the pathfinder-第16章

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expedients　for　passing　so　narrow　a　stream；　that　the　Path…
finder　was　getting　impatient　to　quit　the　spot。　　While
Jasper　and　his　companion　entered　the　river；　armed　with
nothing　but　their　knives　and　the　Delaware's　tomahawk；
observing　the　greatest　caution　not　to　betray　their　move…
ments；　the　guide　brought　Mabel　from　her　place　of　conceal…
ment；　and；　bidding　her　and　Cap　proceed　along　the　shore
to　the　foot　of　the　rapids；　he　got　into　the　canoe　that
remained　in　his　possession；　in　order　to　carry　it　to　the　same
place。

This　was　easily　effected。　　The　canoe　was　laid　against
the　bank；　and　Mabel　and　her　uncle　entered　it；　taking
their　seats　as　usual；　while　the　Pathfinder；　erect　in　the
stern；　held　by　a　bush；　in　order　to　prevent　the　swift　stream
from　sweeping　them　down　its　current。　　Several　minutes
of　intense　and　breathless　expectation　followed；　while　they
awaited　the　results　of　the　bold　attempt　of　their　comrades。

It　will　be　understood　that　the　two　adventurers　were
compelled　to　swim　across　a　deep　and　rapid　channel　before
they　could　reach　a　part　of　the　rift　that　admitted　of　wad…
ing。　　This　portion　of　the　enterprise　was　soon　effected；
and　Jasper　and　the　Serpent　struck　the　bottom　side　by
side　at　the　same　instant。　　Having　secured　firm　footing；
they　took　hold　of　each　other's　hands；　and　waded　slowly
and　with　extreme　caution　in　the　supposed　direction　of　the
canoe。　　But　the　darkness　was　already　so　deep　that　they
soon　ascertained　they　were　to　be　but　little　aided　by　the
sense　of　sight；　and　that　their　search　must　be　conducted
on　that　species　of　instinct　which　enables　the　woodsman　to
find　his　way　when　the　sun　is　hid；　no　stars　appear；　and　all
would　seem　chaos　to　one　less　accustomed　to　the　mazes　of
the　forest。　　Under　these　circumstances；　Jasper　submitted
to　be　guided　by　the　Delaware；　whose　habits　best　fitted　him
to　take　the　lead。　　Still　it　was　no　easy　matter　to　wade　amid
the　roaring　element　at　that　hour；　and　retain　a　clear　recol…
lection　of　the　localities。　　By　the　time　they　believed　them…
selves　to　be　in　the　centre　of　the　stream；　the　two　shores
were　discernible　merely　by　masses　of　obscurity　denser　than
common；　the　outlines　against　the　clouds　being　barely　dis…
tinguishable　by　the　ragged　tops　of　the　trees。　　Once　or
twice　the　wanderers　altered　their　course；　in　consequence
of　unexpectedly　stepping　into　deep　water；　for　they　knew
that　the　boat　had　lodged　on　the　shallowest　part　of　the　rift。
In　short；　with　this　fact　for　their　compass；　Jasper　and　his
companion　wandered　about　in　the　water　for　nearly　a　quar…
ter　of　an　hour；　and　at　the　end　of　that　period；　which　began
to　appear　interminable　to　the　young　man；　they　found
themselves　apparently　no　nearer　the　object　of　their　search
than　they　had　been　at　its　commencement。　　Just　as　the
Delaware　was　about　to　stop；　in　order　to　inform　his　associate
that　they　would　do　well　to　return　to　the　land；　in　order　to
take　a　fresh　departure；　he　saw　the　form　of　a　man　moving
about　in　the　water；　almost　within　reach　of　his　arm。　　Jas…
per　was　at　his　side；　and　he　at　once　understood　that　the
Iroquois　were　engaged　on　the　same　errand　as　he　was　himself。

〃Mingo！〃　he　uttered　in　Jasper's　ear。　　〃The　Serpent
will　show　his　brother　how　to　be　cunning。〃

The　young　sailor　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　figure　at　that
instant；　and　the　startling　truth　also　flashed　on　his　mind。
Understanding　the　necessity　of　trusting　all　to　the　Dela…
ware　chief；　he　kept　back；　while　his　friend　moved　cautiously
in　the　direction　in　which　the　strange　form　had　vanished。
In　another　moment　it　was　seen　again；　evidently　moving
towards　themselves。　　The　waters　made　such　an　uproar
that　little　was　to　be　apprehended　from　ordinary　sounds；
and　the　Indian；　turning　his　bead；　hastily　said；　〃Leave　it
to　the　cunning　of　the　Great　Serpent。〃

