the pathfinder-第39部分

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there　was　ample　room　for　all　on　board；　there　being　space
enough　to　accommodate　treble　the　number；　if　necessary。

As　soon　as　Mabel　had　taken　possession　of　her　own　really
comfortable　cabin；　in　doing　which　she　could　not　abstain
from　indulging　in　the　pleasant　reflection　that　some　of
Jasper's　favor　had　been　especially　manifested　in　her　be…
half；　she　went　on　deck　again。　　Here　all　was　momentarily
in　motion；　the　men　were　roving　to　and　fro；　in　quest　of
their　knapsacks　and　other　effects；　but　method　and　habit
soon　reduced　things　to　order；　when　the　stillness　on　board
became　even　imposing；　for　it　was　connected　with　the　idea
of　future　adventure　and　ominous　preparation。

Darkness　was　now　beginning　to　render　objects　on　shore
indistinct；　the　whole　of　the　land　forming　one　shapeless
black　outline　of　even　forest　summits；　to　be　distinguished
from　the　impending　heavens　only　by　the　greater　light　of
the　sky。　　The　stars；　however；　soon　began　to　appear　in　the
latter；　one　after　another；　in　their　usual　mild；　placid　lustre；
bringing　with　them　that　sense　of　quiet　which　ordinarily
accompanies　night。　　There　was　something　soothing；　as
well　as　exciting；　in　such　a　scene；　and　Mabel；　who　was
seated　on　the　quarter…deck；　sensibly　felt　both　influences。
The　Pathfinder　was　standing　near　her；　leaning；　as　usual；
on　his　long　rifle；　and　she　fancied　that；　through　the　grow…
ing　darkness　of　the　hour；　she　could　trace　even　stronger
lines　of　thought　than　usual　in　his　rugged　countenance。

〃To　you；　Pathfinder；　expeditions　like　this　can　be　no
great　novelty；〃　said　she；　〃though　I　am　surprised　to　find
how　silent　and　thoughtful　the　men　appear　to　be。〃

〃We　learn　this　by　making　war　ag'in　Indians。　　Your
militia　are　great　talkers　and　little　doers　in　general；　but
the　soldier　who　has　often　met　the　Mingos　learns　to　know
the　value　of　a　prudent　tongue。　　A　silent　army；　in　the
woods；　is　doubly　strong；　and　a　noisy　one；　doubly　weak。
If　tongues　made　soldiers；　the；　women　of　a　camp　would
generally　carry　the　day。〃

〃But　we　are　neither　an　army；　nor　in　the　woods。　　There
can　be　no　danger　of　Mingos　in　the　_Scud_。〃

〃No　one　is　safe　from　a　Mingo；　who　does　not　understand
his　very　natur'；　and　even　then　he　must　act　up　to　his　own
knowledge；　and　that　closely。　　Ask　Jasper　how　he　got　com…
mand　of　this　very　cutter。〃

〃And　how　_did_　he　get　command？〃　inquired　Mabel；　with
an　earnestness　and　interest　that　quite　delighted　her　simple…
minded　and　true…hearted　companion；　who　was　never　better
pleased　than　when　he　had　an　opportunity　of　saying　aught
in　favor　of　a　friend。　　〃It　is　honorable　to　him　that　he　has
reached　this　station　while　yet　so　young。〃

〃That　is　it；　but　he　deserved　it　all；　and　more。　　A　frigate
wouldn't　have　been　too　much　to　pay　for　so　much　spirit
and　coolness；　had　there　been　such　a　thing　on　Ontario；　as
there　is　not；　hows'ever；　or　likely　to　be。〃

〃But　Jasper　　you　have　not　yet　told　me　how　he　got　the
command　of　the　schooner。〃

〃It　is　a　long　story；　Mabel；　and　one　your　father；　the　Ser…
geant；　can　tell　much　better　than　I；　for　he　was　present；
while　I　was　off　on　a　distant　scouting。　　Jasper　is　not　good
at　a　story；　I　will　own　that；　I　have　heard　him　questioned
about　this　affair；　and　he　never　made　a　good　tale　of　it；　al…
though　every　body　knows　it　was　a　good　thing。　　The　_Scud_
had　near　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　French　and　the
Mingos；　when　Jasper　saved　her；　in　a　way　which　none　but
a　quick…witted　mind　and　a　bold　heart　would　have　at…
tempted。　　The　Sergeant　will　tell　the　tale　better　than　I
can；　and　I　wish　you　to　question　him　some　day；　when
nothing　better　offers。〃

