rolf in the woods-第28节

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Chapter　40。　The　Rarest　of　Pelts



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

and　once　found　that　he　had　had　the　audacity　to　jump　from　a　high

snowdrift　onto　the　storehouse　and　thence　to　the　cabin　roof；　where

he　had　feasted　on　some　white　rabbits　kept　there　for　deadfall

baits。　　But　all　attempts　to　trap　or　shoot　him　were　vain；　and

their　acquaintance　might　have　ended　as　it　began；　but　for　an

accident。



It　proved　a　winter　of　much　snow。　　Heavy　snow　is　the　worst

misfortune　that　can　befall　the　wood　folk　in　fur。　　It　hides　their

food　beyond　reach；　and　it　checks　their　movements　　so　they　can

neither　travel　far　in　search　of　provender　nor　run　fast　to　escape

their　enemies。　　Deep　snow　then　means　fetters；　starvation；　and

death。　　There　are　two　ways　of　meeting　the　problem：　stilts　and

snowshoes。　　The　second　is　far　the　better。　　The　caribou；　and　the

moose　have　stilts；　the　rabbit；　the　panther；　and　the　lynx　wear

snowshoes。　　When　there　are　three　or　four　feet　of　soft　snow；　the

lynx　is　king　of　all　small　beasts；　and　little　in　fear　of　the　large

ones。　　Man　on　his　snowshoes　has　most　wild　four…foots　at　his

mercy。



Skookum；　without　either　means　of　meeting　the　trouble　was　left

much　alone　in　the　shanty。　　Apparently；　it　was　on　one　of　these

occasions　that　the　silver　fox　had　driven　him　nearly　frantic　by

eating　rabbits　on　the　roof　above　him。



The　exasperating　robbery　of　their　trap　line　had　gone　on

irregularly　all　winter；　but　the　thief　was　clever　enough　or　lucky

enough　to　elude　them。



They　were　returning　to　the　cabin　after　a　three　days'　round；　when

they　saw；　far　out　on　the　white　expanse　of　the　lake；　two　animals；

alternately　running　and　fighting。　〃Skookum　and　the　fox；〃　was　the

first　thought　that　came；　but　on　entering　the　cabin　Skookum

greeted　them　in　person。



Quonab　gazed　intently　at　the　two　running　specks　and　said：　〃One

has　no　tail。　　I　think　it　is　a　peeshoo　（lynx）　and　a　fox。〃



Rolf　was　making　dinner。　　From　time　to　time　he　glanced　over　the

lake　and　saw　the　two　specks；　usually　running。　　After　dinner　was

over；　he　said；　〃Let's　sneak　'round　and　see　if　we　can　get　a　shot。〃



So；　putting　on　their　snowshoes　and　keeping　out　of　sight；　they

skimmed　over　the　deer　crossing　and　through　the　woods；　till　at　a

point　near　the　fighters；　and　there　they　saw　something　that

recalled　at　once　the　day　of　Skookum's　humiliation。



A　hundred　yards　away　on　the　open　snow　was　a　huge　lynx　and　their

old　friend；　the　black　and　shining　silver　fox；　face　to　face；　the

fox　desperate；　showing　his　rows　of　beautiful　teeth；　but　sinking

belly　deep　in　the　snow　as　he　strove　to　escape。　　Already　he　was

badly　wounded。　　In　any　case　he　was　at　the　mercy　of　the　lynx　who；

in　spite　of　his　greater　weight；　had　such　broad　and　perfect

snowshoes　that　he　skimmed　on　the　surface；　while　the　fox's　small

feet　sank　deep。　　The　lynx　was　far　from　fresh；　and　still　stood　in

some　awe　of　those　rows　of　teeth　that　snapped　like　traps　when　he

came　too　near。　　He　was　minded；　of　course；　to　kill　his　black

rival；　but　not　to　be　hurt　in　doing　so。　　Again　and　again　there　was

in　some　sort　a　closing　fight；　the　wearied　fox　plunging

breathlessly　through　the　treacherous；　relentless　　snow。　　If　he

could　only　get　back　to　cover；　he　might　find　a　corner　to　protect

his　rear　and　have　some　fighting　chance　for　life。　　But　wherever　he

turned　that　huge　cat　faced　him；　doubly　armed；　and　equipped　as　a

fox　can　never　be　for　the　snow。



No　one　could　watch　that　plucky　fight　without　feeling　his

sympathies　go　out　to　the　beautiful　silver　fox。　　Rolf；　at　least；

was　for　helping　him　to　escape；　when　the　final　onset　came。　　In

another　dash　for　the　woods　the　fox　plunged　out　of　sight　in　a

drift　made　soft　by　sedge　sticking　through；　and　before　he　could

recover；　the　lynx's　jaws　closed　on　the　back　of　his　neck　and　the

relentless　claws　had　pierced　his　vitals。



The　justification　of　killing　is　self…preservation；　and　in　this

case　the　proof　would　have　been　the　lynx　making　a　meal　of　the　fox。

Did　he　do　so？　　Not　at　all。　　He　shook　his　fur；　licked　his　chest

and　paws　in　a　self…congratulatory　way；　then　giving　a　final　tug　at

the　body；　walked　calmly　over　the　snow　along　the　shore。



Quonab　put　the　back　of　his　hand　to　his　mouth　and　made　a　loud

squeaking；　much　like　a　rabbit　caught　in　a　snare。　The　lynx

stopped；　wheeled；　and　came　trotting　straight　toward　the　promising

music。　　Unsuspectingly　he　came　within　twenty　yards　of　the

