the pathfinder-第47部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


stationary。　　So　suddenly　and　dexterously　was　this　manoeu…
vre　performed；　that　the　canoe　was　on　the　lee　quarter　of
the　_Scud_　before　the　Sergeant　was　aware　of　the　artifice；　and
quite　in　her　wake　ere　he　had　time　to　announce　it　to　his
companions。

〃Hard…a…lee！〃　shouted　Jasper；　letting　fly　the　jib…sheet
with　his　own　hands；　when　the　cutter　came　swiftly　up　to
the　breeze；　with　all　her　canvas　flapping；　or　was　running
into　the　wind's　eye；　as　seamen　term　it；　until　the　light　craft
was　a　hundred　feet　to　windward　of　her　former　position。
Quick　and　dexterous　as　was　this　movement；　and　ready　as
had　been　the　expedient；　it　was　not　quicker　or　more　ready
than　that　of　the　Tuscarora。　　With　an　intelligence　that
denoted　some　familiarity　with　vessels；　he　had　seized　his
paddle　and　was　already　skimming　the　water；　aided　by　the
efforts　of　his　wife。　　The　direction　he　took　was　south…
westerly；　or　on　a　line　that　led　him　equally　towards　the
wind　and　the　shore；　while　it　also　kept　him　so　far　aloof
from　the　cutter　as　to　avoid　the　danger　of　the　latter　falling
on　board　of　him　when　she　filled　on　the　other　tack。　　Swiftly
as　the　_Scud_　had　shot　into　the　wind；　and　far　as　she　had
forced　ahead；　Jasper　knew　it　was　necessary　to　cast　her　ere
she　had　lost　all　her　way；　and　it　was　not　two　minutes　from
the　time　the　helm　had　been　put　down　before　the　lively
little　craft　was　aback　forward；　and　rapidly　falling　off；　in
order　to　allow　her　sails　to　fill　on　the　opposite　tack。

〃He　will　escape！〃　said　Jasper　the　instant　he　caught　a
glimpse　of　the　relative　bearings　of　the　cutter　and　the
canoe。　　〃The　cunning　knave　is　paddling　dead　to　wind…
ward；　and　the　_Scud_　can　never　overtake　him！〃

〃You　have　a　canoe！〃　exclaimed　the　Sergeant；　mani…
festing　the　eagerness　of　a　boy　to　join　in　the　pursuit；　〃let
us　launch　it；　and　give　chase！〃

〃It　will　be　useless。　　If　Pathfinder　had　been　on　deck；
there　might　have　been　a　chance；　but　there　is　none　now。
To　launch　the　canoe　would　have　taken　three　or　four　min…
utes；　and　the　time　lost　would　be　sufficient　for　the　purposes
of　Arrowhead。〃

Both　Cap　and　the　Sergeant　saw　the　truth　of　this；　which
would　have　been　nearly　self…evident　even　to　one　unaccus…
tomed　to　vessels。　　The　shore　was　distant　less　than　half　a
mile；　and　the　canoe　was　already　glancing　into　its　shadows；
at　a　rate　to　show　that　it　would　reach　the　land　before　its
pursuers　could　probably　get　half　the　distance。　　The　helm
of　the　_Scud_　was　reluctantly　put　up　again；　and　the　cutter
wore　short　round　on　her　heel；　coming　up　to　her　course　on
the　other　tack；　as　if　acting　on　an　instinct。　　All　this　was
done　by　Jasper　in　profound　silence；　his　assistants　under…
standing　what　was　necessary；　and　lending　their　aid　in　a
sort　of　mechanical　imitation。　　While　these　manoeuvres
were　in　the　course　of　execution；　Cap　took　the　Sergeant　by
a　button；　and　led　him　towards　the　cabin…door；　where　he
was　out　of　ear…shot；　and　began　to　unlock　his　stores　of
thought。

〃Hark'e；　brother　Dunham；〃　said　he；　with　an　ominous
face；　〃this　is　a　matter　that　requires　mature　thought　and
much　circumspection。〃

〃The　life　of　a　soldier；　brother　Cap；　is　one　of　constant
thought　and　circumspection。　　On　this　frontier；　were　we
to　overlook　either；　our　scalps　might　be　taken　from　our
heads　in　the　first　nap。〃

