Up to this time the mosquitoes had been rather large, but neither numerous nor aggressive. But now on a sudden came myriads5 of small ones, evidently a new crop, voracious6, persistent7, overwhelming. They swarmed8 up from every marsh9 until their combined singing made a continuous murmur10 in the trees, and the travellers, who were without head-nets, were forced to protect their necks with handkerchiefs, and their faces with small branches, which they must needs wave to and fro incessantly11.
[232]
Camp was pitched near the Klukshu River, where two ancient and abandoned Indian houses stood, in a level valley mostly free from trees. The low bushes in the neighborhood allowed the breeze free play, and it was hoped that here the mosquitoes would be less numerous. There was no getting away from them entirely12, however, and a fire was speedily built in order that the smoke might aid in discouraging the pests.
The two houses, which they had noticed as they passed in April, were constructed of hewn boards gray with age. Such a wealth of ready fuel in a spot so poor in timber had proved irresistible13 alike to prospectors14 and Indians, and the entire roof of one hut and much of the roof of the other had gone up in camp-fire smoke. Mr. Bradford was averse15, however, to further despoiling16 either structure, and directed Roly and Coffee Jack17 to gather up only such loose boards and odd pieces as were lying about on the ground.
While roasting several red squirrels brought down with a revolver, they were startled by a sudden snort in the bushes near by, followed by a crackling of twigs18 as some heavy animal made off precipitately19. The three jumped to their feet and searched through the thicket20 in that direction, but could see nothing of the beast which had caused the alarm. There could be little doubt, however, that it was a bear.
"If we're going to have visitors of that kind," said[233] Mr. Bradford, as he returned his revolver to his belt, "we'll pitch the tent in one of the houses. I don't anticipate any trouble, but bears are brimful of curiosity, and it's just as well to put ourselves and our belongings21 out of their reach."
This suggestion pleased Roly, whose imagination, boylike, seized eagerly upon the idea of converting the better of the two houses into a fort and barricading22 it against the enemy. He collected an abundance of soft shrubbery and spread it upon the floor of the hut, while Mr. Bradford, keeping a sharp lookout23 for the unwelcome prowler, cut some tent-poles on a distant hillside.
When all was ready, the tent was set up within the hut, and, being mosquito-proof, it promised a complete refuge from at least one foe24. A sufficient number of boards was now appropriated from the other cabin to cover the portion of the roof above the tent. Then the packs were brought in, and finally Roly arranged a door of boards. This done, the fort was declared impregnable, and the tired travellers turned in, well assured of complete security.
Coffee Jack had brought no tent, and as there was no extra space in that of his companions, he rolled himself in his blanket, head and all, till he seemed to invite suffocation25, and lay down on a bed of leaves in a corner of the cabin, where he slept comfortably[234] enough, except that his breathing was heavy and labored26 for lack of air.
The mosquitoes were even more numerous next day, and the travellers were obliged to keep in motion. Flowers were springing up on every side. There were strawberry blossoms, which awakened27 great hopes. There were violets and forget-me-nots and yarrow, and almost touching28 elbows with the flowers of spring flamed the autumnal golden-rod, so brief in that high latitude29 was the season of warmth.
The Indian boy pointed30 out with delight a large-leaved plant with a hollow, juicy stalk, which grew abundantly in shady places, exclaiming, "Muck-muck! Good! Make strong!" Seeing him eagerly stripping the stringy fibres from the stalks and eating the soft inner part, Mr. Bradford and Roly followed his example, and found that the flavor was of a medicinal sort, but sweet and not unpleasant. The leaves were shaped somewhat like those of a maple31 tree, but were of lighter32 green. Coffee Jack could give no name to the plant.
"Its flavor reminds me a little of celery," said Roly.
"Yes," said Mr. Bradford; "but in some respects the plant more resembles rhubarb, and as that is, I believe, a native of Asia, this may be a variety which has crossed Behring Strait. If the taste were sour, I should be pretty certain of it."
[235]
Camped at the foot of Klukshu Lake on a pleasant knoll33 east of the river, they found Reitz and Johnson, two of their friends of Pennock's Post. Reitz said they were stationed there to catch salmon34 for the main party on the Kah Sha River, and from what they could learn from the natives the fish ought to come up-stream very soon.
A family of Indians were quartered on the low ground west of the river near the cabin in which the wounded Lucky had been left in the winter. They also were awaiting the salmon, which constitutes the chief food of the Alaskan tribes.
"How would you like to spend a week with us, Roly?" asked Reitz, as the three were about to continue their journey. "You enjoy fishing, don't you?"
Roly answered that he would like to stay very well, and his father readily consented. "You can take this tent," said the latter. "It's only ten miles to Moran's Camp, and I guess you can find your way there when the week's up."
"Oh, yes!" declared Roly, without hesitation35. "I'll get along all right." He added, as he counted a score of mosquitoes killed at one slap, "If you get a chance to send my head-net down, I guess I can use it."
"We'll try to," said Mr. Bradford, as he and the Indian boy re-crossed the river on a mass of débris.
No sooner had Coffee Jack exchanged a few words[236] with the Indian family than he fell into a fit of the sulks. He cast more than one fond glance at a little Indian girl of about his own age, and Mr. Bradford heard the father of the family repeat the word "potlash" several times. As this term signifies a feast, it was clear that Coffee Jack had been invited to dine.
Mr. Bradford had determined to push on a few miles in order to reach the Kah Sha gorge36 early next morning before the time of high water. But when he undertook to find the trail, which was here invisible across a level deposit of small stones, he found himself baffled.
"Where's the Shorty Creek trail, Coffee Jack?" he asked.
"Shorty Kick t'ail?" said Coffee, with well-feigned innocence37. "I dunno."
Now, Coffee Jack had been uniformly treated with kindness, and was certain to be so long as he deserved it, but when he said, "I dunno," Mr. Bradford had every reason to think he was stretching the truth and presuming upon his own good-nature. In view of the falsehood he resolved to teach the boy his duty. It would never do to let him override38 the will of his employer.
"You don't know?" repeated Mr. Bradford, with the frown and voice of a thunder-cloud. "Tell me where that trail is, quick!"
[237]
As he said this, he raised his stick so threateningly over Coffee Jack's head that the boy, fearing instant annihilation, produced the information with incredible speed.
"Shorty Kick t'ail there," said he, pointing to the edge of a grove39 of great balm-of-Gilead trees, to which he led the way without another word.
At the first stream, perhaps two miles beyond, Coffee Jack declared that there was no more water for five miles. He had evidently obtained information regarding the new trail from the Indian at the foot of the lake, and as Mr. Bradford did not believe the lad would lie again, he halted for the night. The white man all the while had a tender place in his heart for the young Indian lover, and when the boy asked permission to go back, he readily gave it. So Coffee Jack, delighted, ran swiftly down the trail toward the dusky little maiden40 and the "potlash."
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1
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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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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myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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voracious
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| adj.狼吞虎咽的，贪婪的 | |
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persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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9
marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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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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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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prospectors
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| n.勘探者，探矿者( prospector的名词复数 ) | |
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averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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despoiling
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| v.掠夺，抢劫( despoil的现在分词 ) | |
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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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18
twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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precipitately
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| adv.猛进地 | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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belongings
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| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
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barricading
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| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的现在分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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23
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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suffocation
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| n.窒息 | |
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labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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28
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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maple
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| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
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lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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33
knoll
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| n.小山，小丘 | |
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salmon
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| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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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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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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override
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| vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于 | |
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39
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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40
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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