按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
neighbour。
And yet； 〃Woof； woof； woof；〃 said Skookum； and ran ahead。
〃Come back； you little fool！〃 cried Rolf。
But Skookum had a mind of his own。 He trotted ahead； then
stopped； paused； and sniffed at something in the snow。 The
Indian picked it up。 It was the pocket jackscrew that every
bear trapper carries to set the powerful trap； and without which；
indeed； one man cannot manage the springs。
He held it up with 〃Ugh！ Hoag in trouble now。〃 Clearly the rival
trapper had lost this necessary tool。
But the finding was an accident。 Skookum pushed on。 They came
along a draw to a little hollow。 The dog； far forward； began
barking and angrily baying at something。 The men hurried to the
scene to find on the snow； fast held in one of those devilish
engines called a bear trap the body of their enemy Hoag；
the trapper； held by a leg； and a hand in the gin he himself had
been setting。
A fierce light played on the Indian's face。 Rolf was stricken
with horror。 But even while they contemplated the body； the
faint cry was heard again coming from it。
〃He's alive； hurry！〃 cried Rolf。 The Indian did not hurry； but he came。
He had vowed vengeance at sight； why should he haste to help？
The implacable iron jaws had clutched the trapper by one knee and
the right hand。 The first thing was to free him。 How？ No man
has power enough to force that spring。 But the jackscrew！
〃Quonab； help him！ For God's sake； come！〃 cried Rolf in agony；
forgetting their feud and seeing only tortured； dying man。
The Indian gazed a moment； then rose quickly； and put on the
jackscrew。 Under his deft fingers the first spring went down；
but what about the other？ They had no other screw。 The long
buckskin line they always carried was quickly lashed round and
round the down spring to hold it。 Then the screw was removed and
put on the other spring； it bent； and the jaws hung loose。 The
Indian forced them wide open； drew out the mangled limbs； a the
trapper was free； but so near death； it seemed they were too
late。
Rolf spread his coat。 The Indian made a fire。 In fifteen
minutes they were pouring hot tea between victim's lips。 Even as
they did； his feeble throat gave out again the long； low moan。
The weather was mild now。 The prisoner was not actually frozen；
but numbed and racked。 Heat； hot tea； kindly rubbing； and he
revived a little。
At first they thought him dying； but in an hour recovered enough
to talk。 In feeble accents and broken phrases they learned the
tale：
〃Yest m…m…m。 Yesterday no； two or three days back
m…m…m…m…m I dunno； I was a goin' roun' me traps me bear
traps。 Didn't have no luck m…m…m （yes； I'd like another sip； ye
ain't got no whiskey no？） m…m…m。 Nothing in any trap； and when I
come to this un oh…h … m…m； I seen … the bait was stole by
birds； an' the pan m…m…m； an' the pan； m…m…m … （yes； that's
better） an' the pan laid bare。 So I starts to cover it with
ce…ce…dar； the ony thing I c'd get m…m…m…w… wuz leanin'
over to fix tother side me foot slipped on the ice
ev'rytbing was icy an' m…m…m…m I lost me balance me
knee the pan O Lord how I suffer！ m…m…m it grabbed me
knee an' h…h…hand …〃 His voice died to a whisper and ceased；
he seemed sinking。
Quonab got up to hold him。 Then； looking at Rolf； Indian shook
his head as though to say all was over； the poor wretch had a
woodman's constitution； and in spite of a mangled； dying body； he
revived again。 They gave him more hot tea； and again he began in
a whisper：
〃I hed one arm free an' an' an' I might a got out
m…m but I hed no wrench I lost it some place m…m…m…m。
〃Then I yelled I dun no … maybe some un might hear it
kin…kin…kinder eased me to yell m…m…m。
〃Say make that yer dog keep away will yer I dunno it
seems like a week must a fainted some M…m…m I yelled
when I could。〃
There was a long pause。 Rolf said； 〃Seems to me I heard you last
night； when we were up there。 And dog heard you； too。 Do you
want me to move that leg around？〃
〃M…m…m yeh that's better say； you air white ain't ye？
Ye won't leave me cos I done some mean things m…m…m。 Ye
won't； will ye？〃
〃No； you needn't worry we'll stay by ye。〃
Then he muttered； they could not tell what。 He closed his eyes。
After long silence he looked around wildly and began again：
〃Say I done you dirt but don't leave me don't leave me。〃
Tears ran down his face and he moaned piteously。 〃I'll make
it right you're white； ain't ye？〃
Quonab rose and went for more firewood。 The trapper whispered；
〃I'm scared o' him now he'll do me say； I'm jest a poor
ole man。 If I do live through this m…m…m…m I'll
never walk again。 I'm crippled sure。〃
It was long before he resumed。 Then he began： 〃Say； what day is
it Friday！ I must been two days in there m…m…m I
reckoned it was a week。 When the dog came I thought it was
wolves。 Oh ah； didn't care much m…m…m。 Say； ye won't
leave me coz coz I treated ye mean。 I ain't had
no l…l…luck。〃 He went off into a stupor； but presently let out a
long； startling cry； the same as that they had heard in the
night。 The dog growled； the men stared。 The wretch's eyes were
rolling again。 He seemed delirious。
Quonab pointed to the east； made the sun…up sign； and shook his
head at the victim。 And Rolf understood it to mean that he would
never see the sunrise。 But they were wrong。
The long night passed in a struggle between heath and the tough
make…up of a mountaineer。 The waiting light of dawn saw death
defeated； retiring from the scene。 As the sun rose high； the
victim seemed to gain considerably in strength。 There was no
immediate danger of an end。
Rolf said to Quonab： 〃Where shall we take him？ Guess you better
go home for the toboggan； and we'll fetch him to the shanty。〃
But the invalid was able to take part in the conversation。 〃Say；
don't take me there。 Ah want to go home。 'Pears like I'd
be better at home。 My folks is out Moose River way。 I'd never
get out if I went in there；〃 and by 〃there〃 he seemed to mean the
Indian's lake； and glanced furtively at the unchanging
countenance of the red man。
〃Have you a toboggan at your shanty？〃 asked Rolf。
〃Yes good enough it's on the roof say；〃 and he beckoned
feebly to Rolf； 〃let him go after it don't leave me he'll
kill me；〃 and he wept feebly in his self pity。
So Quonab started down the mountain … a sinewy man a striding
form； a speck in the melting distance。
Chapter 46。 Nursing Hoag
In two hours the red man reached the trapper's shanty； and at
once； without hesitation or delicacy； set about a thorough
examination of its contents。 Of course there was the toboggan on
the roof； and in fairly good condition for such a shiftless
owner。
There were bunches of furs hanging from th