rolf in the woods-第25章

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

and　sank　the　stone　in　the　water　half…way　between　the　stake　and

the　shore。　　Last　he　placed　the　trap　on　this　stone；　so　that　when

open　everything　would　be　under　water　except　the　flat　stone　on　the

pan。　　Now　he　returned　along　the　pole　and　dragged　it　away　with

him。



Thus　there　was　now　no　track　or　scent　of　human　near　the　place。



The　setting　was　a　perfect　one；　but　even　then　the　foxes　did　not　go

near　it　the　following　night；　they　must　become　used　to　it。　　In

their　code；　〃　A　strange　thing　is　always　dangerous。〃　　In　the

morning　Rolf　was　inclined　to　scoff。　But　Quonab　said：　〃Wah！　　No

trap　goes　first　night。〃



They　did　not　need　to　wait　for　the　second　morning。　　In　the　middle

of　the　night　Skookum　rushed　forth　barking；　and　they　followed　to

see　a　wild　struggle；　the　fox　leaping　to　escape　and　fast　to　his

foot　was　the　trap　with　its　anchor　stone　a…dragging。



Then　was　repeated　the　scene　that　ended　the　struggle　of　mink　and

marten。　　The　creature's　hind　feet　were　tied　together　and　his　body

hung　from　a　peg　in　the　shanty。　In　the　morning　they　gloated　over

his　splendid　fur　and　added　his　coat　to　their　store　of　trophies。







Chapter　31。　Following　the　Trap　Line



That　night　the　moon　changed。　　Next　day　came　on　with　a　strong

north　wind。　By　noon　the　wild　ducks　had　left　the　lake。　　Many　long

strings　of　geese　passed　southeastward；　honking　as　they　flew。

Colder　and　colder　blew　the　strong　wind；　and　soon　the　frost　was

showing　on　the　smaller　ponds。　　It　snowed　a　little；　but　this

ceased。　　With　the　clearing　sky　the　wind　fell　and　the　frost　grew

keener。



At　daybreak；　when　the　hunters　rose；　it　was　very　cold。　Everything

but　the　open　lake　was　frozen　over；　and　they　knew　that　winter　was

come；　the　time　of　trapping　was　at　hand。　　Quonab　went　at　once　to

the　pinnacle　on　the　hill；　made　a　little　fire；　then　chanting　the

〃Hunter's　Prayer；〃　he　cast　into　the　fire　the　whiskers　of　the　fox

and　the　marten；　some　of　the　beaver　castor；　and　some　tobacco。

Then　descended　to　prepare　for　the　trail　　blankets；　beaver

traps；　weapons；　and　food　for　two　days；　besides　the　smell…charm

and　some　fish　for　bait。



Quickly　the　deadfalls　were　baited　and　set；　last　the　Indian　threw

into　the　trap　chamber　a　piece　of　moss　on　which　was　a　drop　of　the

〃smell；〃　and　wiped　another　drop　on　each　of　his　moccasins。

〃Phew；〃　said　Rolf。



〃That　make　a　trail　the　marten　follow　for　a　month；〃　was　the

explanation。　　Skookum　seemed　to　think　so　too；　and　if　he　did　not

say　〃phew；〃　it　was　because　he　did　not　know　how。



Very　soon　the　little　dog　treed　a　flock　of　partridge　and　Rolf　with

blunt　arrows　secured　three。　　The　breasts　were　saved　for　the

hunters'　table；　but　the　rest　with　the　offal　and　feathers　made　the

best　of　marten　baits　and　served　for　all　the　traps；　till　at　noon

they　reached　the　beaver　pond。　　It　was　covered　with　ice　too　thin

to　bear；　but　the　freshly　used　landing　places　were　easily

selected。　　At　each　they　set　a　strong；　steel　beaver…trap；

concealing　it　amid　some　dry　grass；　and　placing　in　a　split　stick　a

foot　away　a　piece　of　moss　in　which　were　a　few　drops　of　the　magic

lure。　　The　ring　on　the　trap　chain　was　slipped　over　a　long；　thin；

smooth　pole　which　was　driven　deep　in　the　mud；　the　top　pointing

away　from　the　deep　water。　　The　plan　was　old　and　proven。　　The

beaver；　eager　to　investigate　that　semifriendly　　smell；　sets　foot

in　the　trap；　instinctively　when　in　danger　he　dives　for　the　deep

water；　the　ring　slips　along　the　pole　till　at　the　bottom　and　there

it　jams　so　that　the　beaver　cannot　rise　again　and　is　drowned。〃



In　an　hour　the　six　traps　were　set　for　the　beavers；　presently　the

hunters；　skirmishing　for　more　partridges；　had　much　trouble　to

save　Skookum　from　another　porcupine　disaster。



They　got　some　more　grouse；　baited　the　traps　for　a　couple　of

miles；　then　camped　for　the　night。



Before　morning　it　came　on　to　snow　and　it　was　three　inches　deep

when　they　arose。　　There　is　no　place　on　earth　where　the　first　snow