〃Hugh！〃　exclaimed　the　strange　savage；　adding；　in　the
language　of　his　people；　〃The　canoe　is　found；　but　there
were　none　to　help　me。　　Come；　let　us　raise　it　from　the
rock。〃

〃Willingly；〃　answered　Chingachgook；　who　understood
the　dialect。　　〃Lead；　we　will　follow。〃

The　stranger；　unable　to　distinguish　between　voices　and
accents　amid　the　raging　of　the　rapid；　led　the　way　in　the
necessary　direction；　and；　the　two　others　keeping　close　at
his　heels；　all　three　speedily　reached　the　canoe。　　The　Iro…
quois　laid　hold　of　one　end；　Chingacbgook　placed　himself
in　the　centre；　and　Jasper　went　to　the　opposite　extremity；
as　it　was　important　that　the　stranger　should　not　detect
the　presence　of　a　pale…face；　a　discovery　that　might　be　made
by　the　parts　of　the　dress　the　young　man　still　wore；　as　well
as　by　the　general　appearance　of　his　head。

〃Lift；〃　said　the　Iroquois　in　the　sententious　manner　of
his　race；　and　by　a　trifling　effort　the　canoe　was　raised　from
the　rock；　held　a　moment　in　the　air　to　empty　it；　and　then
placed　carefully　on　the　water　in　its　proper　position。　　All
three　held　it　firmly；　lest　it　should　escape　from　their　hands
under　the　pressure　of　the　violent　current；　while　the　Iro…
quois；　who　led；　of　course；　being　at　the　upper　end　of　the
boat；　took　the　direction　of　the　eastern　shore；　or　towards
the　spot　where　his　friends　waited　his　return。

As　the　Delaware　and　Jasper　well　knew　there　must　be
several　more　of　the　Iroquois　on　the　rift；　from；　the　circum…
stance　that　their　own　appearance　had　occasioned　no　sur…
prise　in　the　individual　they　had　met；　both　felt　the　neces…
sity　of　extreme　caution。　　Men　less　bold　and　determined
would　have　thought　that　they　were　incurring　too　great　a
risk　by　thus　venturing　into　the　midst　of　their　enemies；
but　these　hardy　borderers　were　unacquainted　with　fear；
were　accustomed　to　hazards；　and　so　well　understood　the
necessity　of　at　least　preventing　their　foes　from　getting　the
boat；　that　they　would　have　cheerfully　encountered　even
greater　risks　to　secure　their　object。　　So　all…important　to
the　safety　of　Mabel；　indeed；　did　Jasper　deem　the　posses…
sion　or　the　destruction　of　this　canoe；　that　he　had　drawn
his　knife；　and　stood　ready　to　rip　up　the　bark；　in　order　to
render　the　boat　temporarily　unserviceable；　should　any…
thing　occur　to　compel　the　Delaware　and　himself　to　aban…
don　their　prize。

In　the　meantime；　the　Iroquois；　who　led　the　way；　pro…
ceeded　slowly　through　the　water　in　the　direction　of　his
own　party；　still　grasping　the　canoe；　and　dragging　his　re…
luctant　followers　in　his　train。　　Once　Chingachgook　raised
his　tomahawk；　and　was　about　to　bury　it　in　the　brain　of　his
confiding　and　unsuspicious　neighbor；　but　the　probability
that　the　death…cry　or　the　floating　body　might　give　the
alarm　induced　that　wary　chief　to　change　his　purpose。　　At
the　next　moment　he　regretted　this　indecision；　for　the
three　who　clung　to　the　canoe　suddenly　found　themselves
in　the　ceutre　of　a　party　of　no　less　than　four　others　who
were　in　quest　of　it。

After　the　usual　brief　characteristic　exclamations　of　sat…
isfaction；　the　savages　eagerly　laid　hold　of　the　canoe；　for
all　seemed　impressed　with　the　necessity　of　securing　this
important　boat；　the　one　side　in　order　to　assail　their　foes；
and　the　other　to　secure　their　retreat。　　The　addition　to　the
party；　however；　was　so　unlooked…for；　and　so　completely
gave　the　enemy　the　superiority；　that　for　a　few　moments
the　ingenuity　and　address　of　even　the　Delaware　were　at
fault。　　The　five　Iroquois；　who　seemed　perfectly　to　under…
stand　their　errand；　pressed　forward　towards　their　own
shore；　without　pausing　to　converse；　their　object　being　in
truth　to　obtain　the　paddles；　which　they　had　previously
secured；　and　to　embark　three　or　four　warriors；　with　all
their　rifles　and　powder…horns；　the　want　of　which　had　alone
prevented　their　crossing　the　river　by　swimming　as　soon　as
it　was　dark。

