the pathfinder-第19章

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a　double　virtue　on　a　trail。　　Go；　Jasper；　and　do　justice　to
your　own　character　for　prudence。〃

Ten　anxious　minutes　succeeded　the　disappearance　of
the　canoe　of　Jasper；　which　glided　away　from　that　of　the
Pathfinder　so　noiselessly；　that　it　had　been　swallowed　up　in
the　gloom　before　Mabel　allowed　herself　to　believe　the
young　man　would　really　venture　alone　on　a　service　which
struck　her　imagination　as　singularly　dangerous。　　During
this　time；　the　party　continued　to　float　with　the　current；
no　one　speaking；　and；　it　might　almost　be　said；　no　one
breathing；　so　strong　was　the　general　desire　to　catch　the
minutest　sound　that　should　come　from　the　shore。　　But
the　same　solemn；　we　might；　indeed；　say　sublime；　quiet
reigned　as　before；　the　washing　of　the　water；　as　it　piled　up
against　some　slight　obstruction；　and　the　sighing　of　the
trees；　alone　interrupting　the　slumbers　of　the　forest。　　At
the　end　of　the　period　mentioned；　the　snapping　of　dried
branches　was　again　faintly　heard；　and　the　Pathfinder　fan…
cied　that　the　sound　of　smothered　voices　reached　him。

〃I　may　be　mistaken；〃　he　said；　〃for　the　thoughts　often
fancy　what　the　heart　wishes；　but　these　were　notes　like
the　low　tones　of　the　Delaware。〃

〃Do　the　dead　of　the　savages　ever　walk？〃　demanded　Cap。
〃Ay；　and　run　too；　in　their　happy　hunting…grounds；　but
nowhere　else。　　A　red…skin　finishes　with　the　'arth；　after
the　breath　quits　the　body。　　It　is　not　one　of　his　gifts　to
linger　around　his　wigwam　when　his　hour　has　passed。〃

〃I　see　some　object　on　the　water；〃　whispered　Mabel；
whose　eye　had　not　ceased　to　dwell　on　the　body　of　gloom；
with　close　intensity；　since　the　disappearance　of　Jasper。

〃It　is　the　canoe；〃　returned　the　guide；　greatly　relieved。
〃All　must　be　safe；　or　we　should　have　heard　from　the　lad。〃

In　another　minute　the　two　canoes；　which　became　visible
to　those　they　carried　only　as　they　drew　near　each　other；
again　floated　side　by　side；　and　the　form　of　Jasper　was
recognized　at　the　stern　of　his　own　boat。　　The　figure　of　a
second　man　was　seated　in　the　bow；　and；　as　the　young
sailor　so　wielded　his　paddle　as　to　bring　the　face　of　his
companion　near　the　eyes　of　the　Pathfinder　and　Mabel；
they　both　recognized　the　person　of　the　Delaware。

〃Chingachgook　　my　brother！〃　said　the　guide　in　the
dialect　of　the　other's　people；　a　tremor　shaking　his　voice
that　betrayed　the　strength　of　his　feelings。　　〃Chief　of　the
Mohicans！　my　heart　is　very　glad。　　Often　have　we　passed
through　blood　and　strife　together；　but　I　was　afraid　it　was
never　to　be　so　again。〃

〃Hugh！　　The　Mingos　are　squaws！　　Three　of　their　scalps
hang　at　my　girdle。　　They　do　not　know　how　to　strike　the
Great　Serpent　of　the　Delawares。　　Their　hearts　have　no
blood；　and　their　thoughts　are　on　their　return　path；　across
the　waters　of　the　Great　Lake。〃

〃Have　you　been　among　them；　chief？　and　what　has　be…
come　of　the　warrior　who　was　in　the　river？〃

〃He　has　turned　into　a　fish；　and　lies　at　the　bottom　with
the　eels！　　Let　his　brothers　bait　their　hooks　for　him。
Pathfinder；　I　have　counted　the　enemy；　and　have　touched
their　rifles。〃

〃Ah；　I　thought　he　would　be　venturesome！〃　exclaimed
the　guide　in　English。　　〃The　risky　fellow　has　been　in　the
midst　of　them；　and　has　brought　us　back　their　whole　his…
tory。　　Speak；　Chingachgook；　and　I　will　make　our　friends
as　knowing　as　ourselves。〃

