the man from glengarry-第11节

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older；　he　gave　to　Ranald　a　homage　almost　amounting　to　worship；　for
in　all　those　qualities　that　go　to　establish　leadership　among　boys；
Ranald　was　easily　first。　　In　the　sport　that　called　for　speed；
courage；　and　endurance　Ranald　was　chief　of　all。　　Fleet　of　foot；
there　was　no　runner　from　the　Twelfth　to　the　Twentieth　that　could
keep　him　in　sight；　and　when　he　stood　up　to　fight；　the　mere　blaze　of
his　eyes　often　won　him　victory　before　a　blow　was　struck。　　To　Don；
Ranald　opened　his　heart　more　than　to　any　one　else；　all　others　he
kept　at　a　distance。

It　was　in　vain　that　Mrs。　Murray；　in　her　daily　visits　to　Macdonald
Dubh；　sought　to　find　out　Ranald　and　to　come　to　speech　with　him。
Aunt　Kirsty　never　knew　where　he　was；　and　to　her　calls；　long　and
loud；　from　the　back　door　and　from　the　front；　no　response　ever　came。
It　was　Hughie　Murray　who　finally　brought　Ranald　once　more　into
touch　with　the　minister's　wife。

They　had　come　one　early　morning；　Hughie　with　Fido　〃hitched〃　in　a
sled　driving　over　the　〃crust〃　on　the　snow　banks　by　the　roadside；
and　his　mother　on　the　pony；　to　make　their　call　upon　the　sick　man。
As　they　drew　near　the　house　they　heard　a　sound　of　hammering。

〃That's　Ranald；　mother！〃　exclaimed　Hughie。　　〃Let　me　go　and　find
him。　　I　don't　want　to　go　in。〃

〃Be　sure　you　don't　go　far　away；　then；　Hughie；　you　know　we　must
hurry　home　to…day〃；　and　Hughie　faithfully　promised。　　But　alas　for
Hughie's　promises！　when　his　mother　came　out　of　the　house　with
Kirsty；　he　was　within　neither　sight　nor　hearing。

〃They　will　just　be　at　the　camp；〃　said　Kirsty。

〃The　camp？〃

〃Aye；　the　sugaring　camp　down　yonder　in　the　sugar　bush。　　It　is　not
far　off　from　the　wood　road。　　I　will　be　going　with　you。〃

〃Not　at　all；　Kirsty；〃　said　the　minister's　wife。　　〃I　think　I　know
where　it　is；　and　I　can　go　home　that　way　quite　well。　　Besides；　I
want　to　see　Ranald。〃　　She　did　not　say　she　would　rather　see　him
alone。

〃Indeed；　he　is　the　quare　lad；　and　he　is　worse　since　coming　back
from　the　shanties。〃　　Kirsty　was　evidently　much　worried　about
Ranald。

〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　minister's　wife；　kindly；　〃we　must　just　be
patient。　　Ranald　is　going　on　fast　toward　manhood；　and　he　can　be
held　only　by　the　heart。〃

〃Aye；〃　said　Kirsty；　with　a　sigh；　〃I　doubt　his　father　will　never　be
able　any　more　to　take　a　strap　to　him。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　smiling；　〃I'm　afraid　he　is　far　beyond
that。〃

〃Beyond　it！〃　exclaimed　Kirsty；　astonished　at　such　a　doctrine。
〃Indeed；　and　his　father　and　his　uncle　would　be　getting　it　then；
when　they　were　as　beeg　as　they　will　ever　be；　and　much　the　better
were　they　for　it。〃

〃I　don't　think　it　would　do　for　Ranald；〃　said　the　minister's　wife；
smiling　again　as　she　said　good　by　to　Kirsty。　　Then　she　took　her　way
down　the　wood　road　into　the　bush。　　She　found　the　camp　road　easily；
and　after　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　ride；　she　heard　the　sound　of　an
ax；　and　soon　came　upon　the　sugar　camp。　　Ranald　was　putting　the
finishing　touches　to　a　little　shanty　of　cedar　poles　and　interwoven
balsam　brush；　and　Hughie　was　looking　on　in　admiration　and　blissful
delight。

〃Why；　that's　beautiful；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃I　should　like　to　live
in　a　house　like　that　myself。〃

