Having satisfied himself that the owner of the cache was not about, David threw off his pack, and sat down upon it with his back against the log wall to consider what he would do; and the more he thought about it, the more his anger rose.
It was the custom on the trail to cache provisions anywhere. Both Indians and white men respected the unwritten law which held the theft of food in such a region to be worthy2 of death. No one but a starving man or a desperado would violate that law, and there were few such. Indeed, David had never seen any indication that this chance of loss was being reckoned with. But here was a man who apparently3 distrusted all his fellow-men,—who suspected every traveller on the trail,—who not only confiscated4 a cabin for the storage of his goods, but took contemptible5 measures to protect his property. David felt instinctively6 that he had to deal with as mean, sour, and selfish a person as it had ever been his lot to meet, and had not the slightest doubt that the character of the master, as is often the case, could be accurately[298] surmised7 from the temper of his dog. The latter still growled8 and barked viciously at every sound.
At last he rose and went to the rear of the cabin, thinking to enter by way of the fireplace. He knew he could easily loosen and remove two or three of the stakes which had surrounded the stove, and once inside the cabin, he could sleep in his own bunk9, which was situated10 diagonally opposite the corner where the dog was chained. But no sooner had he begun to carry out this plan than the savage11 animal became furious, and it was perfectly12 evident that he would have no rest in the company of such a brute13.
"If I only had my rifle," he groaned14.
It is entirely15 safe to say that with it he would have made an end of the animal without a moment's hesitation16, flung its body into the creek17, and taken possession of the cabin, which his own hands had helped to build. To be sure, he might kill the dog with the hatchet18, but such butchery was repugnant to him, and he quickly dismissed the idea. On the whole, it would be best, he decided19, to spend the night under the open sky, where there would be no distractions20 other than the wind in the trees and the continual singing of the mosquitoes. So he picked up his pack, trudged21 off into the grove22 of spruces to the south, and selected a dry, level, sandy spot near the edge of the bluff23 which fronted the river. Here he ate a frugal24 supper, then spread his blankets on the[299] ground, and so passed the night, though the assiduous musical insects which swarmed25 upon his head-net robbed him of nearly all sleep. After an early breakfast, he resumed his march, fully26 resolved, in the event of their meeting, to tell the owner of the cache exactly what he thought of him.
This part of the trail was familiar, and he walked briskly, only pausing at the foot of the first small lake to catch two or three grayling, with which to eke27 out his scanty28 rations29. These he roasted before a fire at noon, and, rudely cooked as they were, they proved very palatable30, accompanied by small berries of a bluish color and black moss-berries, which grew there in abundance.
He had passed the point where in May the Bradfords had left the main trail to turn toward the lake, when he descried32 a pack train approaching across an open meadow. As the caravan33 came nearer, David was convinced that he saw before him the owner of the cache and the canine34. At the head of the procession leaped five or six dogs of fierce aspect. Following them came a round-shouldered old Irishman, riding on a big gray mule35, and behind him was a string of mules36 loaded with sacks and boxes.
The dogs set off toward David with a rush, as soon as they saw him, and it was all their master could do to check them. As it was, David made sure that his hatchet was free before he encountered the pack, and even had he brought that weapon into play, he would have been[300] overwhelmed in a twinkling had not the dogs been in evident fear of the old man. Having jumped about David noisily, but without offering violence, they passed on in obedience37 to a gruff command. The rider of the mule now drew up and eyed David in silence a moment.
"Where'd ye come from?" he asked, in a rather impertinent tone, as David thought.
"Champlain's Landing," said David, shortly. He was not in a mood to be trifled with.
"How far may it be to Pennock's Post?" asked the stranger, still eying him suspiciously.
"All of fifteen miles," said David.
"Fifteen miles!" exclaimed the man, in anything but a pleasant voice. "I wouldn't have said 'twas that far,—an' it's there I must be to-night." Suddenly he glared again at David. "An' where'd ye stay last night?"
