Mountain Rose by Norah Hess

Author:Norah Hess [Hess, Norah]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Leisure
Published: 1993-03-23T23:00:00+00:00

The girl's moccasined feet ran nimbly over the carpet of pine needles, following the old dog bounding toward the river she could see through patches of the trees. All day she'd had a hunger for fish. If she hurried, she'd catch enough for her and Paw's supper before sundown.

She arrived at the spot where she kept her canoe hidden in a stand of thick, tall reeds. "Get in, Scrounge," she ordered the dog. When the animal jumped in and was settled, she pushed the bark vessel into the water, then hopped in herself. As she knelt in its center, the boat circled a moment, then as though an unseen hand had grabbed it, started gliding downstream.

Star Daniels applied the paddle with long, powerful sweeps through the water. Half a mile away was her favorite fishing hole. She seldom left it without a string of six or so bass.

The canoe skimmed along and within fifteen minutes Star was turning its nose toward the river bank, bordered with tall grass. She stopped suddenly, then back-paddled a short distance. She quietly lifted the paddle from the water and let the canoe drift to the thick vegetation. She had spotted a flock of wild duck, a chance to get fresh meat without wasting a shot.

The canoe nosed silently into the foot-high bank as the girl held her breath. She prepared to step into the water, then swore angrily. The dog had barked and the startled ducks had scattered in all directions, squawking and flaying the water with wildly flapping wings.

In their confusion, however, some scutted into the grass instead of swiming for the open river. The girl's eyes shone with satisfaction. She'd be able to nab one after all. She swung herself out of the canoe and stepped into knee-high water.

But the ducks, experts at concealment, had glided away like snakes, leaving no rustle to mark their passage. It took her at least fifteen minutes to detect a faint stirring in the grass and to grab a good-sized fowl by the neck.

"Come on, Scrounge," she said with a big grin, "Let's get home. We'll fish tomorrow. Paw will be worryin' by now."

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