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rolf in the woods-第40章

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I could get another man for the canoe。〃



Rolf was interested at once and said: 〃What wages are you offering?〃



〃Twenty…five dollars and board。〃



〃How will I do?〃



〃Well;〃 said Warren; as though thinking it over:

〃I dunno but ye would。  Could ye go to…morrow?〃



〃Yes; indeed; for one month。〃



〃All right; it's a bargain。〃



And so Rolf took the plunge that influenced his whole life。



But Annette whispered gleefully and excitedly; 〃May I have some

of that; and that?〃 pointing to every strange food she could see;

and got them all。



After noon they set out on their return journey; An… nette

clutching her prizes; and prattling incessantly; while Rolf

walked alongside; thinking deeply; replying to her chatter; but

depressed by the thought of good…bye tomorrow。 He was aroused at

length by a scraping sound overhead and a sharp reprimand; 〃Rolf;

you'll tear my new parasol; if you don't lead the horse better。〃



By two o'clock they were at Callan's。 Another hour and they had

crossed the lake; and Annette; shrill with joy; was displaying

her treasures to the wonder and envy of her kin。



Making a dress was a simple matter in those and Marta promised:

〃Yah; soom day ven I one have; shall I it sew。〃  Meanwhile;

Annette was quaffing deep; soul…satisfying draughts in the mere

contempt of the yellow; red; green; and blue glories in which was

soon to appear in public。 And when the bed came; she fell asleep

holding the dress…goods stuff in arms; and with the red parasol

spread above her head; tired out; but inexpressibly happy。







Chapter 53。 Travelling to the Great City



He's a bad failure that ain't king in some little corner 

Sayings of Sylvanne Sylvanne



The children were not astir when Rolf was off in the morning。 He

caught a glimpse of Annette; still asleep under the red parasol;

but the dress goods and the brass buttons had fallen to the

floor。  He stepped into the canoe。 The dead calm of early morning

was on the water; and the little craft went skimming and wimpling

across。  In half an hour it was beached at Callan's。  In a little

more than an hour's jog and stride he was at Warren's; ready for

work。  As he marched in; strong and brisk; his colour up; his

blue eyes kindled with the thought of seeing Albany; the trader

could not help being struck by him; especially when he remembered

each of their meetings  meetings in which he discerned a keen;

young mind of good judgment; one that could decide quickly。



Gazing at the lithe; red…checked lad; he said: 〃Say; Rolf; air ye

an Injun?? 〃



〃No; sir。〃



〃Air ye a half…breed?〃



〃No; I'm a Yank; my name is Kittering; born and bred in Redding;

Connecticut。〃



〃Well; I swan; ye look it。 At fust I took ye fur an Injun; ye did

look dark (and Rolf laughed inside; as he thought of that

butternut dye); but I'm bound to say we're glad yer white。〃



〃Here; Bill; this is Rolf; Rolf Kittering; he'll go with ye to

Albany。〃 Bill; a loose…jointed; middle…aged; flat…footed; large…

handed; semi…loafer; with keen gray eyes; looked up from a bundle

he was roping。



Then Warren took Rolf aside and explained: 〃I'm sending down all

my fur this trip。  There's ten bales of sixty pounds each; pretty

near my hull fortune。  I want it took straight to Vandam's; and;

night or day; don't leave it till ye git it there。 He's close to

the dock。  I'm telling ye this for two reasons: The river's

swarming with pirates and sneaks。  They'd like nothing better

than to get away with a five…hundred…dollar bundle of fur; and;