Mabel　determined　to　ask　her　father　to　repeat　the　inci…
dents　of　the　affair　that　very　night；　for　it　struck　her　young
fancy　that　nothing　better　could　well　offer　than　to　listen　to
the　praises　of　one　who　was　a　bad　historian　of　his　own　ex…
ploits。

〃Will　the　_Scud_　remain　with　us　when　we　reach　the
island？〃　she　asked；　after　a　little　hesitation　about　the
propriety　of　the　question；　〃or　shall　we　be　left　to　our…
selves？〃

〃That's　as　may　be：　Jasper　does　not　often　keep　the
cutter　idle　when　anything　is　to　be　done；　and　we　may
expect　activity　on　his　part。　　My　gifts；　however；　run　so
little　towards　the　water　and　vessels　generally；　unless　it　be
among　rapids　and　falls　and　in　canoes；　that　I　pretend　to
know　nothing　about　it。　　We　shall　have　all　right　under
Jasper；　I　make　no　doubt；　who　can　find　a　trail　on　Ontario
as　well　as　a　Delaware　can　find　one　on　the　land。〃

〃And　our　own　Delaware；　Pathfinder　　the　Big　Serpent　
why　is　he　not　with　us　to…night？〃

〃Your　question　would　have　been　more　natural　had　you
said；　Why　are　_you_　here；　Pathfinder？　　The　Sarpent　is　in
his　place；　while　I　am　not　in　mine。　　He　is　out；　with　two　or
three　more；　scouting　the　lake　shores；　and　will　join　us　down
among　the　islands；　with　the　tidings　he　may　gather。　　The
Sergeant　is　too　good　a　soldier　to　forget　his　rear　while　he
is　facing　the　enemy　in　front。　　It's　a　thousand　pities；
Mabel；　your　father　wasn't　born　a　general；　as　some　of　the
English　are　who　come　among　us；　for　I　feel　sartain　he
wouldn't　leave　a　Frencher　in　the　Canadas　a　week；　could
he　have　his　own　way　with　them。〃

〃Shall　we　have　enemies　to　face　in　front？〃　asked　Mabel；
smiling；　and　for　the　first　time　feeling　a　slight　apprehen…
sion　about　the　dangers　of　the　expedition。　　〃Are　we　likely
to　have　an　engagement？〃

〃If　we　have；　Mabel；　there　will　be　men　enough　ready
and　willing　to　stand　between　you　and　harm。　　But　you　are
a　soldier's　daughter；　and；　we　all　know；　have　the　spirit　of
one。　　Don't　let　the　fear　of　a　battle　keep　your　pretty　eyes
from　sleeping。〃

〃I　do　feel　braver　out　here　in　the　woods；　Pathfinder；
than　I　ever　felt　before　amid　the　weaknesses　of　the　towns；
although　I　have　always　tried　to　remember　what　I　owe　to
my　dear　father。〃

〃Ay；　your　mother　was　so　before　you。　　'You　will　find
Mabel；　like　her　mother；　no　screamer；　or　a　faint…hearted
girl；　to　trouble　a　man　in　his　need；　but　one　who　would　en…
courage　her　mate；　and　help　to　keep　his　heart　up　when
sorest　prest　by　danger；'　said　the　Sergeant　to　me；　before　I
ever　laid　eyes　on　that　sweet　countenance　of　yours；　　he
did！〃

〃And　why　should　my　father　have　told　you　this；　Path…
finder？〃　the　girl　demanded　a　little　earnestly。　　〃Perhaps
he　fancied　you　would　think　the　better　of　me　if　you　did
not　believe　me　a　silly　coward；　as　so　many　of　my　sex　love　to
make　themselves　appear。〃

Deception；　unless　it　were　at　the　expense　of　his　enemies
in　the　field；　　nay；　concealment　of　even　a　thought；　　was
so　little　in　accordance　with　the　Pathfinder's　very　nature；
that　he　was　not　a　little　embarrassed　by　this　simple　ques…
tion。　　In　such　a　strait　he　involuntarily　took　refuge　in　a；
middle　course；　not　revealing　that　which　he　fancied　ought
not　to　be　told；　nor　yet　absolutely　concealing　it。