〃Oh；　mother！〃　shouted　Hughie；　〃isn't　it　splendid？　　Ranald　and　Don
are　going　to　live　in　it　all　the　sugaring　time；　and　Ranald　wants　me
to　come；　too。　　Mayn't　I；　mother？　　Aw；　do　let　me。〃

The　mother　looked　down　upon　the　eager　face；　smiled；　and　shook　her
head。　　〃What　about　the　night；　Hughie？〃　she　said。　　〃It　will　be　very
dark　in　the　woods　here；　and　very　cold；　too。　　Ranald　and　Don　are　big
boys　and　strong；　but　I'm　afraid　my　little　boy　would　not　be　very
comfortable　sleeping　outside。〃

〃Oh；　mother；　we'll　be　inside；　and　it'll　be　awful　warmand　oh；　you
might　let　me！〃　　Hughie's　tears　were　restrained　only　by　the　shame　of
weeping　before　his　hero；　Ranald。

〃Well；　we　will　see　what　your　father　says　when　he　comes　home。〃

〃Oh；　mother；　he　will　just　say　'no'　right　off；　and〃

A　shadow　crossed　his　mother's　face；　but　she　only　answered　quietly；
〃Never　mind　just　now；　Hughie；　we　will　think　of　it。　　Besides；〃　she
added；　〃I　don't　know　how　much　Ranald　wants　to　be　bothered　with　a
wee　boy　like　you。〃

Ranald　gave　her　a　quick；　shy　glance　and　answered：

〃He　will　be　no　trouble；　Mrs。　Murray〃；　and　then；　noticing　Hughie's
imploring　face；　he　ventured　to　add；　〃and　indeed；　I　hope　you　will
let　him　come。　　I　will　take　good　care　of　him。〃

Mrs。　Murray　hesitated。

〃Oh；　mother！〃　cried　Hughie；　seeing　her　hesitation；　〃just　one　night；
I　won't　be　a　bit　afraid。〃

〃No；　I　don't　believe　you　would；〃　looking　down　into　the　brave　young
face。　　〃But　what　about　your　mother；　Hughie？〃

〃Oh；　pshaw！　you　wouldn't　be　afraid。〃　　Hughie's　confidence　in　his
mother's　courage　was　unbounded。

〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　she　replied；　and　then　turning　to　Ranald；
〃How　about　our　friends　of　the　other　night？〃　she　said。　　〃Will　they
not　be　about？〃　　Hughie　had　not　heard　about　the　wolves。

〃Oh；　there　is　no　fear　of　them。　　We　will　keep　a　big　fire　all　night；
and　besides；　we　will　have　our　guns　and　the　dogs。〃

〃Guns！〃　cried　Mrs。　Murray。　　This　was　a　new　terror　for　her　boy。
〃I'm　afraid　I　cannot　trust　Hughie　where　there　are　guns。　　He　might〃

〃Indeed；　let　me　catch　him　touching　a　gun！〃　said　Ranald；　quickly；
and　from　his　tone　and　the　look　in　his　face；　Mrs。　Murray　felt　sure
that　Hughie　would　be　safe　from　self…destruction　by　the　guns。

〃Well；　well；　come　away；　Hughie；　and　we　will　see；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；
but　Hughie　hung　back　sulking；　unwilling　to　move　till　he　had　got　his
mother's　promise。

〃Come；　Hughie。　　Get　Fido　ready。　　We　must　hurry；〃　said　his　mother
again。

Still　Hughie　hesitated。　　Then　Ranald　turned　swiftly　on　him。　　〃Did
ye　hear　your　mother？　　Come；　get　out　of　this。〃　　His　manner　was　so
fierce　that　Hughie　started　immediately　for　his　dog；　and　without
another　word　of　entreaty　made　ready　to　go。　　The　mother　noted　his
quick　obedience；　and　smiling　at　Ranald；　said：　　〃I　think　I　might
trust　him　with　you　for　a　night　or　two；　Ranald。　　When　do　you　think
you　could　come　for　him？〃

〃We　will　finish　the　tapping　to…morrow；　and　I　could　come　the　day
after　with　the　jumper；〃　said　Ranald；　pointing　to　the　stout；　home…
made　sleigh　used　for　gathering　the　sap　and　the　wood　for　the　fire。

