Rolf in the Woods — Ernest Thompson Seton
Rolf in the Woods, by Ernest Thompson Seton You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title : Rolf in the Woods Author : Ernest Thompson Seton Release date : October 1, 1997 [eBook #1088] Most recently updated: October 29, 2024 Language : English Other information and formats : www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1088 Credits : Produced by Anonymous Volunteers, Ted Soldan, and David Widger *** START OF ] CONTENTS Preface Chapter 1. The Wigwam Under the Rock Chapter 2. Rolf Kittering and the Soldier Uncle Chapter 3. Rolf Catches a Coon and Finds a Friend Chapter 4. The Coon Hunt Makes Trouble for Rolf Chapter 5. Good-bye to Uncle Mike Chapter 6. Skookum Accepts Rolf at Last Chapter 7. Rolf Works Out with Many Results Chapter 8. The Law of Property Among Our Four-Footed Kin Chapter 9. Where the Bow Is Better Than the Gun Chapter 10. Rolf Works Out with Many Results Chapter 11. The Thunder-storm and the Fire Sticks Chapter 12. Hunting the Woodchucks Chapter 13. The Fight with the Demon of the Deep Chapter 14. Selectman Horton Appears at the Rock Chapter 15. Bound for the North Woods Chapter 16. Life with the Dutch Settler Chapter 17. Canoeing on the Upper Hudson Chapter 18. Animal Life Along the River Chapter 19. The Footprint on the Shore Chapter 20. The Trappers' Cabin Chapter 21. Rolf's First Deer Chapter 22. The Line of Traps Chapter 23. The Beaver Pond Chapter 24. The Porcupine Chapter 25. The Otter Slide Chapter 26. Back to the Cabin Chapter 27. Sick Dog Skookum Chapter 28. Alone in the Wilderness Chapter 29. Snowshoes Chapter 30. Catching a Fox Chapter 31. Following the Trap Line Chapter 32. The Antler-bound Bucks Chapter 33. A Song of Praise Chapter 34. The Birch-bark Vessels Chapter 35. Snaring Rabbits Chapter 36. Something Wrong at the Beaver Traps Chapter 37. The Pekan or Fisher Chapter 38. The Silver Fox Chapter 39. The Humiliation of Skookum Chapter 40. The Rarest of Pelts Chapter 41. The Enemy's Fort Chapter 42. Skookum's Panther Chapter 43. Sunday in the Woods Chapter 44. The Lost Bundle of Furs Chapter 45. The Subjugation of Hoag Chapter 46. Nursing Hoag Chapter 47. Hoag's Home-coming Chapter 48. Rolf's Lesson in Trailing Chapter 49. Rolf Gets Lost Chapter 50. Marketing the Fur Chapter 51. Back at Van Trumper's Chapter 52. Annette's New Dress Chapter 53. Travelling to the Great City Chapter 54. Albany Chapter 55. The Rescue of Bill Chapter 56. The Sick Ox Chapter 57. Rolf and Skookum at Albany Chapter 58. Back to Indian Lake Chapter 59. Van Cortlandt's Drugs Chapter 60. Van Cortlandt's Adventure Chapter 61. Rolf Learns Something from Van Chapter 62. The Charm of Song Chapter 63. The Redemption of Van Chapter 64. Dinner at the Governor's Chapter 65. The Grebes and the Singing Mouse Chapter 66. A Lesson in Stalking Chapter 67. Rolf Meets a Canuck Chapter 68. War Chapter 69. Ogdensburg Chapter 70. Saving the Despatches Chapter 71. Sackett's Harbour Chapter 72. Scouting Across Country Chapter 73. Rolf Makes a Record Chapter 74. Van Trumper's Again Chapter 75. Scouting in Canada Chapter 76. The Duel Chapter 77. Why Plattsburg Was Raided Chapter 78. Rumours and Papers Chapter 79. McGlassin's Exploit Chapter 80. The Bloody Saranac Chapter 81. The Battle of Plattsburg Chapter 82. Scouting for Macomb Chapter 83. The Last of Sir George Prevost Chapter 84. Rolf Unmasks the Ambush Chapter 85. The Hospital, the Prisoners, and Home Chapter 86. The New Era of Prosperity Quonab Goes Home Preface In this story I have endeavoured to realize some of the influences that surrounded the youth of America a hundred years ago, and made of them, first, good citizens, and, later, in the day of peril, heroes that won the battles of Lake Erie, Plattsburg, and New Orleans, and the great sea fights of Porter, Bainbridge, Decatur, Lawrence, Perry, and MacDonough. I have especially dwelt in detail on the woodland and peace scouting in the hope that I may thus help other boys to follow the hard-climbing trail that leads to the higher uplands. For the historical events of 1812-14, I have consulted among books chiefly, Theodore Roosevelt's “Naval War of 1812,” Peter S. Palmer's “History of Lake Champlain,” and Walter Hill Crockett's “A History of Lake Champlain,” 1909. But I found another and more personal mine of information. Through the kindness of my friend, Edmund Seymour, a native of the Champlain region, now a resident of New York, I went over all the historical ground with several unpublished manuscripts for guides, and heard from the children of the sturdy frontiersmen new tales of the war; and in getting more light and vivid personal memories, I was glad, indeed, to realize that not only were there valour and heroism on both sides, but also gentleness and courtesy. Histories written by either party at the time should be laid aside. They breathe the rancourous hate of the writers of the age—the fighters felt not so—and the many incidents given here of chivalry and consideration were actual happenings, related to me by the descendants of those who experienced them; and all assure me that these were a true reflex of the feelings of the day. I am much indebted to Miss Katherine Palmer, of Plattsburg, for kindly allowing me to see the unpublished manuscript memoir of her grandfather, Peter Sailly, who was Collector of the Port of Plattsburg at the time of the war. Another purpose in this story was to picture the real Indian with his message for good or for evil. Those who know nothing of the race will scoff and say they never heard of such a thing as a singing and religious red man. Those who know him well will say, “Yes, but you have given to your eastern Indian songs and ceremonies which belong to the western tribes, and which are of different epochs.” To the latter I repl