"At Pennock's Post," said David.
"Stayed at Pennock's, did ye?" snarled38 the old fellow. "Didn't ye find something there, hey?"
This was just what David had been waiting for. Another moment, and he would have uncorked the explosive phials of wrath39, but hearing a light footstep he turned, and the next instant, without a single angry word, set his lips hard.
It was neither fear nor irresolution40 which occasioned this remarkable41 change on David's part, but a delicate,[301] chivalrous42 sense of the consideration a man always owes to the gentler sex. On turning his head, he became aware, for the first time, of the presence of a woman.
She was slender, gray-haired, and gentle-faced. She was neatly43 dressed in black, and had been walking behind the pack train. It flashed through David's mind instantly that this was the old man's wife, and he was conscious of a feeling of pity. Furthermore, she was the first white woman he had seen for many months. It was a delight just to look at her. Quarrel in her presence he could not, nor add one jot44 to the burden which he felt sure she must bear as the consort45 of such a man.
It was the sight of this elderly woman which had sealed his lips, and now, to the astonishment46 of her husband, David turned and walked away without a reply. The woman spoke47 to him kindly48 as he passed, and he touched his cap respectfully. Hardly had he cleared the pack train before he heard the old man belaboring49 the mule on which he rode, and swearing roundly at the other animals. He wondered if the poor wife would have to walk those fifteen long miles while her husband rode.
Not long afterward50 he met a second section of the train, in charge of a tall, broad-shouldered fellow, who evidently preferred not to overtake his employer.
David pressed on with all possible speed, but since noon his left foot had been giving him pain, and he now became more crippled with every step. Whether it was[302] rheumatism51 or a bruise52 or strain he did not know, but by the time he reached the river he was ready to drop.
To his delight, a large tent on the hither bank indicated the presence of some one at the ford31, and he had no doubt he could cross dry-shod on the morrow. On reaching this tent he was surprised to find no one within, but, confident that the owner was near, he threw off his pack with a sigh of relief, and stretched himself wearily on a pile of canvas coverings.
An hour or more had dragged by when David saw a slender young man, with a bushy brown beard, leading a bony horse toward the opposite bank of the river. He mounted at the ford, and, having crossed, took off the saddle and turned the steed loose.
"How are you?" said the stranger cordially, as he noticed David. "Been here long?"
"About an hour," answered David. "I thought you wouldn't mind my resting here."
"Not at all. Make yourself at home. Didn't see anything of a stray mule round here, did you? I've been hunting that mule all the afternoon, but I can't find the critter."
"No, I didn't see it."
"I s'pose you met the old man? He owns this outfit53 here."
"Oh, ho!" exclaimed David. "Is that so?" A sudden light came into his eyes, and traces of a smile appeared[303] at the corners of his mouth. "What sort of a man is he?" he asked.
"Well," replied Smith,—he had informed David that such was his name, and Yonkers, New York, his home,—"he's different from any Irishman I ever saw. Hasn't any more sense of humor than a cow, and he's the worst-tempered man in this whole country. Look at that sick horse and you'll see how he treats his animals, and he don't treat his wife and us men much better. He's going to winter on a claim of his near Dawson, and wants me to work for him up there, but I don't know about it. I'd never have started with him if I'd known him. He hasn't paid me a cent of wages yet, and I don't believe he intends to."
David saw that he had a friend and sympathizer in Smith.
"I'll tell you what I'm going to do," said he, "provided you're willing. I'm going to sleep in the tent to-night. If a man ever owed me a night's lodging54, he's the man." And David told how he had been locked out of his own house, and cheated out of his rest.
"Well, well!" exclaimed Smith, when he heard the tale. "I just wish you could have put some lead into that dog. You'd have been perfectly justified55. I guess you're entitled to rather more than a night's lodging. If the miserly old fellow had left me anything to eat, I'd see that you had a good supper and breakfast, but he[304] took every scrap56 of bacon with him, and I've only flour and coffee to live on till he gets back."