〃You　must　know；　Mabel；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　Sergeant
and　I　are　old　friends；　and　have　stood　side　by　side　　or；　if
not　actually　side　by　side；　I　a　little　in　advance；　as　became　a
scout；　and　your　father　with　his　own　men；　as　better　suited
a　soldier　of　the　king　　on　many　a　hard　fi't　and　bloody　day。
It's　the　way　of　us　skirmishers　to　think　little　of　the　fight
when　the　rifle　has　done　cracking；　and　at　night；　around
our　fires；　or　on　our　marches；　we　talk　of　the　things　we　love；
just　as　you　young　women　convarse　about　your　fancies　and
opinions　when　you　get　together　to　laugh　over　your　idees。
Now　it　was　natural　that　the　Sergeant；　having　such　a
daughter　as　you；　should　love　her　better　than　anything　else；
and　that　he　should　talk　of　her　oftener　than　of　anything
else；　　while　I；　having　neither　daughter；　nor　sister；　nor
mother；　nor　kith；　nor　kin；　nor　anything　but　the　Delawares
to　love；　I　naturally　chimed　in；　as　it　were；　and　got　to　love
you；　Mabel；　before　I　ever　saw　you　　yes；　I　did　　just　by　talk…
ing　about　you　so　much。〃

〃And　now　you　_have_　seen　me；〃　returned　the　smiling　girl；
whose　unmoved　and　natural　manner　proved　how　little　she
was　thinking　of　anything　more　than　parental　or　fraternal
regard；　〃you　are　beginning　to　see　the　folly　of　forming
friendships　for　people　before　you　know　anything　about
them；　except　by　hearsay。〃

〃It　wasn't　friendship　　it　isn't　friendship；　Mabel；　that
I　feel　for　you。　　I　am　the　friend　of　the　Delawares；　and
have　been　so　from　boyhood；　but　my　feelings　for　them；　or
for　the　best　of　them；　are　not　the　same　as　those　I　got　from
the　Sergeant　for　you；　and；　especially；　now　that　I　begin　to
know　you　better。　　I'm　sometimes　afeared　it　isn't　whole…
some　for　one　who　is　much　occupied　in　a　very　manly　call…
ing；　like　that　of　a　guide　or　scout；　or　a　soldier　even；　to　form
friendships　for　women；　　young　women　in　particular；　　as
they　seem　to　me　to　lessen　the　love　of　enterprise；　and　to
turn　the　feelings　away　from　their　gifts　and　natural　occu…
pations。〃

〃You　surely　do　not　mean；　Pathfinder；　that　a　friendship
for　a　girl　like　me　would　make　you　less　bold；　and　more　un…
willing　to　meet　the　French　than　you　were　before？〃

〃Not　so；　not　so。　　With　you　in　danger；　for　instance；　I
fear　I　might　become　foolhardy；　but　before　we　became　so
intimate；　as　I　may　say；　I　loved　to　think　of　my　scoutings；
and　of　my　marches；　and　outlyings；　and　fights；　and　other
adventures：　but　now　my　mind　cares　less　about　them；　I
think　more　of　the　barracks；　and　of　evenings　passed　in　dis…
course；　of　feelings　in　which　there　are　no　wranglings　and
bloodshed；　and　of　young　women；　and　of　their　laughs　and
their　cheerful；　soft　voices；　their　pleasant　looks　and　their
winning　ways。　　I　sometimes　tell　the　Sergeant　that　he　and
his　daughter　will　be　the　spoiling　of　one　of　the　best　and
most　experienced　scouts　on　the　lines。〃

〃Not　they；　Pathfinder；　they　will　try　to　make　that　which
is　already　so　excellent；　perfect。　　You　do　not　know　us；　if
you　think　that　either　wishes　to　see　you　in　the　least　changed。
Remain　as　at　present；　the　same　honest；　upright；　conscien…
tious；　fearless；　intelligent；　trustworthy　guide　that　you　are；
and　neither　my　dear　father　nor　myself　can　ever　think　of
you　differently　from　what　we　now　do。〃

It　was　too　dark　for　Mabel　to　note　the　workings　of　the
countenance　of　her　listener；　but　her　own　sweet　face　was
turned　towards　him；　as　she　spoke　with　an　energy　equal　to
her　frankness；　in　a　way　to　show　how　little　embarrassed
were　her　thoughts；　and　how　sincere　were　her　words。　　Her
co