the pathfinder-第83部分

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〃She　is　indeed　a　good　girl；　and　knows　altogether　too
much　for　poor　Pathfinder；　who　is　a　reasonable　man　and　an
experienced　man　in　his　own　way；　but　who　has　no　more
idea　of　the　main　chance　than　you　have　of　spherical　trigo…
nometry；　Sergeant。〃

〃Ah；　brother　Cap；　had　Pathfinder　been　with　us　in　the
boats　this　sad　affair　might　not　have　happened！〃

〃That　is　quite　likely；　for　his　worst　enemy　will　allow
that　the　man　is　a　good　guide；　but　then；　Sergeant；　if　the
truth　must　be　spoken；　you　have　managed　this　expedition
in　a　loose　way　altogether。　　You　should　have　hove…to　off
your　haven；　and　sent　in　a　boat　to　reconnoitre；　as　I　told
you　before。　　That　is　a　matter　to　be　repented　of？　and　I
tell　it　to　you；　because　truth；　in　such　a　case；　ought　to　be
spoken。〃

〃My　errors　are　dearly　paid　for；　brother；　and　poor　Mabel；
I　fear；　will　be　the　sufferer。　　I　think；　however；　that　the
calamity　would　not　have　happened　had　there　not　been
treason。　　I　fear　me；　brother；　that　Jasper　Eau…douce　has
played　us　false。〃

〃That　is　just　my　notion；　for　this　fresh…water　life　must
sooner　or　later　undermine　any　man's　morals。　　Lieutenant
Muir　and　myself　talked　this　matter　over　while　we　lay　in　a
bit　of　a　hole　out　here；　on　this　island；　and　we　both　came
to　the　conclusion　that　nothing　short　of　Jasper's　treachery
could　have　brought　us　all　into　this　infernal　scrape。　　Well；
Sergeant；　you　had　better　compose　your　mind；　and　think
of　other　matters；　for；　when　a　vessel　is　about　to　enter　a
strange　port；　it　is　more　prudent　to　think　of　the　anchorage
inside　than　to　be　under…running　all　the　events　that　have
turned　up　during　the　v'y'ge。　　There's　the　log…book　ex…
pressly　to　note　all　these　matters　in；　and　what　stands　there
must　form　the　column　of　figures　that's　to　be　posted　up　for
or　against　us。　　How　now；　Pathfinder！　is　there　anything　in
the　wind；　that　you　come　down　the　ladder　like　an　Indian
in　the　wake　of　a　scalp？〃

The　guide　raised　a　finger　for　silence　and　then　beckoned
to　Cap　to　ascend　the　first　ladder；　and　to　allow　Mabel　to
take　his　place　at　the　side　of　the　Sergeant。

〃We　must　be　prudent；　and　we　must　be　bold　too；〃　said
he　in　a　low　voice。　　〃The　riptyles　are　in　earnest　in　their
intention　to　fire　the　block；　for　they　know　there　is　now
nothing　to　be　gained　by　letting　it　stand。　　I　hear　the　voice
of　that　vagabond　Arrowhead　among　them；　and　he　is　urg…
ing　them　to　set　about　their　devilry　this　very　night。　　We
must　be　stirring；　Saltwater；　and　doing　too。　　Luckily　there
are　four　or　five　barrels　of　water　in　the　block；　and　these　are
something　towards　a　siege。　　My　reckoning　is　wrong；　too；
or　we　shall　yet　reap　some　advantage　from　that　honest　fel…
low's；　the　Sarpent；　being　at　liberty。〃

Cap　did　not　wait　for　a　second　invitation；　but；　stealing
away；　he　was　soon　in　the　upper　room　with　Pathfinder；
while　Mabel　took　his　post　at　the　side　of　her　father's　humble
bed。　　Pathfinder　had　opened　a　loop；　having　so　far　con…
cealed　the　light　that　it　would　not　expose　him　to　a　treacher…
ous　shot；　and；　expecting　a　summons；　he　stood　with　his
face　near　the　hole；　ready　to　answer。　　The　stillness　that
succeeded　was　at　length　broken　by　the　voice　of　Muir。

〃Master　Pathfinder；〃　called　out　the　Scotchman；　〃a
friend　summons　you　to　a　parley。　　Come　freely　to　one　of
the　loops；　for　you've　nothing　to　fear　so　long　as　you　are
in　converse　with　an　officer　of　the　55th。〃