In　this　manner；　the　body　of　friends　and　foes　united
reached　the　margin　of　the　eastern　channel；　where；　as　in
the　case　of　the　western；　the　river　was　too　deep　to　be　waded。
Here　a　short　pause　succeeded；　it　being　necessary　to　deter…
mine　the　manner　in　which　the　canoe　was　to　be　carried
across。　　One　of　the　four　who　had　just　reached　the　boat
was　a　chief；　and　the　habitual　deference　which　the　Ameri…
can　Indian　pays　to　merit；　experience；　and　station　kept　the
others　silent　until　this　individual　had　spoken。

The　halt　greatly　added　to　the　danger　of　discovering　the
presence　of　Jasper；　in　particular；　who；　however；　had　the
precaution　to　throw　the　cap　he　wore　into　the　bottom　of
the　canoe。　　Being　without　his　jacket　and　shirt；　the　outline
of　his　figure；　in　the　obscurity；　would　now　be　less　likely　to
attract　observation。　　His　position；　too；　at　the　stern　of　the
canoe　a　little　favored　his　concealment；　the　Iroquois　natur…
ally　keeping　their　looks　directed　the　other　way。　　Not　so
with　Chingachgook。　　This　warrior　was　literally　in　the
midst　of　his　most　deadly　foes；　and　he　could　scarcely　move
without　touching　one　of　them。　　Yet　he　was　apparently
unmoved；　though　he　kept　all　his　senses　on　the　alert；　in
readiness　to　escape；　or　to　strike　a　blow　at　the　proper　mo…
ment。　　By　carefully　abstaining　from　looking　towards　those
behind　him；　he　lessened　the　chances　of　discovery；　and
waited　with　the　indomitable　patience　of　an　Indian　for　the
instant　when　he　should　be　required　to　act。

〃Let　all　my　young　men　but　two；　one　at　each　end　of　the
canoe；　cross　and　get　their　arms；〃　said　the　Iroquois　chief。
〃Let　the　two　push　over　the　boat。〃

The　Indians　quietly　obeyed；　leaving　Jasper　at　the　stern；
and　the　Iroquois　who　had　found　the　canoe　at　the　bow　of
the　light　craft；　Chingachgook　burying　himself　so　deep　in
the　river　as　to　be　passed　by　the　others　without　detection。
The　splashing　in　the　water；　the　tossing　arms；　and　the　calls
of　one　to　another；　soon　announced　that　the　four　who　had
last　joined　the　party　were　already　swimming。　　As　soon　as
this　fact　was　certain；　the　Delaware　rose；　resumed　his　former
station；　and　began　to　think　the　moment　for　action　was　come。

One　less　habitually　under　self…restraint　than　this　war…
rior　would　probably　have　now　aimed　his　meditated　blow；
but　Chingachgook　knew　there　were　more　Iroquois　behind
him　on　the　rift；　and　he　was　a　warrior　much　too　trained
and　experienced　to　risk　anything　unnecessarily。　　He　suf…
fered　the　Indian　at　the　bow　of　the　canoe　to　push　off　into
the　deep　water；　and　then　all　three　were　swimming　in　the
direction　of　the　eastern　shore。　　Instead；　however；　of　help…
ing　the　canoe　across　the　swift　current；　no　sooner　did　the
Delaware　and　Jasper　find　themselves　within　the　influence
of　its　greatest　force　than　both　began　to　swim　in　a　way　to
check　their　farther　progress　across　the　stream。　　Nor　was
this　done　suddenly；　or　in　the　incautious　manner　in　which
a　civilized　man　would　have　been　apt　to　attempt　the　artifice；
but　warily；　and　so　gradually　that　the　Iroquois　at　the　bow
fancied　at　first　he　was　merely　struggling　against　the
strength　of　the　current。　　Of　course；　while　acted　on　by
these　opposing　efforts；　the　canoe　drifted　down　stream；　and
in　about　a　minute　it　was　floating　in　still　deeper　water　at
the　foot　of　the　rift。　　Here；　however；　the　Iroquois　was　not
slow　in　finding　that　something　unusual　retarded　their　ad…
vance；　and；　looking　back；　he　first　learned　that　he　was　re…
sisted　by　the　efforts　of　his　companions。

That　second　nature　which　grows　up　through　habit　in…
stantly　told　the　young　Iroquois　that　he　was　alone　with
enemies。　　Dashing　the　water　aside；　he　sprang　at　t