rolf in the woods-第24章

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deadfalls　are　spoiled　before　the　trapper　can　get　around。



Already　a　good；　big　pile　of　wood　was　cut；　both　shanty　and

storeroom　were　chinked；　plugged；　and　banked　for　the　winter。　　It

was　not　safe　yet　to　shoot　and　store　a　number　of　deer；　but　there

was　something　they　could　do。　　Snowshoes　would　soon　be　a　necessary

of　life；　and　the　more　of　this　finger　work　they　did　while　the

weather　was　warm；　the　better。



Birch　and　ash　are　used　for　frames；　the　former　is　less　liable　to

split；　but　harder　to　work。　　White　ash　was　plentiful　on　the　near

flat；　and　a　small　ten…foot　log　was　soon　cut　and　split　into　a　lot

of　long　laths。　　Quonab　of　course　took　charge；　but　Rolf　followed

in　everything。　　Each　took　a　lath　and　shaved　it　down　evenly　until

an　inch　wide　and　three　quarters　of　an　inch　thick。　　The　exact

middle　was　marked；　and　for　ten　inches　at　each　side　of　that　it　was

shaved　down　to　half　an　inch　in　thickness。　　Two　flat　crossbars；

ten　and　twelve　inches　long；　were　needed　and　holes　to　receive

these　made　half　through　the　frame。　　The　pot　was　ready　boiling　and

by　using　a　cord　from　end　to　end　of　each　lath　they　easily　bent　it

in　the　middle　and　brought　the　wood　into　touch　with　the　boiling

water。　　Before　an　hour　the　steam　had　so　softened　the　wood；　and

robbed　it　of　spring；　that　it　was　easy　to　make　it　into　any　desired

shape。　　Each　lath　was　cautiously　bent　round；　the　crossbars

slipped　into　their　prepared　sockets；　a　temporary　lashing　of　cord

kept　all　in　place；　then　finally　the　frames　were　set　on　a　level

place　with　the　fore　end　raised　two　inches　and　a　heavy　log　put　on

the　frame　to　give　the　upturn　to　the　toe。



Here　they　were　left　to　dry　and　the　Indian　set　about　　preparing

the　necessary　thongs。　　A　buckskin　rolled　in　wet；　hard　wood　ashes

had　been　left　in　the　mud　hole。　　Now　after　a　week　the　hair　was

easily　scraped　off　and　the　hide；　cleaned　and　trimmed　of　all　loose

ends　and　tags；　was　spread　out　　soft；　white；　and　supple。

Beginning　outside；　and　following　round　and　round　the　edge；　Quonab

cut　a　thong　of　rawhide　as　nearly　as　possible　a　quarter　inch　wide。

This　he　carried　on　till　there　were　many　yards　of　it；　and　the　hide

was　all　used　up。　The　second　deer　skin　was　much　smaller　and

thinner。　He　sharpened　his　knife　and　cut　it　much　finer；　at　least

half　the　width　of　the　other。　　　　Now　they　were　ready　to　lace　the

shoes；　the　finer　for　the　fore　and　back　parts；　the　heavy　for　the

middle　on　which　the　wearer　treads。　　An　expert　squaw　would　have

laughed　at　the　rude　snowshoes　that　were　finished　that　day；　but

they　were　strong　and　serviceable。



Naturally　the　snowshoes　suggested　a　toboggan。　　That　was　easily

made　by　splitting　four　thin　boards　of　ash；　each　six　inches　wide

and　ten　feet　long。　　An　up…curl　was　steamed　on　the　prow　of　each；

and　rawhide　lashings　held　all　to　the　crossbars。







Chapter　30。　Catching　a　Fox



As　to　wisdom；　a　man　ain't　a　spring；　he's　a　tank；　an'　gives　out

only　what　he　gathers〃　　Sayings　of　Si　Sylvanne



Quonab　would　not　quit　his　nightly　couch　in　the　canvas　lodge　so

Rolf　and　Skookum　stayed　with　him。　　The　dog　was　himself　again；　and

more　than　once　in　the　hours　of　gloom　dashed　forth　in　noisy　chase

of　something　which　morning　study　of　the　tracks　showed　to　have

been　foxes。　　They　were　attracted　partly　by　the　carrion　of　the

deer；　partly　by　the　general　suitability　of　the　sandy　beach　for　a

gambolling　place；　and　partly　by　a　foxy　curiosity　concerning　the

cabin；　the　hunters；　and　their　dog。



One　morning　after　several　night　arousings　and　many　raids　by

Skookum；　Rolf　said：　〃Fox　is　good　now；　why　shouldn't　I　add　some

fox　pelts　to　that？〃　and　he　pointed　with　some　pride　to　the　marten

skin。



〃Ugh；　good；　go　ahead；　you　will　learn；〃　was　the　reply。



So　getting　out　the　two　fox　traps　Rolf　set　to　work。　　　Noting　where

chiefly　the　foxes　ran　or　played　he　chose　two　beaten　pathways　and

hid　the　traps　carefully；　exactly　as　he　did　for　the　marten；　then

selecting　a　couple　of　small　cedar　branches　he　cut　these　and　laid