next; while Bill is A1 on the river and true as steel; he's awful

weak on the liquor; goes crazy; once it's in him。  And I notice

you've always refused it here。 So don't stop at Troy; an' when ye

get to Albany go straight past there to Vandam's。  You'll have a

letter that'll explain; and he'll supply the goods yer to bring back。

He's a sort of a partner; and orders from him is same as from me。



〃I suppose I ought to go myself; but this is the time all the fur

is coming in here; an' I must be on hand to do the dickering; and

there's too much much to risk it any longer in the storehouse。〃



〃Suppose;〃 said Rolf; 〃Bill wants to stop at Troy?〃



〃He won't。 He's all right; given he's sober。  I've give him the

letter。〃



〃Couldn't you give me the letter; in case?〃



〃Law; Bill'd get mad and quit。〃



〃He'll never know。〃



〃That's so; I will。〃 So when they paddled away; Bill had an

important letter of instructions ostentatiously tucked in his

outer pocket。  Rolf; unknown to any one else but Warren; had a

duplicate; wrapped in waterproof; hidden in an inside pocket。



Bill was A1 on the river; a kind and gentle old woodman; much

stronger than he looked。 He knew the value of fur and the danger

of wetting it; so he took no chances in doubtful rapids。 This

meant many portages and much hard labour。



I wonder if the world realizes the hard labour of the portage or

carry? Let any man who seeks for light; take a fifty…pound sack

of flour on his shoulders and walk a quarter of a mile on level

ground in cool weather。 Unless he is in training; he will find it

a heavy burden long before he is half…way。  Suppose; instead of a

flour sack; the burden has sharp angles; the bearer is soon in

torture。  Suppose the weight carried be double; then the strain

is far more than doubled。  Suppose; finally; the road be not a

quarter mile but a mile; and not on level but through swamps;

over rocks; logs; and roots; and the weather not cool; but

suffocating summer weather in the woods; with mosquitoes boring

into every exposed part; while both hands are occupied; steadying

the burden or holding on to branches for help up steep places 

and then he will have some idea of the horror of the portage; and

there were many of these; each one calling for six loaded and

five light trips for each canoe…man。  What wonder that men will

often take chances in some fierce rapid; rather than to make a

long carry through the fly…infested woods。



It was weighty evidence of Bill's fidelity that again and again

they made a portage around rapids he had often run; because in

the present case he was in sacred trust of that much prized

commodity  fur。



Eighty miles they called it from Warren's to Albany; but there

were many halts and carries which meant long delay; and a whole

week was covered before Bill and Rolf had passed the settlements

of Glens Falls; Fort Edward; and Schuylerville; and guided their

heavily laden canoe on the tranquil river; past the little town

of Troy。  Loafers hailed them from the bank; but Bill turned a

deaf ear to all temptation; and they pushed on happy in the

thought that now their troubles were over; the last rapid was

past; the broad; smooth waters extended to their port。







Chapter 54。 Albany



Only a man who in his youth has come at last in  sight of some

great city he had dreamed of all his life and longed to see; can

enter into Rolf's feelings as they swept around the big bend; and

Albany  Albany; hove in view。  Abany; the first chartered city

of the United States; Albany; the capital of all the Empire

State; Albany; the thriving metropolis with nearly six thousand

living human souls; Albany with its State House; beautiful and

dignified; looking down the mighty Hudson highway that led to the

open sea。



Rolf knew his Bible; and now he somewhat realized the feelings of

St。 Paul on that historic day when his life…long dream came true;

when first he neared the Eternal City  when at last he glimpsed

the towers of imperial; splendid Rome。



The long…strung docks were massed and webbed with ship rigging;

the water was livened with boats and canoes; the wooden

warehouses back of the docks were overtopped by wooden houses in

tiers; until high above them all the Capitol itself was the

fitting climax。



Rolf knew something of shipping; and amid all the massed boats

his eyes fell on a strange; square…looking craft with a huge

water…wheel on each side。 Then; swinging into better view; he

read her name; the Clermont; and knew that this was the famous

Fulton steamer; the first of the steamboat age。



But Bill was swamped by no such emotion。 Albany; Hudson;

Clermont; and all; were familiar stories to him and he stolidly

headed the canoe for the dock he knew of old。



Loafers roosting on the snubbing posts hailed him; at first with

raillery; but; coming nearer; he was recognized。 〃Hello; Bill;

back again? Glad to see you;〃 and there was superabundant help to

land the canoe。



〃Wall; wall; wall; so it's really you;〃 said the touter of a fur

house; in extremely friendly voice; 〃come in now and we'll hev a

drink。〃



〃No; sir…ree;〃 said Bill decisively; 〃I don't drink till business

is done。〃



〃Wall; now; Bill; here's Van Roost's not ten steps away an' he

hez tapped the finest bar'l in years。〃



〃No; 
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