〃Oh；　I　see　you　have　begun　tapping；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃and　do　you
do　it　yourself？〃

〃Why；　yes；　mother；　don't　you　see　all　those　trees？〃　cried　Hughie；
pointing　to　a　number　of　maples　that　stood　behind　the　shanty。
〃Ranald　and　Don　did　all　those；　and　made　the　spiles；　too。　　See！〃　　He
caught　up　a　spile　from　a　heap　lying　near　the　door。　　〃Ranald　made
all　these。〃

〃Why；　that's　fine；　Ranald。　　How　do　you　make　them？　　I　have　never
seen　one　made。〃

〃Oh；　mother！〃　　Hughie's　voice　was　full　of　pity　for　her　ignorance。
He　had　seen　his　first　that　afternoon。

〃And　I　have　never　seen　the　tapping　of　a　tree。　　I　believe　I　shall
learn　just　now；　if　Ranald　will　only　show　me；　from　the　very
beginning。〃

Her　eager　interest　in　his　work　won　Ranald　from　his　reserve。　　〃There
is　not　much　to　see；〃　he　said；　apologetically。　　〃You　just　cut　a
natch　in　the　tree；　and　drive　in　the　spile；　and〃

〃Oh；　but　wait；〃　she　cried。　　〃That's　just　what　I　wanted　to　see。　　How
do　you　make　the　spile？〃

〃Oh；　that　is　easy；〃　said　Ranald。　　He　took　up　a　slightly　concave
chisel　or　gouge；　and　slit　a　slim　slab　from　off　a　block　of　cedar
about　a　foot　long。

〃This　is　a　spile；〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃We　drive　it　into　the　tree；　and
the　sap　runs　down　into　the　trough；　you　see。〃

〃No；　I　don't　see；〃　said　the　minister's　wife。　　She　was　too
thoroughgoing　to　do　things　by　halves。　　〃How　do　you　drive　this　into
the　tree；　and　how　do　you　get　the　sap　to　run　down　it？〃

〃I　will　show　you；〃　he　said；　and　taking　with　him　a　gouge　and　ax；　he
approached　a　maple　still　untapped。　　〃You　first　make　a　gash　like
this。〃　　So　saying；　with　two　or　three　blows　of　his　ax；　he　made　a
slanting　notch　in　the　tree。　　〃And　then　you　make　a　place　for　the
spile　this　way。〃　　With　the　back　of　his　ax　he　drove　his　gouge　into
the　corner　of　the　notch；　and　then　fitted　his　spile　into　the
incision　so　made。

〃Ah；　now　I　see。　　And　you　put　the　trough　under　the　drip　from　the
spile。　　But　how　do　you　make　the　troughs？〃

〃I　did　not　make　them；〃　said　Ranald。　　〃Some　of　them　father　made；　and
some　of　them　belong　to　the　Camerons。　　But　it　is　easy　enough。　　You
just　take　a　thick　slab　of　basswood　and　hollow　it　out　with　the
adze。〃

Mrs。　Murray　was　greatly　pleased。　　〃I'm　very　much　obliged　to　you；
Ranald；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　am　glad　I　came　down　to　see　your　camp。
Now；　if　you　will　ask　me；　I　should　like　to　see　you　make　the　sugar。〃
Had　her　request　been　made　before　the　night　of　their　famous　ride；
Ranald　would　have　found　some　polite　reason　for　refusal；　but　now
he　was　rather　surprised　to　find　himself　urging　her　to　come　to　a
sugaring…off　at　the　close　of　the　season。

〃I　shall　be　delighted　to　come；〃　cried　Mrs。　Murray；　〃and　it　is　very
good　of　you　to　ask　me；　and　I　shall　bring　my　niece；　who　is　coming
with　Mr。　Murray　from　town　to　spend　some　weeks　with　me。〃

Ranald's　face　fell；　but　his　Highland　courtesy　forbade　retreat。　　〃If
she　would　care；〃　he　said；　doubtfully。

〃Oh；　I　am　sure　she　would　be　very　glad！　　She　has　never　been　outside
of　the　city；　and　I　want　her　to　learn　all　she　can　of　the　cou