rolf in the woods-第57章

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around　them；　open　only　at　the　top；　where　was　a　space　five　feet

across。　With　abundance　of　dry　spruce　wood；　a　thick　bed　of　balsam

boughs；　and　plenty　of　blankets　they　were　in　what　most　woodmen

consider　comfort　complete。



They　had　nothing　to　do　now　but　wait。　Quonab　sat　placidly　smoking；

Rolf　was　sewing　a　rent　in　his　coat；　the　storm　hissed；　and　the

wind…driven　ice　needles　rattled　through　the　trees　to　vary　the

crackle　of　the　fire　with　a　〃siss〃　as　they　fell　on　the　embers。　The

low　monotony　of　sound　was　lulling　in　its　evenness；　when　a　faint

crunch　of　a　foot　on　the　snow　was　heard。　Rolf　reached　for　his　gun；

the　fir　tree　screen　was　shaken　a　little；　and　a　minute　later　there

bounded　in　upon　them　the　snow　covered　form　of　little　dog　Skookum；

expressing　his　good…will　by　excessive　sign　talk　in　which　every

limb　and　member　had　a　part。　They　had　left　him　behind；　indeed；　but

not　with　his　consent；　so　the　bargain　was　incomplete。



There　was　no　need　to　ask　now；　What　shall　we　do　with　him？　Skookum

had　settled　that；　and　why　or　how　he　never　attempted　to　explain。



He　was　wise　who　made　it　law　that　〃as　was　his　share　who　went　forth

to　battle；　so　shall　his　be　that　abode　with　the　stuff；〃　for　the

hardest　of　all　is　the　waiting。　In　the　morning　there　was　less

doing　in　the　elemental　strife。　There　were　even　occasional　periods

of　calm　and　at　length　it　grew　so　light　that　surely　the　veil　was

breaking。



Quonab　returned　from　a　brief　reconnoitre　to　say；　〃　Ugh！　　good

going。〃



The　clouds　were　broken　and　flying；　the　sun　came　out　at　times；　but

the　wind　was　high；　the　cold　intense；　and　the　snow　still　drifting。

Poor　Skookum　had　it　harder　than　the　men；　for　they　wore　snowshoes；

but　he　kept　his　troubles　to　himself　and　bravely　trudged　along

behind。　Had　he　been　capable　of　such　reflection　he　might　have

said；　〃What　delightful　weather；　it　keeps　the　fleas　so　quiet。〃



That　day　there　was　little　to　note　but　the　intense　cold；　and　again

both　men　had　their　cheeks　frost…bitten　on　the　north　side。　A　nook

under　an　overhanging　rock　gave　a　good　camp　that　night。　Next　day

the　bad　weather　resumed；　but；　anxious　to　push　on　they　faced　it；

guided　chiefly　by　the　wind。　It　was　northwest；　and　as　long　as　they

felt　this　fierce；　burning　cold　mercilessly　gnawing　on　their

hapless　tender　right　cheek　bones；　they　knew　they　were　keeping

their　proper　main　course。



They　were　glad　indeed　to　rest　at　dusk　and　thaw　their　frozen

faces。　Next　day　at　dawn　they　were　off；　at　first　it　was　calm；　but

the　surging　of　the　snow　waves　soon　began　again；　and　the　air　was

filled　with　the　spray　of　their　lashing　till　it　was　hard　to　see

fifty　yards　in　any　direction。　They　were　making　very　bad　time。　The

fourth　day　should　have　brought　them　to　Ogdensburg；　but　they　were

still　far　off；　how　far　they　could　only　guess；　for　they　had　not

come　across　a　house　or　a　settler。







Chapter　69。　Ogdensburg



The　same　blizzard　was　raging　on　the　next　day　when　Skookum　gave

unequivocal　sign　talk　that　he　smelled　something。



It　is　always　well　to　find　out　what　stirs　your　dog。　Quonab　looked

hard　at　Skookum。　That　sagacious　mongrel　was　sniffing　vigorously；

up　in　the　air；　not　on　the　ground；　his　mane　was　not　bristling；　and

the　patch　of　dark　hair　that　every　gray　or　yellow　dog　has　at　the

base　of　his　tail；　was　not　lifted。



〃He　smells　smoke；〃　was　the　Indian's　quick　diagnosis。　Rolf　pointed

Up　the　wind　and　made　the　sign…talk　query。　Quonab　nodded。



It　was　their　obvious　duty　to　find　out　who　was　their　smoky

neighbour。　They　were　now　not　so　far　from　the　St。　Lawrence；　there

was　a　small　chance　of　the　smoke　being　from　a　party　of　the　enemy；

there　was　a　large　chance　of　it　being　from　friends；　and　the

largest　chance　was　that　it　came　from　some　settler's　cabin　where

they　could　get　necessary　guidance。



They　turned　aside。　The　wind　now；　instead　of　on　the　right　cheek；

was　square　in　their　faces。　Rolf　went　forward　increasing　his　pace

till　he　was　as　far　ahead　as　was　possible　without　being　out　of

