the pathfinder-第54部分

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man；　though　you　have　treated　me　harshly　in　this　business。
You　love　your　daughter？〃

〃That　you　canuot　doubt；　Eau…douce；〃　returned　the　Ser…
geant　huskily。

〃Will　you　give　her　　give　us　all　　the　only　chance　for　life
that　is　left？〃

〃What　would　you　have　me　do；　boy；　what　would　you　have
me　do？　　I　have　acted　according　to　my　judgment　hitherto；
…　what　would　you　have　me　do？〃

〃Support　me　against　Master　Cap　for　five　minutes；　and
all　that　man　can　do　towards　saving　the　_Scud_　shall　be　done。〃

The　Sergeant　hesitated；　for　he　was　too　much　of　a　dis…
ciplinarian　to　fly　in　the　face　of　regular　orders。　　He　dis…
liked　the　appearance　of　vacillation；　too；　and　then　he　had
a　profound　respect　for　his　kinsman's　seamanship。　　While
he　was　deliberating；　Cap　came　from　the　post　he　had　some
time　occupied；　which　was　at　the　side　of　the　man　at　the
helm；　and　drew　nigh　the　group。

〃Master　Eau…douce；〃　said　he；　as　soon　as　near　enough　to
be　heard；　〃I　have　come　to　inquire　if　you　know　any　spot
near　by　where　this　cutter　can　be　beached？　　The　moment
has　arrived　when　we　are　driven　to　this　hard　alternative。〃

That　instant　of　indecision　on　the　part　of　Cap　secured
the　triumph　of　Jasper。　　Looking　at　the　Sergeant；　the
young　man　received　a　nod　that　assured　him　of　all　he　asked；
and　he　lost　not　one　of　those　moments　that　were　getting
to　be　so　very　precious。

〃Shall　I　take　the　helm；〃　he　inquired　of　Cap；　〃and　see
if　we　can　reach　a　creek　that　lies　to　leeward？〃

〃Do　so；　do　so；〃　said　the　other；　hemming　to　clear　his
throat；　for　he　felt　oppressed　by　a　responsibility　that
weighed　all　the　heavier　on　his　shoulders　on　account　of　his
ignorance。　　〃Do　so；　Eau…douce；　since；　to　be　frank　with
you；　I　can　see　nothing　better　to　be　done。　　We　must　beach
or　swamp。〃

Jasper　required　no　more；　springing　aft；　he　soon　had　the
tiller　in　his　own　hands。　　The　pilot　was　prepared　for　what
was　to　follow；　and；　at　a　sign　from　his　young　commander；
the　rag　of　sail　that　had　so　long　been　set　was　taken　in。　　At
that　moment；　Jasper；　watching　his　time；　put　the　helm　up；
the　head　of　a　staysail　was　loosened　forward；　and　the　light
cutter；　as　if　conscious　she　was　now　under　the　control　of
familiar　hands；　fell　off；　and　was　soon　in　the　trough　of　the
sea。　　This　perilous　instant　was　passed　in　safety；　and　at　the
next　moment　the　little　vessel　appeared　flying　down　toward
the　breakers　at　a　rate　that　threatened　instant　destruction。
The　distances　had　become　so　short；　that　five　or　six　minutes
sufficed　for　all　that　Jasper　wished；　and　he　put　the　helm
down　again；　when　the　bows　of　the　_Scud_　came　up　to　the
wind；　notwithstanding　the　turbulence　of　the　waters；　as
gracefully　as　the　duck　varies　its　line　of　direction　on　the
glassy　pond。　　A　sign　from　Jasper　set　all　in　motion　on　the
forecastle；　and　a　kedge　was　thrown　from　each　bow。　　The
fearful　nature　of　the　drift　was　now　apparent　even　to　Mabel's
eyes；　for　the　two　hawsers　ran　out　like　tow…lines。　　As　soon
as　they　straightened　to　a　slight　strain；　both　anchors　were
let　go；　and　cable　was　given　to　each；　nearly　to　the　better…
ends。　　It　was　not　a　difficult　task　to　snub　so　light　a　craft
with　ground…tackle　of　a　quality　better　than　common；　and
in　less　than　ten　minutes　from　the　moment　when　Jasper
went　to　the　helm；　the　_Scud_　was　riding；　head　to　sea；　with
the　two　cables　stretched　ahead　in　lines　that　resembled　bars
of　iron。

