the pathfinder-第15部分

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finder　proudly。　　〃I　am　not　a　red…skin　born；　and　it　is　more
a　white　man's　gifts　to　fight　openly　than　to　lie　in　ambush…
ment。〃

〃And　Mabel？〃

〃True；　boy；　true；　the　Sergeant's　daughter　must　be　saved；
and；　as　you　say；　foolish　risks　only　become　boys。　　Think　you
that　you　can　catch　the　canoe　where　you　stand？〃

〃There　can　be　no　doubt；　if　you　give　a　vigorous　push。〃

Pathfinder　made　the　necessary　effort；　the　light　bark
shot　across　the　intervening　space；　and　Jasper　seized　it　as
it　came　to　land。　　To　secure　the　canoe；　and　to　take　proper
positions　in　the　cover；　occupied　the　friends　but　a　moment；
when　they　shook　hands　cordially；　like　those　who　had　met
after　a　long　separation。

〃Now；　Jasper；　we　shall　see　if　a　Mingo　of　them　all　dares
cross　the　Oswego　in　the　teeth　of　Kildeer！　　You　are　handier
with　the　oar　and　the　paddle　and　the　sail　than　with　the
rifle；　perhaps；　but　you　have　a　stout　heart　and　a　steady
hand；　and　them　are　things　that　count　in　a　fight。〃

〃Mabel　will　find　me　between　her　and　her　enemies；〃　said
Jasper　calmly。

〃Yes；　yes；　the　Sergeant's　daughter　must　be　protected。
I　like　you；　boy；　on　your　own　account；　but　I　like　you　all
the　better　that　you　think　of　one　so　feeble　at　a　moment
when　there　is　need　of　all　your　manhood。　　See；　Jasper！　three
of　the　knaves　are　actually　getting　into　the　canoe！　　They
must　believe　we　have　fled；　or　they　would　not　surely　ven…
ture　so　much；　directly　in　the　very　face　of　Killdeer。〃

Sure　enough　the　Iroquois　did　appear　bent　on　venturing
across　the　stream；　for；　as　the　Pathfinder　and　his　friends
now　kept　their　persons　strictly　concealed；　their　enemies
began　to　think　that　the　latter　had　taken　to　flight。　　Such
a　course　was　that　which　most　white　men　would　have　fol…
lowed；　but　Mabel　was　under　the　care　of　those　who　were
much　too　well　skilled　in　forest　warfare　to　neglect　to　de…
fend　the　only　pass　that；　in　truth；　now　offered　even　a
probable　chance　for　protection。

As　the　Pathfinder　had　said；　three　warriors　were　in　the
canoe；　two　holding　their　rifles　at　a　poise；　as　they　knelt　in
readiness　to　aim　the　deadly　weapons；　and　the　other　stand…
ing　erect　in　the　stern　to　wield　the　paddle。　　In　this　man…
ner　they　left　the　shore；　having　had　the　precaution　to　haul
the　canoe；　previously　to　entering　it；　so　far　up　the　stream　as
to　have　got　into　the　comparatively　still　water　above　the　rift。
It　was　apparent　at　a　glance　that　the　savage　who　guided
the　boat　was　skilled　in　the　art；　for　the　long　steady　sweep　of
his　paddle　sent　the　light　bark　over　the　glassy　surface　of
the　tranquil　river　as　if　it　were　a　feather　floating　in　air。

〃Shall　I　fire？〃　demanded　Jasper　in　a　whisper；　trem…
bling　with　eagerness　to　engage。

〃Not　yet；　boy；　not　yet。　　There　are　but　three　of　them；
and　if　Master　Cap　yonder　knows　how　to　use　the　popguns
he　carries　in　his　belt；　we　may　even　let　them　land；　and　then
we　shall　recover　the　canoe。〃

〃But　Mabel　　？〃

〃No　fear　for　the　Sergeant's　daughter。　　She　is　safe　in
the　hollow　stump；　you　say；　with　the　opening　judgmatically
hid　by　the　brambles。　　If　what　you　tell　me　of　the　manner
in　which　you　concealed　the　trail　be　true；　the　sweet　one
might　lie　there　a　month　and　laugh　at　the　Mingos。〃

〃We　are　never　certain。　　I　wish　we　had　brought　her
nearer　to　our　own　cover！〃

〃What　for；　Eau…douce？　　To　place　her　pretty　little　head
and　leaping　heart　among　flying　bullets？　　No；　no：　she　is
better　where　she　is；　because　she　is　safer。〃