〃What　is　your　will；　Quartermaster？　what　is　your　will？
I　know　the　55th；　and　believe　it　to　be　a　brave　regiment；
though　I　rather　incline　to　the　60th　as　my　favorite；　and　to
the　Delawares　more　than　to　either；　but　what　would　you
have；　Quartermaster？　　It　must　be　a　pressing　errand　that
brings　you　under　the　loops　of　a　blockhouse　at　this　hour　of
the　night；　with　the　sartainty　of　Killdeer　being　inside　of　it。〃

〃Oh；　you'll　no'　harm　a　friend；　Pathfinder；　I'm　certain；
and　that's　my　security。　　You're　a　man　of　judgment；　and
have　gained　too　great　a　name　on　this　frontier　for　bravery
to　feel　the　necessity　of　foolhardiness　to　obtain　a　character。
You'll　very　well　understand；　my　good　friend；　there　is　as
much　credit　to　be　gained　by　submitting　gracefully；　when
resistance　becomes　impossible；　as　by　obstinately　holding
out　contrary　to　the　rules　of　war。　　The　enemy　is　too　strong
for　us；　my　brave　comrade；　and　I　come　to　counsel　you　to
give　up　the　block；　on　condition　of　being　treated　as　a　pris…
oner　of　war。〃

〃I　thank　you　for　this　advice；　Quartermaster；　which　is
the　more　acceptable　as　it　costs　nothing；　but　I　do　not
think　it　belongs　to　my　gifts　to　yield　a　place　like　this　while
food　and　water　last。〃

〃Well；　I'd　be　the　last；　Pathfinder；　to　recommend　any…
thing　against　so　brave　a　resolution；　did　I　see　the　means　of
maintaining　it。　　But　ye'll　remember　that　Master　Cap　has
fallen。〃

〃Not　he；　not　he！〃　roared　the　individual　in　question
through　another　loop；　〃and　so　far　from　that；　Lieutenant；
he　has　risen　to　the　height　of　this　here　fortification；　and
has　no　mind　to　put　his　head　of　hair　into　the　hands　of　such
barbers　again；　so　long　as　he　can　help　it。　　I　look　upon　this
blockhouse　as　a　circumstance；　and　have　no　mind　to　throw
it　away。〃

〃If　that　is　a　living　voice；〃　returned　Muir；　〃I　am　glad
to　hear　it；　for　we　all　thought　the　man　had　fallen　in　the
late　fearful　confusion。　　But；　Master　Pathfinder；　although
ye're　enjoying　the　society　of　our　friend　Cap；　　and　a　great
pleasure　do　I　know　it　to　be；　by　the　experience　of　two　days
and　a　night　passed　in　a　hole　in　the　earth；　　we've　lost　that
of　Sergeant　Dunham；　who　has　fallen；　with　all　the　brave
men　he　led　in　the　late　expedition。　　Lundie　would　have　it
so；　though　it　would　have　been　more　discreet　and　becoming
to　send　a　commissioned　officer　in　command。　　Dunham　was
a　brave　man；　notwithstanding；　and　shall　have　justice　done
his　memory。　　In　short；　we　have　all　acted　for　the　best；　and
that　is　as　much　as　could　be　said　in　favor　of　Prince　Eugene；
the　Duke　of　Marlborough；　or　the　great　Earl　of　Stair　him…
self。〃

〃You're　wrong　ag'in；　Quartermaster；　you're　wrong
ag'in；〃　answered　Pathfinder；　resorting　to　a　ruse　to　magnify
his　force。　　〃The　Sergeant　is　safe　in　the　block　too；　where
one　might　say　the　whole　family　is　collected。〃

〃Well　I　rejoice　to　hear　it；　for　we　had　certainly　counted
the　Sergeant　among　the　slain。　　If　pretty　Mabel　is　in　the
block　still；　let　her　not　delay　an　instant；　for　heaven's　sake；
in　quitting　it；　for　the　enemy　is　about　to　put　it　to　the　trial
by　fire。　　Ye　know　the　potency　of　that　dread　element；　and
will　be　acting　more　like　the　discreet　and　experienced　war…
rior　ye're　universally　allowed　to　be；　in　yielding　a　place　you
canna'　defend；　than　in　drawing　down　ruin　on　yourself　and
companions。〃

