rolf in the woods-第48节

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one。　〃You　surely　allow　that　the　British　government　is　trying　to

do　right；　and　after　all　we　must　admit　that　that　Jilson　affair

resected　very　little　credit　on　our　own　administration。〃



〃A　man　ken　make　one　awful　big　mistake　an'　still　be　all　right；　but

he　can't　go　on　making　a　little　mistake　every　day　right　along　an'

be　fit　company　for　a　clean　crowd；〃　retorted　the　new　senator。



At　length　the　governor　rose　and　led　the　way　to　the　drawing…room；

where　they　rejoined　the　ladies　and　the　conversation　took　on　a

different　colour　and　weight；　by　which　it　lost　all　value　for　those

who　knew　not　the　art　of　twittering　persiflage　and　found　less　joy

in　a　handkerchief　flirtation　than　in　the　nation's　onward　march。

Rolf　and　Quonab　enjoyed　it　now　about　as　much　as　Skookum　had　done

all　the　time。







Chapter　65。　The　Grebes　and　the　Singing　Mouse



Quonab　puzzled　long　over　the　amazing　fact　that　young　Van

Cortlandt　had　evident　high　standing　〃in　his　own　tribe。〃　〃He　must

be　a　wise　counsellor；　for　I　know　he　cannot　fight　and　is　a　fool　at

hunting；〃　was　the　ultimate　decision。



They　had　a　final　interview　with　the　governor　and　his　son　before

they　left。　Rolf　received　for　himself　and　his　partner　the　promised

one　hundred　and　fifty　dollars；　and　the　hearty　thanks　of　all　in

the　governor's　home。　Next；　each　was　presented　with　a　handsome

hunting　knife；　not　unlike　the　one　young　Van　had　carried；　but

smaller。　Quonab　received　his　with　〃Ho　　then；　after　a　pause；　〃He

pull　out；　maybe；　when　I　need　him。〃　　〃Ho！　good！〃　he　exclaimed；

as　the　keen　blade　appeared。



〃Now；　Rolf；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃I　want　to　come　back　next　year　and

