“I would give up the pursuit,” said Robin4, somewhat gloomily, “for it’s losin’ time that might be better spent on another search; but it won’t do to leave the crittur, for if he’s badly wounded he may die for want o’ help.”
“Guess he can’t be very bad, else he’d niver travel so fast,” observed Stiff, who, now that the chief murderer was punished, did not care much to go in search of the wounded Indian.
“When a man thinks a band o’ yellin’ redskins are follerin’ up his trail,” said Slugs, “he’s pretty sure to travel fast, wounded or not wounded—leastways if he’s able. But I don’t think we’ll have to go much farther now, for I’ve noticed that his stride ain’t so long as it was, and that’s a sartin sure sign that he’s failin’; I only hope he won’t go under before we find him.”
“Niver a fear o’ that,” said Larry O’Dowd, with a grin. “I’ve seed him as far gone as any one iver I comed across, wi’ starvation; but the way that fellow walked into the grub when he got the chance was wonderful to behold5! I thought he’d ait me out o’ the house entirely6; and he put so much flesh on his bones in a week or two that he was able to go about his business, though he warn’t no fatter when he began to ait than a consumptive darnin’ needle. True for ye—it’s naither walkin’, starvin’, nor cowld, as’ll kill Wapaw.”
“What does the Black Swan think?” inquired Robin.
“We shall see Wapaw when the sun is low to-morrow,” replied the Indian.
“Mayhap we shall,” quoth Robin, “but it behooves7 us to get the steam up for to-morrow: so, comrades, as there’s a good clump8 o’ timber here away, we’ll camp.”
Robin threw down his bundle as he spoke9, and his example was at once followed by the others, each of whom set to work vigorously to assist in preparing the encampment.
They had all the requisite10 implements11 for this purpose, having returned, after the attack on the Indians, for the things they had left behind them.
“It’s a pity that we shall have to keep watch to-night,” said Walter; “one of us will have to do it, I fancy; for though I don’t believe these murderin’ redskins have pluck to attack us, it would not do to trust to that.”
Slugs, to whom this remark was addressed, lowered the axe12 with which he was about to fell a neighbouring tree for firewood.
“That’s true,” said he, looking round him in all directions; “hold on, comrades, yonder’s a mound13 with a bare top, we’d better camp there. Makin’ a big blaze on sitch a place’ll show the red reptiles14 we don’t care a gun-flint for them, and they’ll not dare to come near, so we won’t have to watch.”
“Arrah! an’ a purty spot it’ll be for the blackyirds to shoot us all aisy as we’re sottin’ at supper,” exclaimed Larry O’Dowd.
“Doubtless there’s a hollow on it,” rejoined Slugs, “for the top is flat.”
“Humph! maybe,” growled15 Larry, who still seemed to object; but, as the rest of the party were willing to adopt the suggestion, he said no more, and they all went to the top of the little mound, which commanded a clear view of the surrounding country.
As Slugs had surmised16, there was a slight hollow on the summit of the mound, which effectually screened the party from any one who might wish to fire at them from below; and as there was no other mound in the immediate17 neighbourhood, they felt quite secure. Huge logs were cut and carried to the top of the mound, the snow was cleared out of the hole, pine branches were spread over it, the fire was kindled18, the kettle put on and filled with snow, and soon Larry O’Dowd was involved in the heat, steam, smoke, and activities of preparing supper, while his comrades spread out their blankets and lay down to smoke with their arms ready beside them.
The fire roared up into the wintry sky, causing the mound to resemble the cone19 or crater20 of a volcano, which could be seen for miles round. Ever and anon, while supper was being eaten, the Black Swan or Slugs would rise, and going stealthily to the edge of the mound would peep cautiously over, to make sure that none of their enemies were approaching.
Immediately after supper, they all lay down to sleep, but, for a time, each motionless form that lay rolled tightly in its blanket like an Egyptian mummy, sent a series of little puffs21 from its head. At last the stars came out, and the pipes dropped from each sleeper’s lips. Then the moon rose—a circumstance which rendered their position still more secure—and the fire sank low. But Slugs was too cautious a hunter to trust entirely to the alleged22 cowardice23 of the savages24. He knew well that many, indeed most of the redskins, bad as well as good, had quite enough of mere25 brute26 courage to make them dare and risk a good deal for the sake of scalping a white hunter, so he rose once or twice during the night to replenish27 the fire and take a look round; and as often as he rose for these purposes, so often did he observe the glittering eye of the Black Swan glaring round the encampment, although its owner never once moved from his recumbent posture28.
Thus the night was spent. The first glimmer29 of daylight found the whole party up and equipped for the journey.
They did not breakfast before setting out, as they preferred to take their morning meal later in the day. Few words were spoken. At that early hour, and in the sleepy condition which usually results from a very early start, men are seldom inclined to talk. Only one or two monosyllables were uttered as each man rolled up his blanket with his share of the provisions in it, and fastened on his snow-shoes. A few minutes later Robin led the way down the slope, and the whole party marched off in single file, and re-entered the woods.
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1
overhauled
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| v.彻底检查( overhaul的过去式和过去分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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plodded
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| v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作） | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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behooves
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| n.利益，好处( behoof的名词复数 )v.适宜( behoove的第三人称单数 ) | |
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8
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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9
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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10
requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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13
mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 | |
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14
reptiles
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| n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 ) | |
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15
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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16
surmised
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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17
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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crater
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| n.火山口，弹坑 | |
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21
puffs
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| n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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alleged
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| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
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cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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replenish
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| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
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28
posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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29
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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