After a consultation3 it was decided4 to cache a part of Mr. Bradford's supplies, and all of Uncle Will's except certain tools, on the western shore, within six miles of Kah Sha gorge5, for they would eventually return to look after the Alder6 Creek7 claims, and it was, besides, advisable to lighten the loads and hasten forward before the snow and ice were gone. Uncle Will accordingly took Lucky and Long Peter and set out across the bay of the lake with three sled-loads, leaving his brother and the boys to rest after their labors8. Late in the evening he returned and reported that he had built a strong platform of saplings high up between[136] three trees and enclosed on all sides. There he had left the goods covered with oiled canvas, and felt confident that they would be safe alike from dogs, wild beasts, and stormy weather.
It was now thought best to dismiss Long Peter, since the remaining thirty-five miles consisted of level lake and river, and furthermore it was necessary to husband the provisions. The Indian seemed sorry to part with his white friends, but took the matter good-naturedly, the more so, perhaps, since he was confident of finding employment with the Mysterious Thirty-six, who could not be far behind. He left on the following morning, happy with a present of a fine hunting-knife in addition to his wages. Uncle Will wished to buy his sled, in order that Lucky might use it, but Long Peter was unwilling9 to part with it, and Lucky was obliged as before to take turns with the sleds of the others and act as general assistant.
The surface of the lake proved more unfavorable for sledding than was anticipated. Exposed as they were to the uninterrupted glare of the sun, the snowy ridges10 were soft and slushy except at night. To make matters worse, a north wind blew strongly in their faces. Toward noon they descried11 several black specks12 on the ice to the rearward, which gained steadily13 upon them, and were at length seen to be three men, a sled, and a team of dogs. The men proved to be the leader[137] of the Thirty-six, a miner named Cannon14, and a very tall native known as Indian Jack, the owner and driver of the dogs.
The "Cap'n," as the leader was called, gave no hint as to his destination, but Uncle Will surmised15 that he was going forward to look over the ground upon which he proposed to locate his men. He was willing to say, however, that the rest of his party would turn aside to Kah Sha River, as the Bradfords had done, and that they ought to reach there in about three days. Several of his men were sick or exhausted16, one was suffering from a sprained17 ankle, two were snow-blind, another had been cut with an axe18, and still another had blood-poisoning in a finger. He thought they might lose a day or two from these causes. Without waiting to talk further, he gave the word to the Indian, who in turn cried out "Chuck!" to the dogs, and away they went as fast as they could walk, much faster indeed than the Bradfords could follow. The Indian guided the sled by the gee-pole, but the dogs did all the pulling, and tugged19 vigorously as if they quite enjoyed it,—David meantime catching20 a picture of the whole outfit21 as it went by, with the Dasar-dee-ash Mountains for a background.
Not more than four miles had been covered when camp was pitched on the eastern shore that afternoon. As the night promised to be comparatively warm and[138] fine, Roly proposed to his father that they should make a big canvas hut with two tents as some of the Thirty-six had done at Rainy Hollow. Neither Mr. Bradford nor Uncle Will objected to humoring the boy, and the hut was set up forthwith on a framework of poles, with the open end to the south away from the wind. The blanket beds of the four occupants were then laid in place side by side upon spruce boughs22 strewn on the snow.
When supper had been disposed of, a roaring fire was built before the open side of the hut, filling the place with a cheerful warmth and glow, and the four reclined comfortably on the blankets, telling stories and watching the curling smoke and crackling flames, until Mr. Bradford declared that if they did not turn in, they would surely sleep overtime23 in the morning, for there was neither cock nor clock to arouse them here. Something else there was, however, which proved quite as effectual, and roused them long before daybreak.
Roly was dreaming that he was at home and sitting by the kitchen stove. Suddenly, he thought, the lids flew off, and the flames rose in a bright column to the ceiling, while sparks fell all over him and about the room. He tried to rise and alarm the household, but some strange power held him fast, and he could neither stir nor cry out. The next instant he felt a thump24 in the ribs25 and awoke with a sense of choking,[139] to hear his uncle exclaiming excitedly, "Wake up! wake up! everybody! We're all afire here! Quick, quick, Charley! Take your hat or coat or anything, and beat down the flames. David, Roly, get out of this in a hurry!"