bring　three　companions；　and　we　will　pay　you　at　the　same　rate　per

month　for　each。　What　do　you　say？〃



〃Glad　to　have　you　again；〃　said　Rolf：　〃we'll　come　for　you　on

August　fifteenth；　but　remember　you　should　bring　your　guitar　and

your　spectacles。〃



〃One　word；〃　said　the　governor；　〃do　you　know　the　canoe　route

through　Champlain　to　Canada？　〃



〃Quonab　does。〃



〃Could　you　undertake　to　render　scout　service　in　that　region？〃



The　Indian　nodded。



〃In　case　of　war；　we　may　need　you　both；　so　keep　your　ears　open。〃



And　once　more　the　canoe　made　for　the　north；　with　Quonab　in　the

stern　and　Skookum　in　the　bow。



In　less　than　a　week　they　were　home；　and　none　too　soon；　for

already　the　trees　were　bare；　and　they　had　to　break　the　ice　on　the

river　before　they　ended　their　trip。



Rolf　had　gathered　many　ideas　the　last　two…months。　He　did　not

propose　to　continue　all　his　life　as　a　trapper。　He　wanted　to　see

New　York。　He　wanted　to　plan　for　the　future。　He　needed　money　for

his　plans。　He　and　Quonab　had　been　running　a　hundred　miles　of

traps；　but　some　men　run　more　than　that　single　handed。　They　must

get　out　two　new　lines　at　once；　before　the　frost　came。　One　of

these　they　laid　up　the　Hudson；　above　Eagle's　Nest；　the　other

northerly　on　Blue　Mountain；　toward　Racquet　River。　Doing　this　was

hard　work；　and　when　they　came　again　to　their　cabin　the　robins　had

gone　from　the　bleak　and　leafless　woods；　the　grouse　were　making

long　night　flights；　the　hollows　had　tracks　of　racing　deer；　there

was　a　sense　of　omen；　a　length　of　gloom；　for　the　Mad　Moon　was

afloat　in　the　shimmering　sky；　its　wan　light　ghasted　all　the

hills。



Next　day　the　lake　was　covered　with　thin；　glare　ice；　on　the　glassy

surface　near　the　shore　were　two　ducks　floundering。　The　men　went

as　near　as　they　could；　and　Quonab　said；　〃　No；　not　duck；　but

Shingebis；　divers。



They　cannot　rise　except　from　water。　In　the　night　the　new　ice

looks　like　water；　they　come　down　and　cannot　rise。　I　have　often

seen　it。〃　Two　days　after；　a　harder　frost　came　on。　The　ice　was

safe　for　a　dog；　the　divers　or　grebes　were　still　on　its　surface。

So　they　sent　Skookum。　He　soon　returned　with　two　beautiful　grebes；

whose　shining；　white　breast　feathers　are　as　much　prized　as　some

furs。



Quonab　grunted　as　he　held　them　up。　〃Ugh；　it　is　often　so　in　this

Mad　Moon。　My　father　said　it　is　because　of　Kaluskap's　dancing。〃



〃I　don't　remember　that　one。〃



〃Yes；　long　ago。　Kaluskap　felt　lazy。　He　wanted　to　eat；　but　did　not

wish　to　hunt；　so　he　called　the　bluejay　and　said：　'Tell　all　the

woods　that　to…morrow　night　Kaluskap　gives　a　new　dance　and　teaches

a　new　song；'　and　he　told　the　hoot　owl　to　do　the　same；　so　one　kept

it　up　all　day　　'Kaluskap　teaches　a　new　dance　to…morrow　night；'

and　the　other　kept　it　up　all　night：　'Kaluskap　teaches　a　new　song

at　next　council。'



〃Thus　it　came　about　that　all　the　woods　and　waters　sent　their　folk

to　the　dance。



〃Then　Kaluskap　took　his　song…drum　and　said：　'When　I　drum　and　sing

you　must　dance　in　a　circle　the　same　way　as　the　sun；　close　your

eyes　tightly；　and　each　one　shout　his　war　whoop；　as　I　cry　〃new

songs〃！'



〃So　all　began；　with　Kaluskap　drumming　in　the　middle；　singing：



〃'New　songs　from　the　south；　brothers；　Close　your　eyes　tightly；

brothers；　Dance　and　learn　a　new　song。



〃As　they　danced　around；　he　picked　out　the　fattest；　and；　reaching

out　one　hand；　seized　them　and　twisted　their　necks；　shouting　out；

'More　war…cries；　more　poise！　that's　it；　now　you　are　learning！'



〃At　length　Shingebis　the　diver　began　to　have　his　doubts　and　he

cautiously　opened　one　eye；　saw　the　trick；　and　shouted：　'Fly；

brothers；　fly！　Kaluskap　is　killing　us　！'