"I've a pretty good chunk57 of bacon, but no flour," said David. "We'd better join forces. I'll contribute the bacon if you'll make some flapjacks."
Smith gladly assented58, so it was not long before David was eating a supper partly at his own, but largely also at the disagreeable packer's expense. Doubtless because it is human nature to enjoy levying59 a just tax on a mean man, he swallowed those flapjacks and drank that coffee with peculiar60 zest61.
The meal was no sooner finished than Smith caught sight of the truant62 mule on a distant hillside and set off to capture it, while David spread his blankets within the tent and presently turned in. He slept soundly till broad daylight, when he awoke with a start and found a fat ground-squirrel sitting comfortably on his breast, and eying him complacently63. It ran out as soon as he stirred, and then amused itself by running up the roof of the tent on one side, and sliding down the other. Altogether it was the most lively ground-squirrel he had seen.
This day was Sunday, and aside from the principle of the thing, David would have liked to rest on account of his lameness64, but circumstances were against him. It was clearly necessary that he should make an exception to the usual rule of the Bradfords, and travel throughout[305] this Sabbath. Smith's stock of food was running as low as his own. Breakfast over, he himself had only a piece of jerked beef and two biscuits for a luncheon65. His only course was to proceed.
Smith caught and saddled the poor horse, which had been a fine animal, but was now so weak with overwork, starvation, and sickness that it could hardly stand. David mounted with misgivings66 as to whether the tottering67 beast had strength to carry him, but they crossed the ford in safety. Dismounting on the farther bank, he turned the horse back into the water, and headed him for the point where Smith was standing68; then shouting his thanks and a good-by, he limped off along the trail.
Twenty miles on a foot which could scarcely bear the touch of the ground! He set his teeth hard and plodded69 on until the pain compelled him to sit down for a brief rest. Every mile was earned with suffering. All day long the struggle continued, and it required all the grit70 he possessed71 to keep him going. Not a person did he see, though he caught sight of several horses grazing, and heard distant shouts of men who were probably searching for them. At seven in the evening he threw himself into Reitz's camp utterly72 spent.
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1
offender
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| n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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confiscated
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| 没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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7
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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8
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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bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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10
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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11
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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12
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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13
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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14
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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15
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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16
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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17
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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18
hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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19
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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20
distractions
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| n.使人分心的事[人]( distraction的名词复数 )；娱乐，消遣；心烦意乱；精神错乱 | |
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21
trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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22
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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23
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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24
frugal
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| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
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25
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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26
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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eke
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| v.勉强度日，节约使用 | |
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28
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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29
rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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30
palatable
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| adj.可口的，美味的；惬意的 | |
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31
Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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32
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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33
caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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34
canine
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| adj.犬的，犬科的 | |
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35
mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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36
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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37
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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38
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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39
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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40
irresolution
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| n.不决断，优柔寡断，犹豫不定 | |
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41
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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42
chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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43
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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44
jot
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| n.少量；vi.草草记下；vt.匆匆写下 | |
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45
consort
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| v.相伴；结交 | |
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46
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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47
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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48
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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49
belaboring
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| v.毒打一顿( belabor的现在分词 )；责骂；就…作过度的说明；向…唠叨 | |
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50
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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51
rheumatism
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| n.风湿病 | |
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52
bruise
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| n.青肿，挫伤；伤痕；vt.打青；挫伤 | |
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53
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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54
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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55
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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56
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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57
chunk
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| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
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58
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
levying
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| 征（兵）( levy的现在分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税 | |
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60
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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61
zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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62
truant
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| n.懒惰鬼，旷课者；adj.偷懒的，旷课的，游荡的；v.偷懒，旷课 | |
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63
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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64
lameness
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| n. 跛, 瘸, 残废 | |
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65
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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66
misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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67
tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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68
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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69
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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70
grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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71
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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72
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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