〃This　is　not　well　done；　Master　Jasper！〃　angrily　ex…
claimed　Cap；　as　soon　as　he　perceived　the　trick　which　had
been　played　him；　〃this　is　not　well　done；　sir。　　I　order　you
to　cut；　and　to　beach　the　cutter　without　a　moment's　delay。〃

No　one；　however；　seemed　disposed　to　comply　with　this
order；　for　so　long　as　Eau…douce　saw　fit　to　command；　his
own　people　were　disposed　to　obey。　　Finding　that　the　men
remained　passive；　Cap；　who　believed　they　were　in　the　ut…
most　peril；　turned　fiercely　to　Jasper；　and　renewed　his　re…
monstrances。

〃You　did　not　head　for　your　pretended　creek；〃　added
he；　after　dealing　in　some　objurgatory　remarks　that　we　do
not　deem　it　necessary　to　record；　〃but　steered　for　that　bluff；
where　every　soul　on　board　would　have　been　drowned；　had
we　gone　ashore。〃

〃And　you　wish　to　cut；　and　put　every　soul　ashore　at　that
very　spot！〃　Jasper　retorted；　a　little　drily。

〃Throw　a　lead…line　overboard；　and　ascertain　the　drift！〃
Cap　now　roared　to　the　people　forward。　　A　sign　from　Jas…
per　sustaining　this　order；　it　was　instantly　obeyed。　　All　on
deck　watched；　with　nearly　breathless　interest；　the　result
of　the　experiment。　　The　lead　was　no　sooner　on　the　bottom；
than　the　line　tended　forward；　and　in　about　two　minutes
it　was　seen　that　the　cutter　had　drifted　her　length　dead　in
towards　the　bluff。　　Jasper　looked　gravely；　for　he　well　knew
nothing　would　hold　the　vessel　did　she　get　within　the　vor…
tex　of　the　breakers；　the　first　line　of　which　was　appearing
and　disappearing　about　a　cable's　length　directly　under　their
stern。

〃Traitor！〃　exclaimed　Cap；　shaking　a　finger　at　the　young
commander；　though　passion　choked　the　rest。　　〃You　must
answer　for　this　with　your　life！〃　he　added　after　a　short
pause。　　〃If　I　were　at　the　head　of　this　expedition；　Sergeant；
I　would　hang　him　at　the　end　of　the　main…boom；　lest　he
escape　drowning。〃

〃Moderate　your　feelings；　brother；　be　more　moderate；　I
bcseech　you；　Jasper　appears　to　have　done　all　for　the　best；
and　matters　may　not　be　so　bad　as　you　believe　them。〃

〃Why　did　he　not　run　for　the　creek　he　mentioned？　　why
has　he　brought　us　here；　dead　to　windward　of　that　bluff；
and　to　a　spot　where　even　the　breakers　are　only　of　half　the
ordinary　width；　as　if　in　a　hurry　to　drown　all　on　board？〃

〃I　headed　for　the　bluff；　for　the　precise　reason　that　the
breakers　are　so　narrow　at　this　spot；〃　answered　Jasper
mildly；　though　his　gorge　had　risen　at　the　language　the
other　held。

〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　an　old　seaman　like　me　that　this
cutter　could　live　in　those　breakers？〃

〃I　do　not；　sir。　　I　think　she　would　fill　and　swamp　if
driven　into　the　first　line　of　them；　I　am　certain　she　would
never　reach　the　shore　on　her　bottom；　if　fairly　entered。　　I
hope　to　keep　her　clear　of　them　altogether。〃

〃With　a　drift　of　her　length　in　a　minute？〃

〃The　backing　of　the　anchors　does　not　yet　fairly　tell；　nor
do　I　even　hope　that　_they_　will　entirely　bring　her　up。〃

〃On　what；　then；　do　you　rely？　　To　moor　a　craft；　head　and
stern；　by　faith；　hope；　and　charity？〃

〃No；　sir；　I　trust　to　the　under…tow。　　I　headed　for　the
bluff　because　I　knew　that　it　was　stronger　at　that　point　than
at　any　other；　and　because　we　could　get　nearer　in　with　the
land　without　entering　the　breakers。〃

This　was　said　with　spirit；　though　without　any　particular
show　of　resentment。　　Its　effect　on　Cap　was　marked；　the
feeling　that　was　uppermost　being　evidently　that　of　surprise。

〃Under…tow！〃　he　repeated；　〃who　the　devil　ever　heard
of　saving　a　vessel　from　going　ashore　by　the　under…tow？〃

