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fortunately； it was all down hill； and four hours' toil brought
them to the cabin。
They put the sick man in his bunk； then Rolf set about preparing
a meal； while Quonab cut wood。
After the usual tea； bacon； and flour cakes； all were feeling
refreshed。 Hoag seemed much more like himself。 He talked freely；
almost cheerfully； while Quonab； with Skookum at his feet； sat
silently smoking and staring into the fire。
After a long silence； the Indian turned； looked straight at the
trapper； and； pointing with his pipestem to the furs； said； 〃How
many is ours？〃
Hoag looked scared； then sulky； and said； 〃I dunno what ye mean。
I'm a awful sick man。 You get me out to Lyons Falls all right；
and ye can have the hull lot；〃 and he wept。
Rolf shook his head at Quonab； then turned to the sufferer and
said： 〃Don't you worry； we'll get you out all right。 Have you a
good canoe？〃
〃Pretty fair； needs a little fixing。〃
The night passed with one or two breaks； when the invalid asked
for a drink of water。 In the morning he was evidently
recovering； and they began to plan for the future。
He took the first chance of wispering to Rolf； 〃Can't you send
him away？ I'll be all right with you。〃 Rolf said nothing。
〃Say；〃 he continued； 〃say； young feller； what's yer name？〃
〃Rolf Kittering。〃
〃Say； Rolf； you wait a week or ten days； and the ice 'll be out；
then I'll be fit to travel。 There ain't on'y a few carries
between here an' Lyons Falls。〃
After a long pause； due to Quonab's entry； he continued again：
〃Moose River's good canoeing； ye can get me out in five days； me
folks is at Lyons Falls。〃 He did not say that his folks
consisted of a wife and boy that he neglected； but whom he
counted on to nurse him now。
Rolf was puzzled by the situation。
〃Say！ I'll give ye all them furs if ye git me out。〃 Rolf gave
him a curious look as much as to say； 〃Ye mean our furs。〃
Again the conversation was ended by the entry of Quonab。
Rolf stepped out； taking the Indian with him。 They had a long
talk； then； as Rolf reentered； the sick man began：
〃You stay by me； and git me out。 I'll give ye my rifle〃 then；
after a short silence 〃an' I'll throw in all the traps an' the
canoe。〃
〃I'll stay by you；〃 said Rolf； 〃and in about two weeks we'll take
you down to Lyons Falls。 I guess you can guide us。〃
〃Ye can have all them pelts；〃 and again the trapper presented the
spoils he had stolen； 〃an' you bet it's your rifle when ye get me out。〃
So it was arranged。 But it was necessary for Quonab to go back
to their own cabin。 Now what should he do？ Carry the new lot of
fur there； or bring the old lot here to dispose of all at Lyons Falls？
Rolf had been thinking hard。 He had seen the evil side of many
men； including Hoag。 To go among Hoag's people with a lot of
stuff that Hoag might claim was running risks； so he said：
〃Quonab； you come back in not more than ten days。 We'll take a
few furs to Lyons Falls so we can get supplies。 Leave the rest of
them in good shape； so we can go out later to Warren's。 We'll
get a square deal there； and we don't know what at Lyon's。〃
So they picked out the lynx； the beaver； and a dozen martens to
leave； and making the rest into a pack； Quonab shouldered them；
and followed by Skookum； trudged up the mountain and was lost to
view in the woods。
The ten days went by very slowly。 Hoag was alternately
querulous； weeping； complaining； unpleasantly fawning； or trying
to insure good attention by presenting again and again the furs；
the gun； and the canoe。
Rolf found it pleasant to get away from the cabin when the
weather was fine。 One day； taking Hoag's gun； he travelled up
the nearest stream for a mile； and came on a big beaver pond。
Round this he scouted and soon discovered a drowned beaver； held
in a trap which he recog… nized at once； for it had the （〃 ' 〃'）
mark on the frame。 Then he found an empty trap with a beaver leg
in it； and another； till six traps were found。 Then he gathered
up the six and the beaver； and returned to the cabin to be
greeted with a string of complaints：
〃Ye didn't ought to leave me like this。 I'm paying ye well
enough。 I don't ax no favours；〃 etc。
〃See what I got；〃 and Rolf showed the beaver。 〃An' see what I
found；〃 then he showed the traps。 〃Queer； ain't it；〃 he went on；
〃we had six traps just like them； and I marked the face just like
