the pathfinder-第12章

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a　portion　of　what　was　said。

〃The　trail　is　washed　away　by　the　water！〃　said　one　from
below；　who　stood　so　near　the　artificial　cover　of　the　fugi…
tives；　that　he　might　have　been　struck　by　the　salmon…spear
that　lay　in　the　bottom　of　Jasper's　canoe。　　〃Water　has
washed　it　so　clear　that　a　Yengeese　hound　could　not　follow。〃

〃The　pale…faces　have　left　the　shore　in　their　canoes；〃
answered　the　speaker　on　the　bank。

〃It　cannot　be。　　The　rifles　of　our　warriors　below　are
certain。〃

The　Pathfinder　gave　a　significant　glance　at　Jasper；　and
he　clinched　his　teeth　in　order　to　suppress　the　sound　of　his
own　breathing。

〃Let　my　young　men　look　as　if　their　eyes　were　eagles'；〃
said　the　eldest　warrior　among　those　who　were　wading　in
the　river。　　〃We　have　been　a　whole　moon　on　the　war…path；
and　have　found　but　one　scalp。　　There　is　a　maiden　among
them；　and　some　of　our　braves　want　wives。〃

Happily　these　words　were　lost　on　Mabel；　but　Jasper's
frown　became　deeper；　and　his　face　fiercely　flushed。

The　savages　now　ceased　speaking；　and　the　party　which
was　concealed　heard　the　slow　and　guarded　movements　of
those　who　were　on　the　bank；　as　they　pushed　the　bushes
aside　in　their　wary　progress。　　It　was　soon　evident　that
the　latter　had　passed　the　cover；　but　the　group　in　the　water
still　remained；　scanning　the　shore　with　eyes　that　glared
through　their　war…paint　like　coals　of　living　fire。　　After　a
pause　of　two　or　three　minutes；　these　three　began　also　to
descend　the　stream；　though　it　was　step　by　step；　as　men
move　who　look　for　an　object　that　has　been　lost。　　In　this
manner　they　passed　the　artificial　screen；　and　Pathfinder
opened　his　mouth　in　that　hearty　but　noiseless　laugh　that
nature　and　habit　had　contributed　to　render　a　peculiarity
of　the　man。　　His　triumph；　however；　was　premature；　for
the　last　of　the　retiring　party；　just　at　this　moment　casting
a　look　behind　him；　suddenly　stopped；　and　his　fixed　atti…
tude　and　steady　gaze　at　once　betrayed　the　appalling　fact
that　some　neglected　bush　had　awakened　his　suspicions。

It　was　perhaps　fortunate　for　the　concealed　that　the
warrior　who　manifested　these　fearful　signs　of　distrust　was
young；　and　had　still　a　reputation　to　acquire。　　He　knew
the　importance　of　discretion　and　modesty　in　one　of　his
years；　and　most　of　all　did　he　dread　the　ridicule　and　con…
tempt　that　would　certainly　follow　a　false　alarm。　　Without
recalling　any　of　his　companions；　therefore；　he　turned　on
his　own　footsteps；　and；　while　the　others　continued　to　de…
scend　the　river；　he　cautiously　approached　the　bushes；　on
which　his　looks　were　still　fastened；　as　by　a　charm。　　Some
of　the　leaves　which　were　exposed　to　the　sun　had　drooped
a　little；　and　this　slight　departure　from　the　usual　natural
laws　had　caught　the　quick　eyes　of　the　Indian；　for　so　prac…
tised　and　acute　do　the　senses　of　the　savage　become；　more
especially　when　he　is　on　the　war…path；　that　trifles　appar…
ently　of　the　most　insignificant　sort　often　prove　to　be　clues
to　lead　him　to　his　object。

The　trifling　nature　of　the　change　which　had　aroused　the
suspicion　of　this　youth　was　an　additional　motive　for　not
acquainting　his　companions　with　his　discovery。　　Should
he　really　detect　anything；　his　glory　would　be　the　greater
for　being　unshared；　and　should　he　not；　he　might　hope　to
escape　that　derision　which　the　young　Indian　so　much
dreads。　　Then　there　were　the　dangers　of　an　ambush　and
a　surprise；　to　which　every　warrior　of　the　woods　is　keenly
alive；　to　render　his　approach　slow　and　cautious。　　In　con…
sequence　of　the　delay　that　proceeded　from　these　combined
causes；　the　two　parties　had　descended　some　fifty　or　sixty
yards　before　the　young　savage　was　again　near　enough　to
the　bushes　of　the　Pathfinder　to　touch　them　with　his　hand。