〃We　are　never　certain。　　We　thought　ourselves　safe　be…
hind　the　bushes；　and　yet　you　saw　that　we　were　discovered。〃

〃And　the　Mingo　imp　paid　for　his　curiosity；　as　these
knaves　are　about　to　do。〃

The；　Pathfinder　ceased　speaking；　for　at　that　instant　the
sharp　report　of　a　rifle　was　heard；　when　the　Indian　in　the
stern　of　the　canoe　leaped　high　into　the　air；　and　fell　into
the　water；　holding　the　paddle　in　his　hand。　　A　small
wreath　of　smoke　floated　out　from　among　the　bushes　of　the
eastern　shore；　and　was　soon　absorbed　by　the　atmosphere。

〃That　is　the　Sarpent　hissing！〃　exclaimed　the　Path…
finder　exultingly。　　〃A　bolder　or　a　truer　heart　never　beat　in
the　breast　of　a　Delaware。　　I　am　sorry　that　he　interfered；
but　he　could　not　have　known　our　condition。〃

The　canoe　had　no　sooner　lost　its　guide　than　it　floated
with　the　stream；　and　was　soon　sucked　into　the　rapids　of　the
rift。　Perfectly　helpless；　the　two　remaining　savages　gazed
wildly　about　them；　but　could　offer　no　resistance　to　the
power　of　the　element。　　It　was　perhaps　fortunate　for
Chingachgook　that　the　attention　of　most　of　the　Iroquois
was　intently　given　to　the　situation　of　those　in　the　boat；
else　would　his　escape　have　been　to　the　last　degree　difficult；
if　not　totally　impracticable。　　But　not　a　foe　moved；　except
to　conceal　his　person　behind　some　cover；　and　every　eye
was　riveted　on　the　two　remaining　adventurers。　　In　less
time　than　has　been　necessary　to　record　these　occurrences；
the　canoe　was　whirling　and　tossing　in　the　rift；　while　both
the　savages　had　stretched　themselves　in　its　bottom；　as　the
only　means　of　preserving　the　equilibrium。　　This　natural
expedient　soon　failed　them；　for；　striking　a　rock；　the　light
draft　rolled　over；　and　the　two　warriors　were　thrown　into
the　river。　　The　water　is　seldom　deep　on　a　rift；　except　in
particular　places　where　it　may　have　worn　channels；　and
there　was　little　to　be　apprehended　from　drowning；　though
their　arms　were　lost；　and　the　two　savages　were　fain　to
make　the　best　of　their　way　to　the　friendly　shore；　swim…
ming　and　wading　as　circumstances　required。　　The　canoe
itself　lodged　on　a　rock　in　the　centre　of　the　stream；　where
for　the　moment　it　became　useless　to　both　parties。

〃Now　is　our　time；　Pathfinder；〃　cried　Jasper；　as　the　two
Iroquois　exposed　most　of　their　persons　while　wading　in
the　shallowest　part　of　the　rapids：　〃the　fellow　up　stream
is　mine；　and　you　can　take　the　lower。〃

So　excited　had　the　young　man　become　by　all　the　inci…
dents　of　the　stirring　scene；　that　the　bullet　sped　from　his
rifle　as　he　spoke；　but　uselessly；　as　it　would　seem；　for　both
the　fugitives　tossed　their　arms　in　disdain。　　The　Path…
finder　did　not　fire。

〃No；　no；　Eau…douce；〃　he　answered；　〃I　do　not　seek
blood　without　a　cause；　and　my　bullet　is　well　leathered
and　carefully　driven　down；　for　the　time　of　need。　　I　love
no　Mingo；　as　is　just；　seeing　how　much　I　have　consorted
with　the　Delawares；　who　are　their　mortal　and　natural
enemies；　but　I　never　pull　trigger　on　one　of　the　miscreants
unless　it　be　plain　that　his　death　will　lead　to　some　good
end。　　The　deer　never　leaped　that　fell　by　my　hand　wan…
tonly。　　By　living　much　alone　with　God　in　the　wilderness
a　man　gets　to　feel　the　justice　of　such　opinions。　　One　life
is　sufficient　for　our　present　wants；　and　there　may　yet　be
occasion　to　use　Killdeer　in　behalf　of　the　Sarpent；　who　has
done　an　untimorsome　thing　to　let　them　rampant　devils　so
plainly　know　that　he　is　in　their　neighborhood。　　As　I'm　a
wicked　sinner；　there　is　one　of　them　prowling　along　the
bank　this　very　moment；　like　one　of　the　boys　of　the　garrison
skulking　behind　a　fallen　tree　to　get　a　shot　at　a　squirrel！〃