〃Then　all　was　confusion。　Every　one　tried　to　escape；　and　Kaluskap；

in　revenge；　tried　to　kill　the　Shingebis。　But　the　diver　ran　for

the　water　and；　just　as　he　reached　the　edge；　Kaluskap　gave　him　a

kick　behind　that　sent　him　half　a　mile；　but　it　knocked　off　all　his

tail　feathers　and　twisted　his　shape　so　that　ever　since　his　legs

have　stuck　out　where　his　tail　was；　and　he　cannot　rise　from　the

land　or　the　ice。　I　know　it　is　so；　for　my　father；　Cos　Cob；　told　me

it　was　true；　and　we　ourselves　have　seen　it。　It　is　ever　so。　To　go

against　Kaluskap　brings　much　evil　to　brood　over。〃



A　few　nights　later；　as　they　sat　by　their　fire　in　the　cabin；　a

curious　squeaking　was　heard　behind　the　logs。　They　had　often　heard

it　before；　but　never　so　much　as　now。　Skookum　turned　his　head　on

one　side；　set　his　ears　at　forward　cock。　Presently；　from　a　hole

'twixt　logs　and　chimney；　there　appeared　a　small；　white　breasted

mouse。



Its　nose　and　ears　shivered　a　little；　its　black　eyes　danced　in　the

firelight。　It　climbed　up　to　a　higher　log；　scratched　its　ribs；

then　rising　on　its　hind　legs；　uttered　one　or　two　squeaks　like

those　they　had　heard　so　often；　but　soon　they　became　louder　and

continuous：



〃Peg；　　peo；　peo；　peo；　peo；　peo；　peo；　oo。　Tree；　tree；　tree；　tree；

trrrrrrr；　Turr；　turr；　turr；　tur；　tur；　Wee；　wee；　wee；　we　〃



The　little　creature　was　sitting　up　high　on　its　hind　legs；　its

belly　muscles　were　working；　its　mouth　was　gaping　as　it　poured　out

its　music。　For　fully　half　a　minute　this　went　on；　when　Skookum

made　a　dash；　but　the　mouse　was　quick　and　it　flashed　into　the

safety　of　its　cranny。



Rolf　gazed　at　Quonab　inquiringly。



〃That　is　Mish…a…boh…quas；　the　singing　mouse。　He　always　comes　to

tell　of　war。　In　a　little　while　there　will　be　fighting。〃







Chapter　66。　A　Lesson　in　Stalking



Did　you　ever　see　any　fighting；　Quonab？〃



〃Ugh！　In　Revolution；　scouted　for　General　Gates。〃



〃Judging　by　the　talk；　we're　liable　to　be　called　on　before　a　year。

What　will　you　do？　〃



〃Fight。〃



〃As　soldier？〃



〃No！　scout。〃



〃They　may　not　want　us。〃



〃Always　want　scouts；〃　replied　the　Indian。



〃It　seems　to　me　I　ought　to　start　training　now。〃



〃You　have　been　training。〃



〃How　is　that？〃



〃A　scout　is　everything　that　an　army　is；　but　it's　all　in　one　man。

An'　he　don't　have　to　keep　step。〃



〃I　see；　I　see；〃　replied　Rolf；　and　he　realized　that　a　scout　is

merely　a　trained　hunter　who　is　compelled　by　war　to　hunt　his

country's　foes　instead　of　the　beasts　of　the　woods。



〃See　that？〃　said　the　Indian；　and　he　pointed　to　a　buck　that　was

nosing　for　cranberries　in　the　open　expanse　across　the　river　where

it　left　the　lake。　〃Now；　I　show　you　scouting。〃　He　glanced　at　the

smoke　from　the　fire；　found　it　right　for　his　plan；　and　said：　〃See！

I　take　my　bow。　No　cover；　yet　I　will　come　close　and　kill　that

deer。〃



Then　began　a　performance　that　was　new　to　Rolf；　and　showed　that

the　Indian　had　indeed　reached　the　highest　pitch　of　woodcraft。　He

took　his　bow　and　three　good　arrows；　tied　a　band　around　his　head；

and　into　this　stuck　a　lot　of　twigs　and　vines；　so　that　his　head

looked　like　a　tussock　of　herbage。　Then　he　left　the　shanty　door；

and；　concealed　by　the　last　bushes　on　the　edge；　he　reached　the

open　plain。　Two　hundred　yards　off　was　the　buck；　nosing　among　the

herbage；　and；　from　time　to　time；　raising　its　superb　head　and

columnar　neck　to　look　around。　There　was　no　cover　but　creeping

herbage。　Rolf　suspected　that　the　Indian　would　decoy　the　buck　by

some　whistle　or　challenge；　for　the　thickness　of　its　neck　showed

the　deer　to　be　in　fighting　humour。



Flat　on　his　breast　the　Indian　lay。　His　knees　and　elbow　seemed　to

develop