the pathfinder-第85部分

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could　never　be　acquainted　with　happiness　again。



CHAPTER　XXV。

There　was　a　roaring　in　the　wind　all　night；
The　rain　came　heavily；　and　fell　in　floods；
But　now　the　sun　is　rising　calm　and　bright；
The　birds　are　singing　in　the　distant　woods。
WORDSWORTH。


As　the　light　returned；　Pathfinder　and　Cap　ascended
again　to　the　roof；　with　a　view　to　reconnoitre　the　state　of
things　once　more　on　the　island。　　This　part　of　the　block…
house　had　a　low　battlement　around　it；　which　afforded　a
considerable　protection　to　those　who　stood　in　its　centre；
the　intention　having　been　to　enable　marksmen　to　lie　be…
hind　it　and　to　fire　over　its　top。　　By　making　proper　use；
therefore；　of　these　slight　defences；　　slight　as　to　height；
though　abundantly　ample　as　far　as　they　went；　　the　two
look…outs　commanded　a　pretty　good　view　of　the　island；　its
covers　excepted；　and　of　most　of　the　channels　that　led　to
the　spot。

The　gale　was　still　blowing　very　fresh　at　south；　and　there
were　places　in　the　river　where　its　surface　looked　green　and
angry；　though　the　wind　had　hardly　sweep　enough　to　raise
the　water　into　foam。　　The　shape　of　the　little　island　was
nearly　oval；　and　its　greater　length　was　from　east　to　west。
By　keeping　in　the　channels　that　washed　it；　in　consequence
of　their　several　courses　and　of　the　direction　of　the　gale；　it
would　have　been　possible　for　a　vessel　to　range　past　the
island　on　either　of　its　principal　sides；　and　always　to　keep
the　wind　very　nearly　abeam。　　These　were　the　facts　first
noticed　by　Cap；　and　explained　to　his　companion；　for　the
hopes　of　both　now　rested　on　the　chances　of　relief　sent　from
Oswego。　　At　this　instant；　while　they　stood　gazing　anxiously
about　them；　Cap　cried　out；　in　his　lusty；　hearty　manner；

〃Sail；　ho！〃

Pathfinder　turned　quickly　in　the　direction　of　his　com…
panion's　face；　and　there；　sure　enough；　was　just　visible　the
object　of　the　old　sailor's　exclamation。　　The　elevation　en…
abled　the　two　to　overlook　the　low　land　of　several　of　the
adjacent　islands；　and　the　canvas　of　a　vessel　was　seen
through　the　bushes　that　fringed　the　shore　of　one　that　lay
to　the　southward　and　westward。　　The　stranger　was　under
what　seamen　call　low　sail；　but　so　great　was　the　power　of
the　wind；　that　her　white　outlines　were　seen　flying　past　the
openings　of　the　verdure　with　the　velocity　of　a　fast…travelling
horse　　resembling　a　cloud　driving　in　the　heavens。

〃That　cannot　be　Jasper；〃　said　Pathfinder　in　disappoint…
ment；　for　be　did　not　recognize　the　cutter　of　his　friend　in
the　swift…passing　object。　　〃No；　no；　the　lad　is　behind　the
hour；　and　that　is　some　craft　which　the　Frenchers　have
sent　to　aid　their　friends；　the　accursed　Mingos。〃

〃This　time　you　are　out　in　your　reckoning；　friend　Path…
finder；　if　you　never　were　before；〃　returned　Cap　in　a　man…
ner　that　had　lost　none　of　its　dogmatism　by　the　critical　cir…
cumstances　in　which　they　were　placed。　　〃Fresh　water　or
salt；　that　is　the　head　of　the　_Scud's_　mainsail；　for　it　is　cut
with　a　smaller　gore　than　common；　and　then　you　can　see
that　the　gaff　has　been　fished　　quite　neatly　done；　I　admit；
but　fished。〃

〃I　can　see　none　of　this；　I　confess；〃　answered　Pathfinder；
to　whom　even　the　terms　of　his　companion　were　Greek。

〃No！　　Well；　I　own　that　surprises　me；　for　I　thought
your　eyes　could　see　anything！　　Now　to　me　nothing　is
plainer　than　that　gore　and　that　fish；　and　I　must　say；　my
honest　friend；　that　in　your　place　I　should　apprehend　that
my　sight　was　beginning　to　fail。〃