〃This　may　never　happen　on　the　ocean；　sir；〃　Jasper　an…
swered　modestly；　〃but　we　have　known　it　to　happen　here。〃

〃The　lad　is　right；　brother；〃　put　in　the　Sergeant；　〃for；
though　I　do　not　well　understand　it；　I　have　often　heard　the
sailors　of　the　lake　speak　of　such　a　thing。　　We　shall　do
well　to　trust　to　Jasper　in　this　strait。〃

Cap　grumbled　and　swore；　but；　as　there　was　no　remedy；
he　was　compelled　to　acquiesce。　　Jasper；　being　now　called
on　to　explain　what　he　meant　by　the　under…tow；　gave　this
account　of　the　matter。　　The　water　that　was　driven　up　on
the　shore　by　the　gale　was　necessarily　compelled　to　find　its
level　by　returning　to　the　lake　by　some　secret　channels。
This　could　not　be　done　on　the　surface；　where　both　wind
and　waves　were　constantly　urging　it　towards　the　land；　and
it　necessarily　formed　a　sort　of　lower　eddy；　by　means　of
which　it　flowed　back　again　to　its　ancient　and　proper　bed。
This　inferior　current　had　received　the　name　of　the　under…
tow；　and；　as　it　would　necessarily　act　on　the　bottom　of　a
vessel　which　drew　as　much　water　as　the　_Scud_；　Jasper
trusted　to　the　aid　of　this　reaction　to　keep　his　cables　from
parting。　　In　short；　the　upper　and　lower　currents　would；
in　a　manner；　counteract　each　other。

Simple　and　ingenious　as　was　this　theory；　however；　as　yet
there　was　little　evidence　of　its　being　reduced　to　practice。
The　drift　continued；　though；　as　the　kedges　and　hawsers
with　which　the　anchors　were　backed　took　the　strains；　it
became　sensibly　less。　　At　length　the　man　at　the　lead　an…
nounced　the　joyful　intelligence　that　the　anchors　had　ceased
to　drag；　and　that　the　vessel　had　brought　up！　　At　this　pre…
cise　moment　the　first　line　of　breakers　was　about　a　hundred
feet　astern　of　the　_Scud_；　even　appearing　to　approach　much
nearer　as　the　foam　vanished　and　returned　on　the　raging
surges。　　Jasper　sprang　forward；　and；　casting　a　glance　over
the　bows；　he　smiled　in　triumph；　as　he　pointed　exultingly
to　the　cables。　　Instead　of　resembling　bars　of　iron　in　rigid…
ity；　as　before；　they　were　curving　downwards；　and　to　a　sea…
man's　senses　it　was　evident　that　the　cutter　rose　and　fell
on　the　seas　as　they　came　in　with　the　ease　of　a　ship　in　a
tides…way；　when　the　power　of　the　wind　is　relieved　by　the
counteracting　pressure　of　the　water。

〃'Tis　the　undertow！〃　he　exclaimed　with　delight；　fairly
bounding　along　the　deck　to　steady　the　helm；　in　order　that
the　cutter　might　ride　still　easier。　　〃Providence　has　placed
us　directly　in　its　current；　and　there　is　no　longer　any　dan…
ger。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　Providence　is　a　good　seaman；〃　growled　Cap；
〃and　often　helps　lubbers　out　of　difficulty。　　Under…tow　or
upper…tow；　the　gale　has　abated；　and；　fortunately　for　us　all；
the　anchors　have　met　with　good　holding…ground。　　Then
this　dd　fresh　water　has　an　unnatural　way　with　it。〃

Men　are　seldom　inclined　to　quarrel　with　good　fortune；
but　it　is　in　distress　that　they　grow　clamorous　and　critical。
Most　on　board　were　disposed　to　believe　that　they　had　been
saved　from　shipwreck　by　the　skill　and　knowledge　of　Jas…
per；　without　regarding　the　opinions　of　Cap；　whose　remarks
were　now　little　heeded。

There　was　half　an　hour　of　uncertainty　and　doubt；　it　is
true；　during　which　period　the　lead　was　anxiously　watched；
and　then　a　feeling　of　security　came　over　all；　and　the　weary
slept　without　dreaming　of　instant　death。



CHAPTER　XVIII。

It　is　to　be　all　made　of　sighs　and　tears；
It　is　to　be　all　made　of　faith　and　servic