〃But　I　consider　this　capture　of　Arrowhead　as　a　circum…
stance；　and　I　might　add　his　escape　as　another。　　This　Jas…
per　Freshwater　must　look　to　it。〃

〃They　are　both　circumstances　truly；　brother；　but　they
tell　different　ways。　　If　it　is　a　circumstance　against　the
lad　that　the　Indian　has　escaped；　it　is　a　circumstance　in
his　favor　that　he　was　first　taken。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　but　two　circumstances　do　not　contradict　each
other　like　two　negatives。　　If　you　will　follow　the　advice　of
an　old　seaman；　Sergeant；　not　a　moment　is　to　be　lost　in
taking　the　steps　necessary　for　the　security　of　the　vessel　and
all　on　board　of　her。　　The　cutter　is　now　slipping　through
the　water　at　the　rate　of　six　knots；　and　as　the　distances　are
so　short　on　this　bit　of　a　pond；　we　may　all　find　ourselves　in
a　French　port　before　morning；　and　in　a　French　prison
before　night。〃

〃This　may　be　true　enough。　　What　would　you　advise
me　to　do；　brother？〃

〃In　my　opinion　you　should　put　this　Master　Freshwater
under　arrest　on　the　spot；　send　him　below　under　the
charge　of　a　sentinel；　and　transfer　the　command　of　the
cutter　to　me。　　All　this　you　have　power　to　perform；　the
craft　belonging　to　the　army；　and　you　being　the　command…
ing　officer　of　the　troops　present。〃

Sergeant　Dunham　deliberated　more　than　an　hour　on
the　propriety　of　this　proposal；　for；　though　sufficiently
prompt　when　his　mind　was　really　made　up；　he　was　habit…
ually　thoughtful　and　wary。　　The　habit　of　superintending
the　personal　police　of　the　garrison　had　made　him　ac…
quainted　with　character；　and　he　had　long　been　disposed　to
think　well　of　Jasper。　　Still　that　subtle　poison；　suspicion；
had　entered　his　soul；　and　so　much　were　the　artifices　and
intrigues　of　the　French　dreaded；　that；　especially　warned
as　he　had　been　by　his　commander；　it　is　not　to　be　wondered
that　the　recollection　of　years　of　good　conduct　should　van…
ish　under　the　influence　of　a　distrust　so　keen；　and　seemingly
so　plausible。　　In　this　embarrassment　the　Sergeant　consulted
the　Quartermaster；　whose　opinion；　as　his　superior；　he　felt
bound　to　respect；　though　at　the　moment　independent　of
his　control。　　It　is　an　unfortunate　occurrence　for　one　who
is　in　a　dilemma　to　ask　advice　of　another　who　is　desirous
of　standing　well　in　his　favor；　the　party　consulted　being
almost　certain　to　try　to　think　in　the　manner　which　will　be
the　most　agreeable　to　the　party　consulting。　　In　the　present
instance　it　was　equally　unfortunate；　as　respects　a　candid
consideration　of　the　subject；　that　Cap；　instead　of　the　Ser…
geant　himself；　made　the　statement　of　the　case；　for　the
earnest　old　sailor　was　not　backward　in　letting　his　listener
perceive　to　which　side　he　was　desirous　that　the　Quarter…
master　should　lean。　　Lieutenant　Muir　was　much　too　pol…
itic　to　offend　the　uncle　and　father　of　the　woman　he　hoped
and　expected　to　win；　had　he　really　thought　the　case　ad…
mitted　of　doubt；　but；　in　the　manner　in　which　the　facts
were　submitted　to　him；　he　was　seriously　inclined　to　think
that　it　would　be　well　to　put　the　control　of　the　_Scud_　tem…
porarily　into　the　managoment　of　Cap；　as　a　precaution
against　treachery。　　This　opinion　then　decided　the　Ser…
geant；　who　forthwith　set　about　the　execution　of　the　neces…
sary　measures。