Notwithstanding　their　critical　situation；　the　whole　party
behind　the　cover　had　their　eyes　fastened　on　the　working
countenance　of　the　young　Iroquois；　who　was　agitated　by
conflicting　feelings。　　First　came　the　eager　hope　of　obtain…
ing　success　where　some　of　the　most　experienced　of　his　tribe
had　failed；　and　with　it　a　degree　of　glory　that　had　seldom
fallen　to　the　share　of　one　of　his　years　or　a　brave　on　his
first　war…path；　then　followed　doubts；　as　the　drooping
leaves　seemed　to　rise　again　and　to　revive　in　the　currents
of　air；　and　distrust　of　hidden　danger　lent　its　exciting
feeling　to　keep　the　eloquent　features　in　play。　　So　very
slight；　however；　had　been　the　alteration　produced　by　the
heat　on　the　bushes　of　which　the　stems　were　in　the　water；
that　when　the　Iroquois　actually　laid　his　hand　on　the
leaves；　he　fancied　that　he　had　been　deceived。　　As　no　man
ever　distrusts　strongly　without　using　all　convenient　means
of　satisfying　his　doubts；　however；　the　young　warrior　cau…
tiously　pushed　aside　the　branches　and　advanced　a　step
within　the　hiding…place；　when　the　forms　of　the　concealed
party　met　his　gaze；　resembling　so　many　breathless　statues。
The　low　exclamation；　the　slight　start；　and　the　glaring　eye；
were　hardly　seen　and　heard；　before　the　arm　of　Chingach…
gook　was　raised；　and　the　tomahawk　of　the　Delaware　de…
scended　on　the　shaven　head　of　his　foe。　　The　Iroquois
raised　his　hands　frantically；　bounded　backward；　and　fell
into　the　water；　at　a　spot　where　the　current　swept　the　body
away；　the　struggling　limbs　still　tossing　and　writhing　in
the　agony　of　death。　　The　Delaware　made　a　vigorous　but
unsuccessful　attempt　to　seize　an　arm；　with　the　hope　of
securing　the　scalp；　but　the　bloodstained　waters　whirled
down　the　current；　carrying　with　them　their　quivering
burthen。

All　this　passed　in　less　than　a　minute；　and　the　events
were　so　sudden　and　unexpected；　that　men　less　accustomed
than　the　Pathfinder　and　his　associates　to　forest　warfare
would　have　been　at　a　loss　how　to　act。

〃There　is　not　a　moment　to　lose；〃　said　Jasper；　tearing
aside　the　bushes；　as　he　spoke　earnestly；　but　in　a　suppressed
voice。　　〃Do　as　I　do；　Master　Cap；　if　you　would　save　your
niece；　and　you；　Mabel；　lie　at　your　length　in　the　canoe。〃

The　words　were　scarcely　uttered　when；　seizing　the　bow
of　the　light　boat　he　dragged　it　along　the　shore；　wading
himself；　while　Cap　aided　behind；　keeping　so　near　the　bank
as　to　avoid　being　seen　by　the　savages　below；　and　striving
to　gain　the　turn　in　the　river　above　him　which　would　ef…
fectually　conceal　the　party　from　the　enemy。　　The　Path…
finder's　canoe　lay　nearest　to　the　bank；　and　was　necessarily
the　last　to　quit　the　shore。　　The　Delaware　leaped　on　the　nar…
row　strand　and　plunged　into　the　forest；　it　being　his　assigned
duty　to　watch　the　foe　in　that　quarter；　while　Arrowhead
motioned　to　his　white　companion　to　seize　the　bow　of　the
boat　and　to　follow　Jasper。　　All　this　was　the　work　of　an
instant；　but　when　the　Pathfinder　reached　the　current　that
was　sweeping　round　the　turn；　he　felt　a　sudden　change　in
the　weight　he　was　dragging；　and；　looking　back；　he　found
that　both　the　Tuscarora　and　his　wife　had　deserted　him。
The　thought　of　treachery　flashed　upon　his　mind；　but　there
was　no　time　to　pause；　for　the　wailing　shout　that　arose　from
the　party　below　proclaimed　that　the　body　of　the　young
Iroquois　had　floated　as　low　as　the　spot　reached　by　his
friends。　　The　report　of　a　rifle　followed；　and　then　the
guide　saw　that　Jasper；　having　doubled　the　bend　in　the
river；　was　crossing　the　stream；　standing　erect　in　the　stern
of　the　canoe；　while　Cap　was　seated　forward；　both　propel…
ling　the　light　boat　with　vigorous　strokes　of　the　paddles。
A　glance；　a　thought；　and　an　expedient　followed　each　other
quickly　in　one　so　trained　in　the　vicissitudes　of　the　frontier
warfare。　　Springing　into　the　stern　of　his　own　canoe；　he
urged　it　by　a　vigorous　shove　into　the　current；　and　com…
menced　crossing　the　stream　himself；　at　a　point　so　much
lower　than　that　of　his　companions　as　to　offer　his　own
person　for　a　target　to　the　enemy；　well　knowing　that　their
keen　desire　to　secure　a　scalp　would　control　all　other　feelings。

