the pathfinder-第70部分

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to　retreat　by　that　channel　opposite；　where　all　in　it　would
be　hid　by　the　islands　in　one　or　two　minutes。　　Water　leaves
no　trail；　as　Pathfinder　well　expresses　it；　and　there　appears
to　be　so　many　different　passages　in　that　quarter　that　escape
would　be　more　than　probable。　　I've　always　been　of　opin…
ion　that　Lundie　hazarded　too　much　in　occupying　a　post　so
far　advanced　and　so　much　exposed　as　this。〃

〃It's　too　late　to　regret　it　now；　Mr。　Muir；　and　we　have
only　to　consult　our　own　security。〃

〃And　the　king's　honor；　pretty　Mabel。　　Yes；　his　Majesty's
arms　and　his　glorious　name　are　not　to　be　overlooked　on
any　occasion。〃

〃Then　I　think　it　might　be　better　if　we　all　turned　our
eyes　towards　the　place　that　has　been　built　to　maintain
them　instead　of　the　boat；〃　said　Mabel；　smiling；　〃and　so；
Mr。　Muir；　I　am　for　the　blockhouse；　intending　to　await
there　the　return　of　my　father　and　his　party。　　He　would　be
sadly　grieved　at　finding　we　had　fled　when　he　got　back　suc…
cessful　himself；　and　filled　with　the　confidence　of　our　having
been　as　faithful　to　our　duties　as　he　has　been　to　his　own。〃

〃Nay；　nay；　for　heaven's　sake；　do　not　misunderstand　me；
Mabel！〃　Muir　interrupted；　with　some　alarm　of　manner；
〃I　am　far　from　intimating　that　any　but　you　females　ought
to　take　refuge　in　the　boat。　　The　duty　of　us　men　is　suffi…
ciently　plain；　no　doubt；　and　my　resolution　has　been　formed
from　the　first　to　stand　or　fall　by　the　blockhouse。〃

〃And　did　you　imagine；　Mr。　Muir；　that　two　females　could
row　that　heavy　boat　in　a　way　to　escape　the　bark　canoe　of
an　Indian？〃

〃Ah；　my　pretty　Mabel；　love　is　seldom　logical；　and　its
fears　and　misgivings　are　apt　to　warp　the　faculties。　　I　only
saw　your　sweet　person　in　the　possession　of　the　means　of
safety；　and　overlooked　the　want　of　ability　to　use　them；
but　you'll　not　be　so　cruel；　lovely　creature；　as　to　impute　to
me　as　a　fault　my　intense　anxiety　on　your　own　account。〃

Mabel　had　heard　enough：　her　mind　was　too　much　oc…
cupied　with　what　had　passed　that　morning；　and　with　her
fears；　to　wish　to　linger　longer　to　listen　to　love　speeches；
which　in　her　most　joyous　and　buoyant　moments　she　would
have　found　unpleasant。　　She　took　a　hasty　leave　of　her
companion；　and　was　about　to　trip　away　towards　the　hilt　of
the　other　woman；　when　Muir　arrested　the　movement　by
laying　a　hand　on　her　arm。

〃One　word；　Mabel；〃　said　he；　〃before　you　leave　me。　　This
little　flag　may；　or　it　may　not；　have　a　particular　meaning；
if　it　has；　now　that　we　are　aware　of　its　being　shown；　may　it
not　be　better　to　put　it　back　again；　while　we　watch　vigilantly
for　some　answer　that　may　betray　the　conspiracy；　and　if　it
mean　nothing；　why；　nothing　will　follow。〃

〃This　may　be　all　right；　Mr。　Muir；　though；　if　the　whole
is　accidental；　the　flag　might　be　the　occasion　of　the　fort's
being　discovered。

Mabel　stayed　to　utter　no　more；　but　she　was　soon　out　of
sight；　running　into　the　hut　towards　which　she　had　been　first
proceeding。　　The　Quartermaster　remained　on　the　very　spot
and　in　the　precise　attitude　in　which　she　had　left　him　for
quite　a　minute；　first　looking　at　the　bounding　figure　of　the
girl　and　then　at　the　bit　of　bunting；　which　he　still　held　be…
fore　him　in　a　way　to　denote　indecision。　　His　irresolution
lasted　but　for　this　minute；　however；　for　he　was　soon　be…
neath　the　tree；　where　he　fastened　the　mimic　flag　to　a　branch
again；　though；　from　his　ignorance　of　the　precise　spot　from
which　it　had　been　taken　by　Mabel；　he　left　it　fluttering
from　a　part　of　the　oak　where　it　was　still　more　exposed　than
before　to　the　eyes　of　any　passenger　on　the　river；　though
less　in　view　from　the　island　itself。