〃If　Jasper　is　truly　coming；　I　shall　apprehend　but　little。
We　can　make　good　the　block　against　the　whole　Mingo　na…
tion　for　the　next　eight　or　ten　hours；　and　with　Eau…douce
to　cover　the　retreat；　I　shall　despair　of　nothing。　　God　send
that　the　lad　may　not　run　alongside　of　the　bank；　and　fall
into　an　ambushment；　as　befell　the　Sergeant！〃

〃Ay；　there's　the　danger。　　There　ought　to　have　been　sig…
nals　concerted；　and　an　anchorage…ground　buoyed　out；　and
even　a　quarantine　station　or　a　lazaretto　would　have　been
useful；　could　we　have　made　these　Minks…ho　respect　the
laws。　　If　the　lad　fetches　up；　as　you　say；　anywhere　in　the
neighborhood　of　this　island；　we　may　look　upon　the　cutter
as　lost。　　And；　after　all；　Master　Pathfinder；　ought　we　not
to　set　down　this　same　Jasper　as　a　secret　ally　of　the　French；
rather　than　as　a　friend　of　our　own？　　I　know　the　Sergeant
views　the　matter　in　that　light；　and　I　must　say　this　whole
affair　looks　like　treason。〃

〃We　shall　soon　know；　we　shall　soon　know；　Master　Cap；
for　there；　indeed；　comes　the　cutter　clear　of　the　other　island；
and　five　minutes　must　settle　the　matter。　　It　would　be　no
more　than　fair；　however；　if　we　could　give　the　boy　some
sign　in　the　way　of　warning。　　It　is　not　right　that　he　should
fall　into　the　trap　without　a　notice　that　it　has　been　laid。〃

Anxiety　and　suspense；　notwithstanding；　prevented　either
from　attempting　to　make　any　signal。　　It　was　not　easy；
truly；　to　see　how　it　could　be　done；　for　the　_Scud_　came
foaming　through　the　channel；　on　the　weather　side　of　the
island；　at　a　rate　that　scarcely　admitted　of　the　necessary
time。　　Nor　was　any　one　visible　on　her　deck　to　make　signs
to；　even　her　helm　seemed　deserted；　though　her　course　was
as　steady　as　her　progress　was　rapid。

Cap　stood　in　silent　admiration　of　a　spectacle　so　unusual。
But；　as　the　_Scud_　drew　nearer；　his　practised　eye　detected
the　helm　in　play　by　means　of　tiller…ropes；　though　the　per…
son　who　steered　was　concealed。　　As　the　cutter　had　weather…
boards　of　some　little　height；　the　mystery　was　explained；
no　doubt　remaining　that　her　people　lay　behind　the　latter；
in　order　to　be　protected　from　the　rifles　of　the　enemy。　　As
this　fact　showed　that　no　force　beyond　that　of　the　small
crew　could　be　on　board；　Pathfinder　received　his　compan…
ion's　explanation　with　an　ominous　shake　of　the　head。

〃This　proves　that　the　Sarpent　has　not　reached　Oswego；〃
said　he；　〃and　that　we　are　not　to　expect　succor　from　the
garrison。　　I　hope　Lundie　has　not　taken　it　into　his　head
to　displace　the　lad；　for　Jasper　Western　would　be　a　host　of
himself　in　such　a　strait。　　We　three；　Master　Cap；　ought　to
make　a　manful　warfare：　you；　as　a　seaman；　to　keep　up　the
intercourse　with　the　cutter；　Jasper；　as　a　laker　who　knows
all　that　is　necessary　to　be　done　on　the　water；　and　I；　with
gifts　that　are　as　good　as　any　among　the　Mingos；　let　me　be
what　I　may　in　other　particulars。　　I　say　we　ought　to　make
a　manful　fight　in　Mabel's　behalf。〃

〃That　we　ought；　and　that　we　will；〃　answered　Cap　hear…
tily；　for　he　began　to　have　more　confidence　in　the　security
of　his　scalp　now　that　he　saw　the　sun　again。　　〃I　set　down
the　arival　of　the　_Scud_　as　one　circumstance；　and　the　chances
of　Oh…deuce's　honesty　as　another。　　This　Jasper　is　a　young
man　of　prudence；　you　find；　for　he　keeps　a　good　offing；　and
seems　determined　to　know　how　matters　stand　on　the　island
before　he　ventures　to　bring　up。〃