trappers。　　The　flint…lock　banged　and　the　lynx　was　kicking　in　the

snow。



The　beautiful　silver　fox　skin　was　very　little　injured　and　proved

of　value　almost　to　double　their　catch　so　far；　while　the　lynx　skin

was　as　good　as　another　marten。



They　now　had　opportunity　of　studying　the　tracks　and　learned　that

the　fox　had　been　hunting　rabbits　in　a　thicket　when　he　was　set　on

by　the　lynx。　　At　first　he　had　run　around　in　the　bushes　and　saved

himself　from　serious　　injury；　for　the　snow　was　partly　packed　by

the　rabbits。　　After　perhaps　an　hour　of　this；　he　had　wearied　and

sought　to　save　himself　by　abandoning　the　lynx's　territory；　so　had

struck　across　the　open　lake。　　But　here　the　snow　was　too　soft　to

bear　him　at　all；　and　the　lynx　could　still　skim　over。　　So　it

proved　a　fatal　error。　　He　was　strong　and　brave。　　He　fought　at

least　another　hour　here　before　the　much　stronger；　heavier　lynx

had　done　him　to　death。　　There　was　no　　justification。　　It　was　a

clear　case　of　tyrannical　murder；　but　in　this　case　vengeance　was

swift　and　justice　came　sooner　than　its　wont。







Chapter　41。　The　Enemy's　Fort



It　pays　'bout　once　in　　a　hundred　times　to　git　mad；　but　there

ain't　any　　way　o'　tellin'　beforehand　which　is　the　time

…　Sayings　of　Si　Sylvanne。



It　generally　took　two　days　to　run　the　west　line　of　traps。　　　At　a

convenient　point　they　had　built　a　rough　shack　for　a　half…way

house。　　On　entering　this　one　day；　they　learned　that　since　their

last　visit　it　had　been　occupied　by　some　one　who　chewed　tobacco。

Neither　of　them　had　this　habit。　　Quonab's　face　grew　darker　each

time　fresh　evidence　of　the　enemy　was　discovered；　and　the　final

wrong　was　added　soon。



Some　trappers　mark　their　traps；　some　do　not　bother。　Rolf　had

marked　all　of　theirs　with　a　file；　cutting　notches　on　the　iron。

Two；　one；　three；　was　their　mark；　and　it　was　a　wise　plan；　as　it

turned　out。



On　going　around　the　west　beaver　pond　they　found　that　all　six

traps　had　disappeared。　　In　some；　there　was　no　evidence　of　the

thief；　in　some；　the　tracks　showed　clearly　that　they　were　taken　by

the　same　interloper　that　had　bothered　them　all　along；　and　on　a

jagged　branch　was　a　short　blue　yarn。



〃Now　will　I　take　up　his　trail　and　kill　him；〃　said　the　Indian。



Rolf　had　opposed　extreme　measures；　and　again　he　　remonstrated。

To　his　surprise；　the　Indian　turned　fiercely　and　said：　〃You　know

it　is　white　man。　　If　he　was　Indian　would　you　be　patient？　　No！〃



〃There　is　plenty　of　country　south　of　the　lake；　maybe　he　was　here　first。〃



〃You　know　he　was　not。　　You　should　eat　many　pekan　hearts。　　I　have

sought　peace；　now　I　fight。〃



He　shouldered　his　pack；　grasped　his　gun；　and　his　　snowshoes　went

〃tssape；　tssape；　tssape；〃　over　the　snow。



Skookum　was　sitting　by　Rolf。　　He　rose　to　resume　the　march；　and

trotted　a　few　steps　on　Quonab's　trail。　　Rolf　did　not　move；　he　was

dazed　by　the　sudden　and　painful　situation。　　Mutiny　is　always

worse　than　war。　　Skookum　looked　back；　trotted　on；　still　Rolf　sat

staring。　　Quonab's　figure　was　lost　in　the　distance；　the　dog's　was

nearly　so。　Rolf　moved　not。　　All　the　events　of　the　last　year　were

rushing　through　his　mind；　the　refuge　he　had　found　with　the

Indian；　the　incident　of　the　buck　fight　and　the　tender　nurse　the

red　man　proved。　　He　wavered。　　Then　he　saw　Skookum　coming　back　on

the　trail。　　The　dog　trotted　up　to　the　boy　and　dropped　a　glove；

one　of　Quonab's。　　Undoubtedly　　the　Indian　had　lost　it；　Skookum

had　found　it　on　the　trail　and　mechanically　brought　it　to　the

nearest　of　his　　masters。　　Without　that　glove　Quonab's　hand　would

freeze。　　Rolf　rose　and　sped　along　the　other's　trail。　　Having

taken　the　step；　he　found　it　easy　to　send　a　long　halloo；　then

another　and　another；　till　an　answer　came。　　In　a　few　minutes　Rolf

came　up。　The　Indian　was　sitting　on　a　log；　waiting。　　The　glove　was

handed　over　in　silence；　and　received　with　a　grunt。



After　a　minute　or　two；　Rolf　said　〃Let's　get　on；〃　and　started　on

the　dim　trail　of　the　robber。



For　an　hour　or　two　they　strode　in　silence。　　Then　their　course

rose　as　they　reached　a　rocky　range。　　Among　its　bare；　wind…swept

ridges　all　sign　was　lost；　but　the　Indian　kept　on　till　they　were

over　and　on　the　other　side。　　A　far　cast　in　the　thick；　windless

woods　revealed　the　trail　again；　surely　the　same；　for　the　snowshoe

was　two　fingers　wider　on　every　side；　and　a　hand…breadth　longer

than　Quonab's；　be…　sides　the　right　frame　had　been　broken　and　the

binding　of　rawhide　was　faintly　seen　in　the　snow　mark。　　It　was　a

mark　they　had　seen　all　winter；　and　now　it　was　headed　as　b