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This required us to make several journeys as we had no cart by which we could bring the deer all at once, and each of them was as large as a good-sized heifer. We succeeded, however, in getting all to the house before sunset except the skins, which we left hanging on the trees for another day. While the boys and I had been engaged at this work, Cudjo was not idle.
In a short time, we had three pairs; and, strapping them firmly to our feet with strips of deerskin, were soon gliding over the dam, and spinning around the beaver-houses no doubt to the great wonderment of such of the animals as came out under the ice to look at us. Mary, with Cudjo and the children, stood watching us from the shore, and clapping their hands with delight.
As I learnt from Cudjo, these creatures will eagerly bite at anything that may be thrown into the water and appears strange to them. Of the truth of this we had a curious demonstration shortly afterwards.
Ah! that question we must leave for Cudjo and his "lubbly Lucy" to answer. Rolfe's letter farther informed me, that it was their intention as soon as the marriage festivities were over to return to the valley oasis. All were going together McKnight, new-married couples, and all.
"I thought there would be no chance of the mastiffs coming up with them, and was, therefore, not intending to follow; when, all at once, I heard the voices of the dogs change from yelping to that of a worrying sound, as though they were engaged in a fierce conflict with one another. "`Perhaps I have wounded the animal, and they have overtaken it, said I. `Come, Cudjo! let us after and see.
Frank, Harry, and myself, were to form the party, while Cudjo was to remain by the house, and guard the female portion of our little community with his great spear. "Everything being ready, we started out with our three rifles, and took the route up the valley.
They consisted of a drinking-glass fortunately we had one that had travelled safely in our great mess-chest a cup-full of maple molasses, and a few tufts of white wool taken from the skin of a rabbit. `How was he going to use these things? thought Harry, and so did we all for none of us knew anything of the process, and Cudjo seemed determined to keep quiet about his plans, until he should give us a practical illustration of them.
We saw, too, that they did not subside, but remained stationary. `It has reached the top of whatever has dammed it, thought we, `and is now flowing over. "`What a pity, Massa Roff, said Cudjo, as we wended our way back to the camp; `what a pity we make dat fine raff for nuffin!
A log hollowed out after the manner of a canoe, or `dug-out, as Cudjo used to designate that species of craft would answer the purpose admirably; and Cudjo, having chosen a section of a large tulip-tree, went to work. By the time we had got our last load to the house, he had made a cavity in the tree, that was capable of containing the three black-tails at once.
With a hoarse growl, the monster turned, and, to my joy, I saw that it was impaled upon the spear, which had passed through the skin of its neck. Instead of yielding, however, it rushed up the shaft, until Cudjo was compelled to drop the weapon, to save himself from being torn by its long, fierce claws.
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