is　more　beautiful　than　in　the　Adirondacks。　　　In　early　autumn

nature　seems　to　prepare　for　it。　Green　leaves　are　cleared　away　to

expose　the　berry　bunches　in　red；　rushbeds　mass　their　groups；　turn

golden　brown　and　bow　their　heads　to　meet　the　silver　load；　the　low

hills　and　the　lines　of　various　Christmas　trees　are　arrayed　for

the　finest　effect：　the　setting　is　perfect　and　the　scene；　but　it

lacks　the　lime　light　yet。　　It　needs　must　have　the　lavish　blaze　of

white。　　And　when　it　comes　like　the　veil　on　a　bride；　the　silver

mountings　on　a　charger's　trappings；　or　the　golden　fire　in　a

sunset；　the　shining　crystal　robe　is　the　finishing；　the　crowning

glory；　without　which　all　the　rest　must　fail；　could　have　no　bright

completeness。　　Its　beauty　stirred　the　hunters　though　it　found　no

better　expression　than　Rolf's　simple　words；　〃Ain't　it　fine；〃

while　the　Indian　gazed　in　silence。



There　is　no　other　place　in　the　eastern　woods　where　the　snow　has

such　manifold　tales　to　tell；　and　the　hunters　that　day　tramping

found　themselves　dowered　over　night　with　the　wonderful　power　of

the　hound　to　whom　each　trail　is　a　plain　record　of　every　living

creature　that　has　passed　within　many　hours。　　And　though　the　first

day　after　a　storm　has　less　to　tell　than　the　second；　just　as　the

second　has　less　than　the　third；　there　was　no　lack　of　story　in　the

snow。　　Here　sped　some　antlered　buck；　trotting　along　while　yet　the

white　was　flying。　　There　went　a　fox；　sneaking　across　the　line　of

march；　and　eying　distrustfully　that　deadfall。　　This　broad　trail

with　many　large　tracks　not　far　apart　was　made　by　one　of　Skookum's

friends；　a　knight　of　many　spears。　　That　bounding　along　was　a

marten。　See　how　he　quartered　that　thicket　like　a　hound；　here　he

struck　our　odour　trail。　　Mark；　how　he　paused　and　whiffed　it；　now

away　he　goes；　yes；　straight　to　our　trap。



〃It's　down；　hurrah！〃　Rolf　shouted；　for　there；　dead　under　the　log；

was　an　exquisite　marten；　dark；　almost　black；　with　a　great；　broad；

shining　breast　of　gold。



They　were　going　back　now　toward　the　beaver　lake。　The　next　trap

was　sprung　and　empty；　the　next　held　the　body　of　a　red　squirrel；　a

nuisance　always　and　good　only　to　rebait　the　trap　he　springs。　　But

the　next　held　a　marten；　and　the　next　a　white　weasel。　　Others　were

unsprung；　but　they　had　two　good　pelts　when　they　reached　the

beaver　lake。　　They　were　in　high　spirits　with　their　good　luck；　but

not　prepared　for　the　marvellous　haul　that　now　was　theirs。　　Each

of　the　six　traps　held　a　big　beaver；　dead；　drowned；　and　safe。

Each　skin　was　worth　five　dollars；　and　the　hunters　felt　rich。　　The

incident　had；　moreover；　this　pleasing　significance：　It　showed

that　these　beavers　were　unsophisticated；　so　had　not　been　hunted。

Fifty　pelts　might　easily　be　taken　from　these　ponds。



The　trappers　reset　the　traps；　then　dividing　the　load；　sought　a

remote　place　to　camp；　for　it　does　not　do　to　light　a　fire　near

your　beaver　pond。　　One　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　of　beaver；　in

addition；　to　their　packs；　was　not　a　load　to　be　taken　miles　away；

within　half　a　mile　on　a　lower　level　they　selected　a　warm　place；

made　a　fire；　and　skinned　their　catch。　　The　bodies　they　opened　and

hung　in　a　tree　with　a　view　to　future　use；　but　the　pelts　and　tails

they　carried　on。



They　made　a　long；　hard　tramp　that　day；　baiting　all　the　traps　and

reached　home　late　in　the　night。







Chapter　32。　The　Antler…bound　Bucks



IN　THE　man…world；　November　is　the　month　of　gloom；　despair；　and

many　suicides。　In　the　wild　world；　November　is　the　Mad　Moon。　Many

and　diverse　the　madnesses　of　the　time；　but　none　more　insane　than

the　rut　of　the　white…tailed　deer。　　Like　some　disease　it　appears；

first　in　the　swollen　necks　of　the　antler…bearers；　and　then　in　the

feverish　habits　of　all。　Long　and　obstinate　combats　between　the

bucks　now；　characterize　the　time；　neglecting　even　to　eat；　they

spend　their　days　and　nights　in　rushing　about　and　seeking　to　kill。



Their　horns；　growing　steadily　since　spring；　are　now　of　full　size；

shar