these； and they all disappeared； and there was a snowshoe trail
pointing this way。 You haven't got any crooked neighbours about
here； have you？〃
The trapper looked sulky and puzzled； and grumbled； 〃I bet it was
Bill Hawkins done it〃； then relapsed into silence。
Chapter 47。 Hoag's Home…coming
When it comes to personal feelin's better let yer friends do the
talkin' and jedgin'。 A man can't handle his own case any more
than a delirious doctor kin give hisself the right physic
Sayings of Si Sylvanne。
The coming of springtime in the woods is one of the gentlest；
sweetest advents in the world。 Sometimes there are heavy rains
which fill all the little rivers with an overflood that quickly
eats away the ice and snow； but usually the woodland streams
open； slowly and gradually。 Very rarely is there a spate； an
upheaval； and a cataclysmal sweep that bursts the ice and ends
its reign in an hour or two。 That is the way of the large
rivers； whose ice is free and floating。 The snow in the forest
melts slowly； and when the ice is attacked； it goes gradually；
gently； without uproar。 The spring comes in the woods with
swelling of buds and a lengthening of drooping catkins； with
honking of wild geese； and cawing of crows coming up from the
lower countries to divide with their larger cousins； the ravens；
the spoils of winter's killing。
The small birds from the South appear with a few short notes of
spring； and the pert chicadees that have braved it all winter；
now lead the singing with their cheery 〃I told you so〃 notes；
till robins and blackbirds join in； and with their more ambitious
singing make all the lesser roundelays forgot。
Once the winter had taken a backward step spring found it easy
to turn retreat into panic and rout； and the ten days Quonab stayed
away were days of revolutionary change。 For in them semi…winter
gave place to smiling spring； with all the snow…drifts gone；
except perhaps in the shadiest hollows of the woods。
It was a bright morning； and a happy one for Rolf； when he heard
the Indian's short 〃Ho；〃 outside； and a minute later had Skookum
dancing and leaping about him。 On Hoag the effect was quite
different。 He was well enough to be up； to hobble about painfully
on a stick； to be exceedingly fault…finding； and to eat three
hearty meals a day； but the moment the Indian appeared； he withdrew
into himself； and became silent and uneasy。 Before an hour passed；
he again presented the furs； the gun； the canoe； and the traps to Rolf；
on condition that he should get him out to his folks。
All three were glad to set out that very day on the outward trip
to Lyons Falls。
Down Little Moose River to Little Moose Lake and on to South
Branch of Moose； then by the Main Moose； was their way。 The
streams were flush； there was plenty of water； and this
fortunately reduced the number of carries； for Hoag could not
walk and would not hobble。 They sweat and laboured to carry him
over every portage； but they covered the fifty miles in three
days； and on the evening of the third； arrived at the little
backwoods village of Lyons Falls。
The change that took place fn Hoag now was marked and unpleasant。
He gave a number of orders； where； the day before； he would have
made whining petitions。 He told them to 〃land easy； and don't
bump my canoe。〃 He hailed the loungers about the mill with an
effusiveness that they did not resdond to。 Their cool； 〃Hello；
Jack； are you back？〃 was little but a passing recognition。 One
of them was persuaded to take Rolf's place in carrying Hoag to
his cabin。 Yes； his folks were there； but they did not seem
overjoyed at his arrival。 He whispered to the boy； who sullenly
went out to the river and returned with the rifle； Rolf's rifle now；
the latter supposed； and would have taken the bundle of furs had
not Skookum sprung on the robber and driven him away from the canoe。
And now Hoag showed his true character。 〃Them's my furs and my
canoe；〃 he said to one of the mill hands； and turning to the two
who had saved him； he said： 〃An' you two dirty； cutthroat；
redskin thieves； you can get out of town as fast as ye know how；
or I'll have ye jugged；〃 and all the pent…up hate of his hateful
nature frothed out in words insulting and unprintable。
〃Talks like a white man；〃 said Quonab coldly。 Rolf was speechless。
To toil so devotedly； and to have such filthy； humiliating words
for