As　the　Pathfinder　pointed　with　his　finger　while　speak…
ing；　the　quick　eye　of　Jasper　soon　caught　the　object　towards
which　it　was　directed。　　One　of　the　young　warriors　of　the
enemy；　burning　with　a　desire　to　distinguish　himself；　had
stolen　from　his　party　towards　the　cover　in　which　Chin…
gachgook　had　concealed　himself；　and　as　the　latter　was
deceived　by　the　apparent　apathy　of　his　foes；　as　well　as　en…
gaged　in　some　further　preparations　of　his　own；　he　had
evidently　obtained　a　position　where　he　got　a　sight　of　the
Delaware。　　This　circumstance　was　apparent　by　the　ar…
rangements　the　Iroquois　was　making　to　fire；　for　Chingach…
gook　himself　was　not　visible　from　the　western　side　of　the
river。　　The　rift　was　at　a　bend　in　the　Oswego；　and　the　sweep
of　the　eastern　shore　formed　a　curve　so　wide　that　Chingach…
gook　was　quite　near　to　his　enemies　in　a　straight　direction；
though　separated　by　several　hundred　feet　on　the　land；　ow…
ing　to　which　fact　air　lines　brought　both　parties　nearly
equidistant　from　the　Pathfinder　and　Jasper。　　The　general
width　of　the　river　being　a　little　less　than　two　hundred
yards；　such　necessarily　was　about　the　distance　between　his
two　observers　and　the　skulking　Iroquois。

〃The　Sarpent　must　be　thereabouts；〃　observed　Path…
finder；　who　never　turned　his　eye　for　an　instant　from　the
young　warrior；　〃and　yet　he　must　be　strangely　off　his
guard　to　allow　a　Mingo　devil　to　get　his　stand　so　near；　with
manifest　signs　of　bloodshed　in　his　heart。〃

〃See！〃　interrupted　Jasper　　〃there　is　the　body　of　the
Indian　the　Delaware　shot！　　It　has　drifted　on　a　rock；　and
the　current　has　forced　the　head　and　face　above　the　water。〃

〃Quite　likely；　boy；　quite　likely。　　Human　natur'　is　little
better　than　a　log　of　driftwood；　when　the　life　that　was
breathed　into　its　nostrils　is　departed。　　That　Iroquois　will
never　harm　any　one　more；　but　yonder　skulking　savage　is
bent　on　taking　the　scalp　of　my　best　and　most　tried　friend。〃

The　Pathfinder　suddenly　interrupted　himself　by　raising
his　rifle；　a　weapon　of　unusual　length；　with　admirable　pre…
cision；　and　firing　the　instant　it　had　got　its　level。　　The
Iroquois　on　the　opposite　shore　was　in　the　act　of　aiming
when　the　fatal　messenger　from　Killdeer　arrived。　　His　rifle
was　discharged；　it　is　true；　but　it　was　with　the　muzzle　in
the　air；　while　the　man　himself　plunged　into　the　bushes；
quite　evidently　hurt；　if　not　slain。

〃The　skulking　reptyle　brought　it　on　himself；〃　muttered
Pathfinder　sternly；　as；　dropping　the　butt　of　his　rifle；　he
carefully　commenced　reloading　it。　　〃Chingachgook　and　I
have　consorted　together　since　we　were　boys；　and　have　fi't
in　company　on　the　Horican；　the　Mohawk；　the　Ontario；
and　all　the　other　bloody　passes　between　the　country　of
the　Frenchers　and　our　own；　and　did　the　foolish　knave
believe　that　I　would　stand　by　and　see　my　best　friend　cut
off　in　an　ambushment？〃

〃We　have　served　the　Sarpent　as　good　a　turn　as　he
served　us。　　Those　rascals　are　troubled；　Pathfinder；　and　are
falling　back　into　their　covers；　since　they　find　we　can　reach
them　across　the　river。〃

〃The　shot　is　no　great　matter；　Jasper；　no　great　matter。
Ask　any　of　the　60th；　and　they　can　tell　you　what　Killdeer
can　do；　and　has　done；　and　that；　too；　when　the　bullets　were
fl