sight。　After　a　mile　their　way　led　downward；　the　timber　was

thicker；　the　wind　less；　and　the　air　no　more　befogged　with　flying

snow。　Rolf　came　to　a　long；　deep　trench　that　wound　among　the

trees；　the　snow　at　the　bottom　of　it　was　very　hard。　This　was　what

he　expected；　the　trail　muffled　under　new；　soft　snow；　but　still　a

fresh　trail　and　leading　to　the　camp　that　Skookum　had　winded。



He　turned　and　made　the　sign　for　them　to　halt　and　wait。　Then

strode　cautiously　along　the　winding　guide　line。



In　twenty　minutes　the　indications　of　a　settlement　increased；　and

the　scout　at　length　was　peering　from　the　woods　across　the　open

down　to　a　broad　stream　on　whose　bank　was　a　saw　mill；　with　the

usual　wilderness　of　ramshackle　shanties；　sheds；　and　lumber　piles

about。



There　was　no　work　going　on；　which　was　a　puzzle　till　Rolf

remembered　it　was　Sunday。　He　went　boldly　up　and　asked　for　the

boss。　His　whole　appearance　was　that　of　a　hunter　and　as　such　the

boss　received　him。



He　was　coming　through　from　the　other　side　and　had　missed　his　way

in　the　storm；　he　explained。



〃What　are　ye　by　trade？〃



〃A　trapper。〃



〃Where　are　ye　bound　now？〃



〃Well；　I'll　head　for　the　nearest　big　settlement；　whatever　that

is。〃



〃It's　just　above　an　even　thing　between　Alexandria　Bay　and

Ogdensburg。〃



So　Rolf　inquired　fully　about　the　trail　to　Alexandria　Bay　that　he

did　not　want　to　go　to。　Why　should　he　be　so　careful？　The　mill

owner　was　clearly　a　good　American；　but　the　scout　had　no　right　to

let　any　outsider　know　his　business。　This　mill　owner　might　be

safe；　but　he　might　be　unwise　and　blab　to　some　one　who　was　not　all

right。



Then　in　a　casual　way　he　learned　that　this　was　the　Oswegatchie

River　and　thirty　miles　down　he　would　find　the　town　of　Ogdensburg。



No　great　recent　events　did　he　hear　of；　but　evidently　the　British

troops　across　the　river　were　only　awaiting　the　springtime　before

taking　offensive　measures。



For　the　looks　of　it；　Rolf　bought　some　tea　and　pork；　but　the

hospitable　mill　man　refused　to　take　payment　and；　leaving　in　the

direction　of　Alexandria　Bay；　Rolf　presently　circled　back　and

rejoined　his　friends　in　the　woods。



A　long　detour　took　them　past　the　mill。　It　was　too　cold　for

outdoor　idling。　Every　window　was　curtained　with　frost；　and　not　a

soul　saw　them　as　they　tramped　along　past　the　place　and　down　to

continue　on　the　ice　of　the　Oswegatchie。



Pounded　by　the　ceaseless　wind；　the　snow　on　the　ice　was　harder；

travel　was　easier；　and　the　same　tireless　blizzard　wiped　out　the

trail　as　soon　as　it　was　behind　them。



Crooked　is　the　river　trail；　but　good　the　footing；　and　good　time

was　made。　When　there　was　a　north　reach；　the　snow　was　extra　hard

or　the　ice　clear　and　the　scouts　slipped　off　their　snow　shoes；　and

trotted　at　a　good　six…mile　gait。　Three　times　they　halted　for　tea

and　rest；　but　the　fact　that　they　were　the　bearers　of　precious

despatches；　the　bringers　of　inspiring　good　news；　and　their　goal

ever　nearer；　spurred　them　on　and　on。　It　was　ten　o'clock　that

morning　when　they　left　the　mill；　some　thirty　miles　from

Ogdensburg。　It　was　now　near　sundown；　but　still　they　figured　that

by　an　effort　they　could　reach　the　goal　that　night。　It　was　their

best　day's　travel；　but　they　were　nerved　to　it　by　the　sense　of

triumph　as　they　trotted；　and　the　prospective　joy　of　marching　up

to　the　commandant　and　handing　over　the　eagerly　looked　for；

reassuring　documents；　gave　them　new　strength　and　ambition。　Yes！

they　must　push　on　at　any　price　that　night。　Day　was　over　now；　Rolf

was　leading　at　a　steady　trot。　In　his　hand　he　held　the　long　trace

of　his　toboggan；　ten　feet　behind　was　Quonab　with　the　short　trace；

while　Skookum　trotted　before；　beside；　or　behind；　as　was　dictated

by　his　general　sense　of　responsibility。



It　was　quite　dark　now。　There　was　no　moon；　the　wooded　shore　was

black。　Their　only　guide　was　the　broad；　wide　reach　of　the　river；

sometimes　swept　bare　of　snow　by　the　wind；　but　good　travelling　at

all　times。　They　were　trotting　and　walking　in　s