Without　entering　into　any　explanations；　Sergeant　Dun…
ham　simply　informed　Jasper　that　he　felt　it　to　be　his　duty
to　deprive　him　temporarily　of　the　command　of　the　cutter；
and　to　confer　it　on　his　own　brother…in…law。　　A　natural　and
involuntary　burst　of　surprise；　which　escaped　the　young
man；　was　met　by　a　quiet　remark；　reminding　him　that　mili…
tary　service　was　often　of　a　nature　that　required　conceal…
ment；　and　a　declaration　that　the　present　duty　was　of　such
a　character　that　this　particular　arrangement　had　become
indispensable。　　Although　Jasper's　astonishment　remained
undiminished；　　the　Sergeant　cautiously　abstaining　from
making　any　allusion　to　his　suspicions；　　the　young　man
was　accustomed　to　obey　with　military　submission；　and　he
quietly　acquiesced；　with　his　own　mouth　directing　the　little
crew　to　receive　their　further　orders　from　Cap　until　another
change　should　be　effected。　　When；　however；　he　was　told
the　case　required　that　not　only　he　himself；　but　his　princi…
pal　assistant；　who；　on　account　of　his　long　acquaintance
with　the　lake；　was　usually　termed　the　pilot；　were　to　remain
below；　there　was　an　alteration　in　his　countenance　and
manner　that　denoted　strong　feeling；　though　it　was　so　well
mastered　as　to　leave　even　the　distrustful　Cap　in　doubt　as
to　its　meaning。　　As　a　matter　of　course；　however；　when　dis…
trust　exists；　it　was　not　long　before　the　worst　construction
was　put　upon　it。

As　soon　as　Jasper　and　the　pilot　were　below；　the　sentinel
at　the　hatch　received　private　orders　to　pay　particular　at…
tention　to　both；　to　allow　neither　to　come　on　deck　again
without　giving　instant　notice　to　the　person　who　might
then　be　in　charge　of　the　cutter；　and　to　insist　on　his　return
below　as　soon　as　possible。　　This　precaution；　however；　was
uncalled　for；　Jasper　and　his　assistant　both　throwing　them…
selves　silently　on　their　pallets；　which　neither　quitted　again
that　night。

〃And　now；　Sergeant；〃　said　Cap；　as　soon　as　he　found
himself　master　of　the　deck；　〃you　will　just　have　the　good…
ness　to　give　me　the　courses　and　distance；　that　I　may　see
the　boat　keeps　her　head　the　right　way。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　either；　brother　Cap；〃　returned　Dun…
ham；　not　a　little　embarrassed　at　the　question。　　〃We　must
make　the　best　of　our　way　to　the　station　among　the　Thou…
sand　Islands；　where　'we　shall　land；　relieve　the　party　that　is
already　out；　and　get　information　for　our　future　govern…
ment。'　　That's　it；　nearly　word　for　word；　as　it　stands　in　the
written　orders。〃

〃But　you　can　muster　a　chart　　something　in　the　way　of
bearings　and　distances；　that　I　may　see　the　road？〃

〃I　do　not　think　Jasper　ever　had　anything　of　the　sort　to
go　by。〃

〃No　chart；　Sergeant　Dunham！〃

〃Not　a　scrap　of　a　pen　even。　　Our　sailors　navigate　this
lake　without　any　aid　from　maps。〃

〃The　devil　they　do！　　They　must　be　regular　Yahoos。
And　do　you　suppose；　Sergeant　Dunham；　that　I　can　find
one　island　out　of　a　thousand　without　knowing　its　name　or
its　position；　without　even　a　course　or　a　distance？〃

〃As　for　the　_name_；　brother　Cap；　you　need　not　be　particu…
lar；　for　not　one　of　the　whole　thousand　_has_　a　name；　and　so
a　mistake　can　never　be　made　on　that　score。　　As　for　the
position；　never　having　been　there　myself；　I　can　tell　you
nothing　about　it；　nor　do　I　think　its　position　of　any　par…
ticular　consequence；　provided　we　find　the　spot。　　Perhaps
one　of　the　hands　on　deck　can　tell　us　the　way。〃

〃Hold　on；　Sergeant　　hold　on　a　moment；　if　you　please；
Sergeant　Dunham。　　If　I　am　to　command　this　craft；　it
must　be　done；　if　you　please；　without　holding　any　councils
of　war　with　the　cook　and　cabin…boy。　　A　ship…master　is　a
ship…master；　and　he　must　have　an　opinion　of　his　own；　even
if　it　be　a　wrong　one。　　I　suppose　you　know　service　well
enough　to　understand　that　it　is　better　in　a　commander　to
go　wrong　th