rolf in the woods-第3章

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very　soon。〃　　This　was　only　one　of　the　many　things　that

showed　how　evil　a　place　was　now　the　orphan's　home。



At　first　it　was　not　clear　to　the　valiant　uncle　whether　the

silent　boy　was　a　superior　to　be　feared；　or　an　inferior　to　be

held　in　fear；　but　Mick's　courage　grew　with　non…resistance；

and　blows　became　frequent；　although　not　harder　to　bear

than　the　perpetual　fault…finding　and　scolding　of　his　aunt；

and　all　the　good　his　mother　had　implanted　was　being

shrivelled　by　the　fires　of　his　daily　life。



Rolf　had　no　chance　to　seek　for　companions　at　the

village　store；　but　an　accident　brought　one　to　him。

Before　sunrise　one　spring　morning　he　went；　as　usual；

to　the　wood　lot　pasture　for　the　cow；　and　was　surprised　to

find　a　stranger；　who　beckoned　him　to　come。　　On　going

near　he　saw　a　tall　man　with　dark　skin　and　straight　black

hair　that　was　streaked　with　gray　　undoubtedly　an　Indian。

He　held　up　a　bag　and　said；　〃I　got　coon　in　that　hole。　　You

hold　bag　there；　I　poke　him　in。〃　　Rolf　took　the　sack

readily　and　held　it　over　the　hole；　while　the　Indian　climbed

the　tree　to　a　higher　opening；　then　poked　in　this　with　a　long

pole；　till　all　at　once　there　was　a　scrambling　noise　and　the

bag　bulged　full　and　heavy。　　Rolf　closed　its　mouth

triumphantly。　　The　Indian　laughed　lightly；　then　swung　to　the

ground。



〃Now；　what　will　you　do　with　him？〃　asked　Rolf。



〃Train　coon　dog；〃　was　the　answer。



〃Where？〃



The　Indian　pointed　toward　the　Asamuk　Pond。



〃Are　you　the　singing　Indian　that　lives　under　Ab's　Rock？



〃Ugh！*　Some　call　me　that。　　My　name　is　Quonab。〃



〃Wait　for　an　hour　and　then　I　will　come　and　help；〃

volunteered　Rolf　impulsively；　for　the　hunting　instinct　was

strong　in　him。



The　Indian　nodded。　　〃Give　three　yelps　if　you　no　find

me；〃　then　he　shouldered　a　short　stick；　from　one　end　of

which；　at　a　safe　distance　from　his　back；　hung　the　bag　with

the　coon。　　And　Rolf　went　home　with　the　cow。



He　had　acted　on　hasty　impulse　in　offering　to　come；　but

now；　in　the　normal　storm　state　of　the　household；　the

difficulties　of　the　course　appeared。　　He　cudgelled　his　brain　for

some　plan　to　account　for　his　absence；　and　finally　took

refuge　unwittingly　in　ancient　wisdom：　〃When　you　don't

know　a　thing　to　do；　don't　do　a　thing。〃　　Also；　〃If　you　can't

find　the　delicate　way；　go　the　blunt　way。〃



So　having　fed　the　horses；　cleaned　the　stable；　and　milked

the　cow；　fed　the　pigs；　the　hens；　the　calf；　harnessed　the

horses；　cut　and　brought　in　wood　for　the　woodshed；　turned

out　the　sheep；　hitched　the　horses　to　the　wagon；　set　the　milk

out　in　the　creaming　pans；　put　more　corn　to　soak　for　the

swill　barrel；　ground　the　house　knife；　helped　to　clear　the

breakfast　things；　replaced　the　fallen　rails　of　a　fence；

brought　up　potatoes　from　the　root　cellar；　all　to　the

maddening　music　of　a　scolding　tongue；　he　set　out　to　take　the　cow

back　to　the　wood　lot；　sullenly　resolved　to　return　when　ready。





*Ugh　（yes）　and　wah　（no）　are　Indianisms　that　continue　no　matter

how　well　the　English　has　been　acquired。







Chapter　4。　　The　Coon　Hunt　Makes　Trouble　for　Rolf



Not　one　hour；　but　nearly　three；　had　passed　before

Rolf　sighted　the　Pipestave　Pond；　as　it　was　called。

He　had　never　been　there　before；　but　three　short

whoops；　as　arranged；　brought　answer　and　guidance。

Quonab　was　standing　on　the　high　rock。　　When　Rolf　came

he　led　down　to　the　wigwam　on　its　south　side。　　It　was　like

stepping　into　a　new　life。　　Several　of　the　old　neighbours　at

Redding　were　hunters　who　knew　the　wild　Indians　and　had

told　him　tales　that　glorified　at　least　the　wonderful

woodcraft　of　the　red　man。　Once　or　twice　Rolf　had　seen　Indians

travelling　through；　and　he　had　been　repelled　by　their　sordid

squalour。　　But　here　was　something　of　a　different　kind；

not　the　Champlain　ideal；　indeed；　for　the　Indian　wore　clothes

like　any　poor　farmer；　except　on　his　head　and　his　feet；　his

head　was　bare；　and　his　feet　were　covered　with　moccasins