CHAPTER　XXI。

Each　one　has　had　his　supping　mess；
The　cheese　is　put　into　the　press；
The　pans　and　bowls；　clean　scalded　all；
Reared　up　against　the　milk…house　wall。
COTTON。


It　seemed　strange　to　Mabel　Dunham；　as　she　passed　along
on　her　way　to　find　her　female　companion；　that　others
should　be　so　composed；　while　she　herself　felt　as　if　the　re…
sponsibilities　of　life　and　death　rested　on　her　shoulders。　　It
is　true　that　distrust　of　June's　motives　mingled　with　her
forebodings；　but　when　she　came　to　recall　the　affectionate
and　natural　manner　of　the　young　Indian　girl；　and　all　the
evidences　of　good　faith　and　sincerity　she　had　seen　in　her
conduct　during　the　familiar　intercourse　of　their　journey；
she　rejected　the　idea　with　the　unwillingness　of　a　generous
disposition　to　believe　ill　of　others。　　She　saw；　however；　that
she　could　not　put　her　companions　properly　on　their　guard
without　letting　them　into　the　secret　of　her　conference　with
June；　and　she　found　herself　compelled　to　act　cautiously
and　with　a　forethought　to　which　she　was　unaccustomed；
more　especially　in　a　matter　of　so　much　moment。

The　soldier's　wife　was　told　to　transport　the　necessaries
into　the　blockhouse；　and　admonished　not　to　be　far　from　it
at　any　time　during　the　day。　　Mabel　did　not　explain　her
reasons。　　She　merely　stated　that　she　had　detected　some
signs　in　walking　about　the　island；　which　induced　her　to
apprehend　that　the　enemy　had　more　knowledge　of　its　po…
sition　than　had　been　previously　believed；　and　that　they
two　at　least；　would　do　well　to　be　in　readiness　to　seek　a
refuge　at　the　shortest　notice。　　It　was　not　difficult　to　arouse
the　apprehension　of　this　person；　who；　though　a　stout…
hearted　Scotchwoman；　was　ready　enough　to　listen　to　any…
thing　that　confirmed　her　dread　of　Indian　cruelties。　　As
soon　as　Mabel　believed　that　her　companion　was　sufficiently
frightened　to　make　her　wary；　she　threw　out　some　hints
touching　the　inexpediency　of　letting　the　soldiers　know　the
extent　of　their　own　fears。　　This　was　done　with　a　view　to
prevent　discussions　and　inquiries　that　might　embarrass
our　heroine：　she　determining　to　render　her　uncle；　the　Cor…
poral；　and　his　men　more　cautious；　by　adopting　a　different
course。　　Unfortunately；　the　British　army　could　not　have
furnished　a　worse　person　for　the　particular　duty　that　he
was　now　required　to　discharge　than　Corporal　M'Nab；　the
individual　who　had　been　left　in　command　during　the　ab…
sence　of　Sergeant　Dunham。　　On　the　one　hand；　he　was　res…
olute；　prompt；　familiar　with　all　the　details　of　a　soldier's
life；　and　used　to　war；　on　the　other；　he　was　supercilious　as
regards　the　provincials；　opinionated　on　every　subject　con…
nected　with　the　narrow　limits　of　his　professional　practice；
much　disposed　to　fancy　the　British　empire　the　centre　of
all　that　is　excellent　in　the　world；　and　Scotland　the　focus
of；　at　least；　all　moral　excellence　in　that　empire。　　In　short；
he　was　an　epitome；　though　on　a　scale　suited　to　his　rank；
of　those　very　qualities　which　were　so　peculiar　to　the　serv…
ants　of　the　Crown　that　were　sent　into　the　colonies；　as　these
servants　estimated　themselves　in　comparison　with　the　na…
tives　of　the　country；　or；　in　other　words；　he　considered　the
American　as　an　animal　inferior　to　the　parent　stock；　and
viewed　all　his　notions　of　military　service；　in　particular；　as
undigested　and　absurd。　　A　more　impracticable　subject；
therefore；　could　not　well　have　offered　for　the　purpose　of
Mabel；　and　yet　she　felt　obliged　to　lose　no　time　in　putting
her　plan　in　execution。

