The others rushed after them too, and it was exciting sport, for the chase often led them into deep drifts and down the scraggy sides of the hummock3; it thus became the scene of many comical tumbles and failures, for several of the birds, having been shot as they crowded together in a bunch, were only slightly wounded, and able to make a vigorous attempt to escape. Rex took part also, but his work consisted chiefly in barking himself hoarse4, for all he accomplished5 was the finding of one dead bird; and this, as he was not a retriever, he devoured6 on the spot.
When, panting, red-faced, and tired out, they gathered again at the door, they counted up seventeen fat buntings and one long-spur as the result of the three shots. Three of these were badly mangled7, and were given to Rex; the others they began at once to make into a stew8 for supper, which they always ate about sundown. This meal also took the place of a dinner, as they ate only "a bite" at noon.
While they were plucking the birds—and their bodies seemed wofully small when the thick coat of feathers had been removed—they asked Tug many questions about the buntings. He could not answer all of them, but the substance of what he told them was this:
The snow-buntings—white snow-birds, or snow-flakes—belong to the far northern regions, where they go in summer to make their nests, often within the arctic circle. As soon as their young are able to fly they must begin their southward migration9, for the excessive cold and the deep snow cut off all the grass-seeds, mosses10, and insects upon which they feed in summer. So they begin to spread southward, not into British America alone, but also into Lapland and Russia, and the lower parts of Siberia. The bird seems to be a lover of cold, and used to scant11 fare and the roughest climate. It is not always, therefore, that they are to be seen in the United States south of the Great Lakes.
Around these lakes, however, they are likely to come in large flocks after a cold snap or a deep fall of snow. The wild rice tracts12 and frozen marshes13 afford them an abundance of seeds and dried berries, upon which they grow fat. Though seeming less in danger than most other birds, since our hawks14 are gone southward, these buntings are exceedingly restless and timid, which makes them scurry15 away at the least alarm. Yet their timidity is not enough to insure their safety, for though they are constantly rising up and settling again, their flights are so short and uncertain that, as we have seen, a good marksman has no difficulty in shooting them. They are so small, however, that in this country of large game-birds they are never shot for food unless a necessity like the present one compels it. With the first bit of warm weather the snow-buntings and their companions, the long-spurs, whirl away to the bleak16 northward17, crowding close upon the heels of Winter as he retreats to his polar stronghold.
In the cool mountainous parts of the Far West there are several species of birds closely akin18 to the snow-flake, whose summer homes are among the peaks. They belong to the same genus (Plectrophanes), but none of them are so white as the Eastern bunting; in fact, like the ptarmigan, he is pure white only in midwinter, changing in summer to a dress much mottled with warm brown and black, traces of which remain in his winter hood19 and collar.
"What do you suppose brought the snow-flakes away out hither on the ice?" Tug was asked.
"Oh, we're not so far from land—though we might as well be a hundred miles away for all the good it will do us!—and I suppose they were flying across to the marshes and islands on the north shore. Probably our smoke attracted them."
Having got done with their birds, the boys returned to their chopping. Two or three large pieces were hacked20 out as back-logs to build their fire upon, instead of making it right on the ice; and since this last load was not needed in the wall, which had been banked up anew, it was spread around on the floor of the house to lift their canvas carpet above the chilly21 and often wet floor, for the weather was not cold enough now to keep it frozen always hard and dry under the tent.
Evening came, and with it a feeling of homelike comfort queer to think about, yet not quite impossible under the circumstances, forlorn and dangerous as they were. The boys perched themselves on the gunwale of the boat, and watched Katy making snow-bird stew and steeping the fragrant22 tea.
Then, how good it tasted! What a royal change from steady bacon and crackers23, or tough dried beef, and water!
"I wonder if they'll come again?" said Aleck, examining his friend's gun. "Costs a heap o' powder, though, and the noise scares them. Say, Tug, don't you know how to build traps?"
"I could make a figure four," piped Jim, "if I had the box."
"I should say so," added Katy, rubbing her smarting eyes. "I think, if you would punch a hole under the wall, there would be a better draught25. That hole in the corner of the roof don't make a very fine chimney."
Tug took his ramrod and worked the snow away from a crevice26 at the foot of the wall, near the floor. The cooler air outside sucked in to take the place of the heated air within, which ascended27 to the hole at the edge of the roof, and a draught was set in motion, taking enough of the smoke out to make the place endurable while they ate their supper.
How good that bird soup was! And what fun they had, eating it out of their tin cups with wooden spoons! There was only one bowl for the tea, which had to be passed around for each to drink from in turn. They forgot their difficulties for a little while, and were as merry as anybody could be. All at once Katy stopped short in a laugh, with an exclamation28 of astonishment29:
"I do believe we've never one of us thought what day it is! This is Christmas eve!"
The evening was given to chatting, as they sat in the darkness half illumined by the red embers of their fire, for they wanted to save their lantern oil, and would not allow themselves to burn it uselessly; nor was it late when they went to sleep.
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1
tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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2
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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3
hummock
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| n.小丘 | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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5
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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6
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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7
mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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8
stew
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| n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑 | |
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9
migration
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| n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙 | |
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10
mosses
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| n. 藓类, 苔藓植物 名词moss的复数形式 | |
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11
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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12
tracts
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| 大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文 | |
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13
marshes
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| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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14
hawks
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| 鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物 | |
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15
scurry
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| vi.急匆匆地走；使急赶；催促；n.快步急跑，疾走；仓皇奔跑声；骤雨，骤雪；短距离赛马 | |
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16
bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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18
akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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20
hacked
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| 生气 | |
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21
chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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22
fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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23
crackers
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| adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘 | |
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24
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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25
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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26
crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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27
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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29
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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