The boys grasped the situation in an instant. The wind had turned to the south while they slept, and a flying spark had set fire to the canvas over their heads. The dry cloth was now flaming up brightly, while burning pieces were falling on the blankets. They jumped up, seized their caps, and fell to work with a will to help their father and uncle, who were beating away desperately26 at the blazing side and roof.
It was quick, breathless work. Not only must they prevent the spread of the flames overhead, but they must also take care of the bedding and whatever clothing was in the hut. David, after extinguishing the fire immediately around him, dropped his cap and pulled both blankets and clothing in a heap out into the snow, where he spread them all out, carefully quenched28 the sparks, and then ran back to the hut, where the flames were presently brought under control. This was not accomplished29, however, until nearly half the roof and all of one side were gone.
The fire-fighters, panting and exhausted, gazed ruefully at the ruins. It was too dark now to ascertain30 the exact amount of the damage, but there could be no[140] doubt it was very serious. No one, however, was disposed to cry over spilled milk; and Uncle Will, who had known many disasters of various sorts in the course of his rough experience, even laughed grimly and declared that what he regretted most was the singeing31 of his beard, of which he had lost fully27 two inches. Both men complimented the boys on their efficient work, which contributed to a large degree toward the saving of the contents of the hut, as well as that part of the hut itself which remained.
"I believe Lucky and Coffee Jack slept through it all," said Mr. Bradford, peering through the darkness toward the beach, where the Indians had pitched their rude tent.
As he spoke32, there was a crackling and a flash of light behind the hut.
Not three feet from the rear of the structure rose a tall dead spruce. Fire from the burning canvas had been communicated to a dry vine leading into a net-work of small branches at the foot of this tree, and a tiny flame, silent and unseen, had been stealthily creeping toward this mass of tinder.
"Down with the hut, boys!" cried Uncle Will, instantly realizing the new danger. "Quick, before it gets too hot! Never mind the tree,—you can't put that fire out!"
This last was addressed to Roly, who had promptly[141] attacked the burning branches with his cap, but only succeeded in tearing that article on the twigs33 without much effect on the flames.
Knots were untied34 with nervous haste, and where they proved refractory35 they were cut. That part of the canvas nearest the tree was first folded over out of harm's way, and soon the whole was loosened and dragged to a distance, and none too soon. The fire ran up the dry twigs with startling rapidity and a roar that presently aroused those sound sleepers36, Lucky and Coffee Jack, who came running up in surprise.
The tree quickly became a gigantic torch which lighted up the country for miles, and sent a dense37 column of white smoke rolling skyward. By good luck there were no other trees close enough to be in danger, and the whole party withdrew to a comfortable distance, as soon as the hut was safe, to watch the brilliant spectacle. The best part of it was soon over, for the branches were presently burned away, but portions of the trunk flamed and smoked for hours. Nobody but the Indians thought of sleeping any more that night. The boys curled up in their blankets where they could watch the tree; while Mr. Bradford and Uncle Will, wrapped in their heavy coats, sat on a log near by,—the former telling stories of Adirondack fires, the latter, who never seemed to have smoke enough, puffing38 away at his pipe.
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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2
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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3
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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4
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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6
alder
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| n.赤杨树 | |
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7
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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8
labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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9
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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10
ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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11
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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12
specks
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| n.眼镜；斑点，微粒，污点( speck的名词复数 ) | |
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13
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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14
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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15
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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16
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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17
sprained
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| v.&n. 扭伤 | |
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18
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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19
tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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21
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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22
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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23
overtime
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| adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地 | |
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24
thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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25
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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26
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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28
quenched
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| 解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
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29
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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30
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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31
singeing
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| v.浅表烧焦( singe的现在分词 )；（毛发）燎，烧焦尖端[边儿]；烧毛 | |
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32
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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33
twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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34
untied
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| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
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35
refractory
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| adj.倔强的，难驾驭的 | |
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36
sleepers
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| n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环 | |
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37
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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38
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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