them　across　the　path；　one　on　each　side　of　the　trap；　assuming　that

the　foxes　　following　the　usual　route　would　leap　over　the　boughs

and　land　in　disaster。　　To　make　doubly　sure　he　put　a　piece　of　meat

by　each　trap　and　half…way　between　them　set　a　large　piece　on　a

stone。



Then　he　sprinkled　fresh　earth　over　the　pathways　and　around　each

trap　and　bait　so　he　should　have　a　record　of　the　tracks。



Foxes　came　that　night；　as　he　learned　by　the　footprints　along　the

beach；　but　never　one　went　near　his　traps。　　He　studied　the　marks；

they　slowly　told　him　all　the　main　facts。　The　foxes　had　come　as

usual；　and　frolicked　about。　　They　had　discovered　the　bait　and　the

traps　at　once　　how　could　such　sharp　noses　miss　them　　and　as

quickly　noted　that　the　traps　were　suspicious…smelling　iron

things；　that　　manscent；　hand；　foot；　and　body；　were　very　evident

all　about；　that　the　only　inducement　to　go　forward　was　some　meat

which　was　coarse　and　cold；　not　for　a　moment　to　be　　compared　with

the　hot　juicy　mouse　meat　that　abounded　in　every　meadow。　　The

foxes　were　well　fed　and　unhungry。　Why　should　they　venture　into

such　evident　danger？　　In　a　word；　walls　of　stone　could　not　have

more　completely　protected　the　ground　and　the　meat　from　the　foxes

than　did　the　obvious　nature　of　the　traps；　not　a　track　was　near；

and　many　afar　showed　how　quickly　they　had　veered　off。



〃Ugh；　it　is　always　so；〃　said　Quonab。　　〃Will　you　try　again？　　〃



〃Yes；　I　will；　〃　replied　Rolf；　remembering　now　that　he　had　omitted

to　deodorize　his　traps　and　his　boots。



He　made　a　fire　of　cedar　and　smoked　his　traps；　chains；　and　all。

Then　taking　a　piece　of　raw　venison　he　rubbed　it　on　his　leather

gloves　and　on　the　soles　of　his　boots；　　wondering　how　he　had

expected　to　succeed　the　night　before　with　all　these　man…scent

killers　left　out。　　He　put　fine；　soft　moss　under　the　pan　of　each

trap；　then　removed　the　cedar　brush；　and　gently　sprinkled　all　with

fine；　dry　earth。　　The　set　was　perfect；　no　human　eye　could　have

told　that　there　was　any　trap　in　the　place。　　It　seemed　a　foregone

success。



〃Fox　don't　go　by　eye；　〃　was　all　the　Indian　said；　for　he　reckoned

it　best　to　let　the　learner　work　it　out。



In　the　morning　Rolf　was　up　eager　to　see　the　results。　There　was

nothing　at　all。　　A　fox　had　indeed；　come　within　ten　feet　at　one

place；　but　behaved　then　as　though　　positively　amused　at　the

childishness　of　the　whole　smelly　affair。　　Had　a　man　been　there　on

guard　with　a　club；　he　could　not　have　kept　the　spot　more　wholly

clear　of　foxes。　Rolf　turned　away　baffled　and　utterly　puzzled。　　He

had　not　gone　far　before　he　heard　a　most　terrific　yelping　from

Skookum；　and　turned　to　see　that　trouble…seeking　pup　caught　by　the

leg　in　the　first　trap。　　It　was　more　the　horrible　surprise　than

the　pain；　but　he　did　howl。



The　hunters　came　quickly　to　the　rescue　and　at　once　he　was　freed；

none　the　worse；　for　the　traps　have　no　teeth；　they　merely　hold。

It　is　the　long　struggle　and　the　　starvation　chiefly　that　are

cruel；　and　these　every　trapper　　should　cut　short　by　going　often

around　his　line。



Now　Quonab　took　part。　　〃That　is　a　good　setting　for　some　things。

It　would　catch　a　coon；　a　mink；　or　a　marten；　　or　a　dog　　but

not　a　fox　or　a　wolf。　　They　are　very　clever。　　You　shall　see。〃



The　Indian　got　out　a　pair　of　thick　leather　gloves；　smoked　them　in

cedar；　also　the　traps。　　Next　he　rubbed　his　moccasin　　soles　with

raw　meat　and　selecting　a　little　bay　in　the　shore　he　threw　a　long

pole　on　the　sand；　from　the　line　of　high；　dry　shingle　across　to

the　water's　edge。　　In　his　hand　he　carried　a　rough　stake。　　Walking

carefully　on　the　pole　and　standing　on　it；　he　drove　the　stake　in

at　about　four　feet　from　the　shore；　then　split　it；　and　stuffed

some　soft　moss　into　the　split。　　On　this　he　poured　three　or　four

drops　of　the　〃smell…charm。〃　Now　he　put　a　lump　of　spruce　gum　on

the　pan　of　the　trap；　holding　a　torch　under　it　till　the　gum　was

fused；　and　into　this　he　pressed　a　small；　flat　stone。　The　chain　of

the　trap　he　fastened　to　a　ten…pound　stone　of　convenient　shape；