〃I　have　it！　　I　have　it！〃　exclaimed　Pathfinder；　with　ex…
ultation。　　〃There　lies　the　canoe　of　the　Sarpent　on　the　cut…
ter's　deck；　and　the　chief　has　got　on　board；　and　no　doubt
has　given　a　true　account　of　our　condition；　for；　unlike　a
Mingo；　a　Delaware　is　sartain　to　get　a　story　right；　or　to
hold　his　tongue。〃

〃That　canoe　may　not　belong　to　the　cutter；〃　said　the
captious　seaman。　　〃Oh…deuce　had　one　on　board　when　he
sailed。〃

〃Very　true；　friend　Cap；　but　if　you　know　your　sails　and
masts　by　your　gores　and　fishes；　I　know　my　canoes　and　my
paths　by　frontier　knowledge。　　If　you　can　see　new　cloth　in
a　sail；　I　can　see　new　bark　in　a　canoe。　　That　is　the　boat　of
the　Sarpent；　and　the　noble　fellow　has　struck　off　for　the
garrison　as　soon　as　he　found　the　block　beseiged；　has　fallen
in　with　the　_Scud_；　and；　after　telling　his　story；　has　brought
the　cutter　down　here　to　see　what　can　be　done。　　The　Lord
grant　that　Jasper　Western　be　still　on　board　her！〃

〃Yes；　yes；　it　might　not　be　amiss；　for；　traitor　or　loyal；
the　lad　has　a　handy　way　with　him　in　a　gale；　it　must　be
owned。〃

〃And　in　coming　over　waterfalls！〃　said　Pathfinder；　nudg…
ing　the　ribs　of　his　companion　with　an　elbow；　and　laughing
in　his　silent　but　hearty　manner。　　〃We　will　give　the　boy
his　due；　though　he　scalps　us　all　with　his　own　hand。〃

The　_Scud_　was　now　so　near；　that　Cap　made　no　reply。
The　scene；　just　at　that　instant；　was　so　peculiar；　that　it
merits　a　particular　description；　which　may　also　aid　the
reader　in　forming　a　more　accurate　nature　of　the　picture
we　wish　to　draw。

The　gale　was　still　blowing　violently。　　Many　of　the　smaller
trees　bowed　their　tops；　as　if　ready　to　descend　to　the　earth；
while　the　rushing　of　the　wind　through　the　branches　of　the
groves　resembled　the　roar　of　distant　chariots。

The　air　was　filled　with　leaves；　which；　at　that　late　season；
were　readily　driven　from　their　stems；　and　flew　from　island
to　island　like　flights　of　birds。　　With　this　exception；　the　spot
seemed　silent　as　the　grave。　　That　the　savages　still　remained；
was　to　be　inferred　from　the　fact　that　their　canoes；　together
with　the　boats　of　the　55th；　lay　in　a　group　in　the　little　cove
that　had　been　selected　as　a　harbor。　　Otherwise；　not　a　sign
of　their　presence　was　to　be　detected。　　Though　taken　en…
tirely　by　surprise　by　the　cutter；　the　sudden　return　of　which
was　altogether　unlooked…for；　so　uniform　aud　inbred　were
their　habits　of　caution　while　on　the　war…path；　that　the　in…
stant　an　alarm　was　given　every　man　had　taken　to　his　cover
with　the　instinct　and　cunning　of　a　fox　seeking　his　hole。
The　same　stillness　reigned　in　the　blockhouse；　for　though
Pathfinder　and　Cap　could　command　a　view　of　the　chan…
nel；　they　took　the　precaution　necessary　to　lie　concealed。
The　unusual　absence　of　anything　like　animal　life　on　board
the　_Scud_；　too；　was　still　more　remarkable。　　As　the　Indians
witnessed　her　apparently　undirected　movements；　a　feeling
of　awe　gained　a　footing　among　them；　and　some　of　the　bold…
est　of　their　party　began　to　distrust　the　issue　of　an　expedi…
tion　that　had　commenced　so　prosperotisly。　　Even　Arrow…
head；　accustomed　as　he　was　to　intercourse　with　the　whites
on　both　sides　of　the　lakes；　fancied　there　was　something
ominous　in　the　appearance　of　this　unmanned　vessel；　and
he　would　gladly　at　that　moment　have　been　landed　again
on　the　main。

In　the　meantime　the　progress　of　the　cutter　was　steady
and　rapid。　　She　held　her　way　mid…channel；　now　inclining