He　wasted　about　a　lungful　of　air

in　an　angry　bark；　and　again　went　after　the　enemy。　　Again　the

chase　was　round　and　round；　but　very　soon　the　dog　was　so　wearied

that　he　sat　down；　and　now　the　black　fox　actually　came　back　and

barked　at　him。



It　was　maddening。　　Skookum's　pride　was　touched。



He　was　in　to　win　or　break。　　His　supreme　effort　brought　him　within

five　feet　of　that　white…tipped　brush。　　Then；　strange　to　tell；　the

big　black　fox　put　forth　his　large　reserve　of　speed；　and　making

for　the　woods；　left　Skookum　far　behind。　　Why？　　The　cause　was

clear。　　Quonab；　after　vainly　watching　for　a　chance　to　shoot；　that

would　not　endanger　the　dog；　had；　under　cover；　crept　around　the

lake　and　now　was　awaiting　in　a　thicket。　　But　the　fox's　keen　nose

had　warned　him。　　He　knew　that　the　funny　part　was　over；　so　ran　for

the　woods　and　disappeared　as　a　ball　tossed　up　the　snow　behind

him。



Poor　Skookum's　tongue　was　nearly　a　foot　long　as　he　walked　meekly

ashore。　　He　looked　depressed；　his　tail　was　depressed；　so　were　his

ears；　but　there　was　nothing　to　show　whether　he　would　have　told

that　reporter　that　he　〃wasn't　feeling　up　to　his　usual；　to…day；〃

or　〃Didn't　you　see　me　get　the　best　of　him？〃







Chapter　40。　The　Rarest　of　Pelts



They　saw　that　silver　fox　three　or　four　times　during　the　winter；