〃Keep　well　up　the　current；　Jasper；〃　shouted　the　gallant
guide；　as　he　swept　the　water　with　long；　steady；　vigorous
strokes　of　the　paddle；　〃keep　well　up　the　current；　and　pull
for　the　alder　bushes　opposite。　　Presarve　the　Sergeant's
daughter　before　all　things；　and　leave　these　Mingo　knaves
to　the　Sarpent　and　me。〃

Jasper　flourished　his　paddle　as　a　signal　of　understand…
ing；　while　shot　succeeded　shot　in　quick　succession；　all　now
being　aimed　at　the　solitary　man　in　the　nearest　canoe。

〃Ay；　empty　your　rifles　like　simpletons　as　you　are；〃　said
the　Pathfinder；　who　had　acquired　a　habit　of　speaking　when
alone；　from　passing　so　much　of　his　time　in　the　solitude　of
the　forest；　〃empty　your　rifles　with　an　unsteady　aim；　and
give　me　time　to　put　yard　upon　yard　of　river　between　us。
I　will　not　revile　you　like　a　Delaware　or　a　Mohican；　for　my
gifts　are　a　white　man's　gifts；　and　not　an　Indian's；　and
boasting　in　battle　is　no　part　of　a　Christian　warrior；　but　I
may　say　here；　all　alone　by　myself；　that　you　are　little　better
than　so　many　men　from　the　town　shooting　at　robins　in
the　orchards。　　That　was　well　meant；〃　throwing　back　his
head；　as　a　rifle　bullet　cut　a　lock　of　hair　from　his　temple；
〃but　the　lead　that　misses　by　an　inch　is　as　useless　as　the
lead　that　never　quits　the　barrel。　　Bravely　done；　Jasper！
the　Sergeant's　sweet　child　must　be　saved；　even　if　we　go　in
without　our　own　scalps。〃

By　this　time　the　Pathfinder　was　in　the　centre　of　the
river；　and　almost　abreast　of　his　enemies；　while　the　other
canoe；　impelled　by　the　vigorous　arms　of　Cap　and　Jasper；
had　nearly　gained　the　opposite　shore　at　the　precise　spot
that　had　been　pointed　out　to　them。　　The　old　mariner　now
played　his　part　manfully；　for　he　was　on　his　proper　ele…
ment；　loved　his　niece　sincerely；　had　a　proper　regard　for
his　own　person；　and　was　not　unused　to　fire；　though　his
experience　certainly　lay　in　a　very　different　species　of
warfare。　　A　few　strokes　of　the　paddles　were　given；　and
the　canoe　shot　into　the　bushes；　Mabel　was　hurried　to　land
by　Jasper；　and　for　the　present　all　three　of　the　fugitives
were　safe。

Not　so　with　the　Pathfinder：　his　hardy　self…devotion
had　brought　him　into　a　situation　of　unusual　exposure；　the
hazards　of　which　were　much　increased　by　the　fact　that；
just　as　he　drifted　nearest　to　the　enemy　the　party　on　the
shore　rushed　down　the　bank　and　joined　their　friends　who
still　stood　in　the　water。　　The　Oswego　was　about　a　cable's
length　in　width　at　this　point；　and；　the　canoe　being　in　the
centre；　the　object　was　only　a　hundred　yards　from　the　rifles
that　were　constantly　discharged　at　it；　or；　at　the　usual
target　distance　for　that　weapon。

In　this　extremity　the　steadiness　and　skill　of　the　Path…
finder　did　him　good　service。　　He　knew　that　his　safety　de…
pended　altogether　on　keeping　in　motion；　for　a　stationary
object　at　that　distance；　would　have　been　hit　nearly　every
shot。　　Nor　was　motion　of　itself　sufficient；　for；　accustomed
to　kill　the　bounding　deer；　his　enemies　probably　knew　how
to　vary　the　line　of　aim　so　as　to　strike　him；　should　he　con…
tinue　to　move　in　any　one　direction。　　He　was　consequently
compelled　to　change　the　course　of　the　canoe；　　at　one　mo…
ment　shooting　down　with　the　current；　with　the　swiftness
of　an　arrow；　and　at　the　next　checking　its　progress　in　that
direction；　to　glance　athwart　the　stream。　　Luckily　the
Iroquois　could　not　reload　their　pieces　in　the　water；　and　the
bushes　that　everywhere　fringed　the