〃My　father　has　left　you　a　responsible　command；　Corpo…
ral；〃　she　said；　as　soon　as　she　could　catch　M'Nab　a　little
apart；　〃for　should　the　island　fall　into　the　hands　of　the
enemy；　not　only　should　we　be　captured；　but　the　party　that
is　now　out　would　in　all　probability　become　their　prisoners
also。〃

〃It　needs　no　journey　from　Scotland　to　this　place　to
know　the　facts　needful　to　be　o'　that　way　of　thinking。〃　re…
turned　M'Nab　drily。

〃I　do　not　doubt　your　understanding　it　as　well　as　myelf；
Mr。　M'Nab；　but　I'm　fearful　that　you　veterans；　accustomed
as　you　are　to　dangers　and　battles；　are　a　little　apt　to　overlook
some　of　the　precautions　that　may　be　necessary　in　a　situa…
tion　as　peculiar　as　ours。〃

〃They　say　Scotland　is　no　conquered　country；　young
woman；　but　I'm　thinking　there　must　be　some　mistak'　in
the　matter；　as　we；　her　children；　are　so　drowsy…headed　and
apt　to　be　o'ertaken　when　we　least　expect　it。〃

〃Nay；　my　good　friend；　you　mistake　my　meaning。　　In
the　first　place；　I'm　not　thinking　of　Scotland　at　all；　but　of
this　island；　and　then　I　am　far　from　doubting　your　vigi…
lance　when　you　think　it　necessary　to　practise　it；　but　my
great　fear　is　that　there　may　be　danger　to　whicb　your　cour…
age　will　make　you　indifferent。〃

〃My　courage；　Mistress　Dunham；　is　doubtless　of　a　very
pool　quality；　being　nothing　but　Scottish　courage；　your
father's　is　Yankee；　and　were　he　here　amang　us　we　should
see　different　preparations；　beyond　a　doubt。　　Well；　times
are　getting　wrang；　when　foreigners　hold　commissions　and
carry　halberds　in　Scottish　corps；　and　I　no　wonder　that
battles　are　lost；　and　campaigns　go　wrang　end　foremost。〃

Mabel　was　almost　in　despair；　but　the　quiet　warning　of
June　was　still　too　vividly　impressed　on　her　mind　to　allow
her　to　yield　the　matter。　　She　changed　her　mode　of　operat…
ing；　therefore；　still　clinging　to　the　hope　of　getting　the
whole　party　within　the　blockhouse；　without　being　corn…
pelled　to　betray　the　source　whence　she　obtained　her　notices
of　the　necessity　of　vigilance。

〃I　daresay　you　are　right；　Corporal　M'Nab；〃　she　ob…
served；　〃for　I've　often　heard　of　tbe　heroes　of　your　coun…
try；　who　have　been　among　the　first　of　tbe　civilized　world；
if　what　they　tell　me　of　them　is　true。〃

〃Have　you　read　the　history　of　Scotland；　Mistress　Dun…
ham？〃　demanded　the　Corporal；　looking　up　at　his　pretty
companion；　for　the　first　time　with　something　like　a　smile
on　his　hard；　repulsive　countenance。

〃I　have　read　a　little　of　it；　Corporal；　but　I've　heard　much
more。　　The　lady　who　brought　me　up　had　Scottish　blood
in　her　veins；　and　was　fond　of　the　subject。〃

〃I'll　warrant　ye；　the　Sergeant　no'　troubled　himself　to
expatiate　on　the　renown　of　the　country　where　his　regiment
was　raised？〃

〃My　father　has　other　things　to　think　of；　and　the　little
I　know　was　got　from　the　lady　I　have　mentioned。〃

〃She'll　no'　be　forgetting　to　tall　ye　o'　Wallace？〃

〃Of　him　I've　even　read　a　good　deal。〃

〃And　o'　Bruce；　and　the　affair　of　Bannockburn？〃

〃Of　that　too；　as　well　as　of　Culloden　Muir。〃

The　last　of　these　battles　was　then　a　recent　event；　it　hav…
ing　actually　been　fought　within　the　recollection　of　our
heroine；　whose