〃I　know　the　potency　of　fire；　as　you　call　it；　Quarter…
master；　and　am　not　to　be　told；　at　this　late　hour；　that　it
can　be　used　for　something　else　besides　cooking　a　dinner。
But　I　make　no　doubt　you've　heard　of　the　potency　of　Kill…
deer；　and　the　man　who　attempts　to　lay　a　pile　of　brush
against　these　logs　will　get　a　taste　of　his　power。　　As　for
arrows；　it　is　not　in　their　gift　to　set　this　building　on　fire；
for　we've　no　shingles　on　our　roof；　but　good　solid　logs　and
green　bark；　and　plenty　of　water　besides。　　The　roof　is　so
flat；　too；　as　you　know　yourself；　Quartermaster；　that　we　can
walk　on　it；　and　so　no　danger　on　that　score　while　water
lasts。　　I'm　peaceable　enough　if　let　alone；　but　he　who　en…
divors　to　burn　this　block　over　my　head　will　find　the　fire
squinched　in　his　own　blood。〃

〃This　is　idle　and　romantic　talk；　Pathfinder；　and　ye'll
no　maintain　it　yourself　when　ye　come　to　meditate　on　the
realities。　　I　hope　ye'll　no'　gainsay　the　loyalty　or　the　cour…
age　of　the　55th；　and　I　feel　convinced　that　a　council　of　war
would　decide　on　the　propriety　of　a　surrender　forthwith。
Na；　na；　Pathfinder；　foolhardiness　is　na　mair　like　the　brav…
ery　o'　Wallace　or　Bruce　than　Albany　on　the　Hudson　is　like
the　old　town　of　Edinbro'。〃

〃As　each　of　us　seems　to　have　made　up　his　mind；　Quar…
termaster；　more　words　are　useless。　　If　the　riptyles　near
you　are　disposed　to　set　about　their　hellish　job；　let　them
begin　at　once。　　They　can　burn　wood；　and　I'll　burn　pow…
der。　　If　I　were　an　Indian　at　the　stake；　I　suppose　I　could
brag　as　well　as　the　rest　of　them；　but；　my　gifts　and　natur'
being　both　white；　my　turn　is　rather　for　doing　than　talk…
ing。　　You've　said　quite　enough；　considering　you　carry　the
king's　commission；　and　should　we　all　be　consumed；　none
of　us　will　bear　you　any　malice。〃

〃Pathfinder；　ye'll　no'　be　exposing　Mabel；　pretty　Mabel
Dunham；　to　sic'　a　calamity！〃

〃Mabel　Dunham　is　by　the　side　of　her　wounded　father；
and　God　will　care　for　the　safety　of　a　pious　child。　　Not　a
hair；　of　her　head　shall　fall；　while　my　arm　and　sight　remain
true；　and　though　_you_　may　trust　the　Mingos；　Master　Muir；
I　put　no　faith　in　them。　　You've　a　knavish　Tuscarora　in
your　company　there；　who　has　art　and　malice　enough　to
spoil　the　character　of　any　tribe　with　which　he　consorts；
though　he　found　the　Mingos　ready　ruined　to　his　hands；　I
fear。　　But　enough　said；　now　let　each　party　go　to　the　use
of　his　means　and　his　gifts。〃

Throughout　this　dialogue　Pathfinder　had　kept　his　body
covered；　lest　a　treacherous　shot　should　be　aimed　at　the
loop；　and　he　now　directed　Cap　to　ascend　to　the　roof　in
order　to　be　in　readiness　to　meet　the　first　assault。　　Al…
though　the　latter　used　sufficient　diligence；　he　found　no
less　than　ten　blazing　arrows　sticking　to　the　bark；　while
the　air　was　filled　with　the　yells　and　whoops　of　the　enemy。
A　rapid　discharge　of　rifles　followed；　and　the　bullets　came
pattering　against　the　logs；　in　a　way　to　show　that　the　strug…
gle　had　indeed　seriously　commenced。

These　were　sounds；　however；　that　appalled　neither　Path…
finder　nor　Cap；　while　Mabel　was　too　much　absorbed　in　her
affliction　to　feel　alarm。　　She　had　good　sense　enough；　too；
to　understand　the　nature　of　the　defences；　and　fully　to　ap…
preciate　their　importance。　　As　for　her　father；　the　familiar
noises　revived　him；　and　it　pained　his　child；　at　such　a
moment；　to　see　that　his　glassy　eye　began　to　kindle；　and
that　the　blood　returned　to　a　cheek　it　had　deserted；　as　he
listened　to　the　uproar。　　It　was　now　Mabel　first　perceived
that　his　reason　began　slightly　to　wander。

〃Order　up　the　light　companies；〃　he　muttered；　〃and　let
the　grenadiers　charge！　　Do　they　dare　to　attack　u