that　sparkled　with　beads　on　the　arch。　　The　wigwam　was

of　canvas；　but　it　had　one　or　two　of　the　sacred　symbols

painted　on　it。　　The　pot　hung　over　the　fire　was　tin…lined

copper；　of　the　kind　long　made　in　England　for　Indian　trade；

but　the　smaller　dishes　were　of　birch　bark　and　basswood。

The　gun　and　the　hunting　knife　were　of　white　man's　make；

but　the　bow；　arrows；　snowshoes；　tom…tom；　and　a　quill…

covered　gun　case　were　of　Indian　art；　fashioned　of　the　things

that　grow　in　the　woods　about。



The　Indian　led　into　the　wigwam。　　The　dog；　although

not　fully　grown；　growled　savagely　as　it　smelled　the　hated

white　man　odour。　　Quonab　gave　the　puppy　a　slap　on　the

head；　which　is　Indian　for；　〃Be　quiet；　he's　all　right；〃　loosed

the　rope；　and　led　the　dog　out。　　〃Bring　that；〃　and　the

Indian　pointed　to　the　bag　which　hung　from　a　stick　between

two　trees。　　The　dog　sniffed　suspiciously　in　the　direction

of　the　bag　and　growled；　but　he　was　not　allowed　to　come

near　it。　　Rolf　tried　to　make　friends　with　the　dog；　but

without　success　and　Quonab　said；　〃Better　let　Skookum*　alone。

He　make　friends　when　he　ready　　maybe　never。〃



The　two　hunters　now　set　out　for　the　open　plain；　two　or

three　hundred　yards　to　the　southward。　　Here　the　raccoon

was　dumped　out　of　the　sack；　and　the　dog　held　at　a　little

distance；　until　the　coon　had　pulled　itself　together　and

began　to　run。　　Now　the　dog　was　released　and　chivvied　on。

With　a　tremendous　barking　he　rushed　at　the　coon；　only　to

get　a　nip　that　made　him　recoil；　yelping。　　The　coon　ran

as　hard　as　it　could；　the　dog　and　hunters　came　after　it；

again　it　was　overtaken；　and；　turning　with　a　fierce　snarl；　it

taught　the　dog　a　second　lesson。　　Thus；　running；　dodging；

and　turning　to　fight；　the　coon　got　back　to　the　woods；　and

there　made　a　final　stand　under　a　small；　thick　tree；　and；

when　the　dog　was　again　repulsed；　climbed　quickly　up　into

the　branches。



The　hunters　did　all　they　could　to　excite　the　dog；　until　he

was　jumping　about；　tryng　to　　climb　the　tree；　and　barking

uproariously。　　This　was　exactly　what　they　wanted。

Skookum's　first　lesson　was　learned　　the　duty　of　chasing

the　big　animal　of　that　particular　smell；　then　barking　up

the　tree　it　had　climbed。



Quonab；　armed　with　a　forked　stick　and　a　cord　noose；

now　went　up　the　tree。　　After　much　trouble　he　got　the

noose　around　the　coon's　neck；　then；　with　some　rather

rough　handling；　the　animal　was　dragged　down；　maneuvered

into　the　sack；　and　carried　back　to　camp；　where　it　was

chained　up　to　serve　in　future　lessons；　the　next　two　or　three

being　to　tree　the　coon；　as　before；　in　the　next；　the　coon

was　to　be　freed　and　allowed　to　get　out　of　sight；　so　that　the

dog　might　find　it　by　trailing；　and　the　last；　in　which　the

coon　was　to　be　trailed；　treed；　and　shot　out　of　the　tree；

so　that　the　dog　should　have　the　final　joy　of　killing　a

crippled　coon；　and　the　reward　of　a　coon…meat　feast。　　But

the　last　was　not　to　be；　for　the　night　before　it　should　have

taken　place　the　coon　managed　to　slip　its　bonds；　and　nothing

but　the　empty　collar　and　idle　chain　were　found　in　the

captive's　place　next　morning。



These　things　were　in　the　future　however。　　Rolf　was

intensely　excited　over　all　he　had　seen　that　day。　　His　hunting

instincts　were　aroused。　　There　had　been　no　very　obvious

or　repellant　cruelty；　the　dog　alone　had　suffered；　but

he　seemed　happy。　　The　whole　affair　was　so　exactly　in　the

line　of　his　tastes　that　the　boy　was　in　a　sort　of　ecstatic

uplift；　and　already　anticipating　a　real　coon　hunt；　when

the　dog　should　be　properly　trained。　　The　episode　so

contrasted　with　the　sordid　life　he　had　left　an　hour　before　that

he　was　spellbound。　　The　very　animal　smell　of　the　coon

seemed　to　make　his　fibre　tingle。　　His　eyes　were　glowing

with　a　wild　light。　　He　was　so　absorbed　that　he　did　not

notice　a　third　party　attracted　by　the　unusual　noise　of　the

chase；　but　the　dog　did。　　A　sudden；　loud　challenge　called

all　attention　to　a　stranger　on　the　ridge　behind　the　camp。

There　was　no　mistaking　the　bloated　face　and　white

moustache　of　Rolf's　uncle。



〃S