The　Delaware　now　related　in　a　low　earnest　manner　the
substance　of　all　his　discoveries；　since　he　was　last　seen
struggling　with　his　foe　in　the　river。　　Of　the　fate　of　his
antagonist　he　said　no　more；　it　not　being　usual　for　a　warrior
to　boast　in　his　more　direct　and　useful　narratives。　　As　soon
as　he　had　conquered　in　that　fearful　strife；　however；　he
swam　to　the　eastern　shore；　landed　with　caution；　and　wound
his　way　in　amongst　the　Iroquois；　concealed　by　the　dark…
ness；　undetected；　and；　in　the　main；　even　unsuspected。
Once；　indeed；　he　had　been　questioned；　but　answering　that
he　was　Arrowhead；　no　further　inquiries　were　made。　　By
the　passing　remarks；　he　soon　ascertained　that　the　party　was
out　expressly　to　intercept　Mabel　and　her　uncle；　concerning
whose　rank；　however；　they　had　evidently　been　deceived。
He　also　ascertained　enough　to　justify　the　suspicion　that
Arrowhead　had　betrayed　them　to　their　enemies；　for　some
motive　that　it　was　not　now　easy　to　reach；　as　he　had　not
yet　received　the　reward　of　his　services。

Pathfinder　communicated　no　more　of　this　intelligence
to　his　companions　than　he　thought　might　relieve　their　ap…
prehensions；　intimating；　at　the　same　time；　that　now　was
the　moment　for　exertion；　the　Iroquois　not　having　yet　en…
tirely　recovered　from　the　confusion　created　by　their
losses。

〃We　shall　find　them　at　the　rift；　I　make　no　manner　of
doubt；〃　continued　he；　〃and　there　it　will　be　our　fate　to
pass　them；　or　to　fall　into　their　hands。　　The　distance　to
the　garrison　will　then　be　so　short；　that　I　have　been　think…
ing　of　a　plan　of　landing　with　Mabel　myself；　that　I　may
take　her　in；　by　some　of　the　by…ways；　and　leave　the　canoes
to　their　chances　in　the　rapids。〃

〃It　will　never　succeed；　Pathfinder；〃　eagerly　interrupted
Jasper。　　〃Mabel　is　not　strong　enough　to　tramp　the　woods
in　a　night　like　this。　　Put　her　in　my　skiff；　and　I　will　lose
my　life；　or　carry　her　through　the　rift　safely；　dark　as　it　is。〃

〃No　doubt　you　will；　lad；　no　one　doubts　your　willingness
to　do　anything　to　serve　the　Sergeant's　daughter；　but　it
must　be　the　eye　of　Providence；　and　not　your　own；　that
will　take　you　safely　through　the　Oswego　rift　in　a　night
like　this。〃

〃And　who　will　lead　her　safely　to　the　garrison　if　she
land？　　Is　not　the　night　as　dark　on　shore　as　on　the　water？
or　do　you　think　I　know　less　of　my　calling　than　you　know
of　yours？〃

〃Spiritedly　said；　lad；　but　if　I　should　lose　my　way　in
the　dark　　and　I　believe　no　man　can　say　truly　that　such　a
thing　ever　yet　happened　to　me　　but；　if　I　_should_　lose　my
way；　no　other　harm　would　come　of　it　than　to　pass　a　night
in　the　forest；　whereas　a　false　turn　of　the　paddle；　or　a
broad　sheer　of　the　canoe；　would　put　you　and　the　young
woman　into　the　river；　out　of　which　it　is　more　than　proba…
ble　the　Sergeant's　daughter　would　never　come　alive。〃

〃I　will　leave　it　to　Mabel　herself；　I　am　certain　that　she
will　feel　more　secure　in　the　canoe。〃

〃I　have　great　confidence　in　you　both；〃　answered　the
girl；　〃and　have　no　doubts　that　either　will　do　all　he　can
to　prove　to　my　father　how　much　he　values　him；　but　I
confess　I　should　not　like　to　quit　the　canoe；　with　the　cer…
tainty　we　have　of　there　being　enemies　like　those　we　have
seen　in　the　forest。　　But　my　uncle　can　decide　for　me　in
this　matter。〃

〃I　have　no　liking　for　the　woods；〃　said　Cap；　〃while　one
has　a　clear　drift　like　this　on　the　river。　　Besides；　Master
Pathfinder；　to　say　nothing　of　the　savages；　you　overlook
the　sharks。〃

〃Sharks！　who　ever　heard　of　sharks　in　the　wilderness？〃

〃Ay！　sharks；　or　bears；　or　wolves　　no　matter　what　you
call　a　thing；　so　it　has　the　mind　and　power　to　bite。〃

〃Lord；　lord；　man！　do　you　dread　any　creatur'　that　is　to
be　found　in　the　American　forest？　　A　catamount　is　a
skeary　animal；　I　will　allow；　but　then　it　is　nothing　in　the
hands　of　a　practysed　hunter。　　Talk　of　the　Mingos　and
their　devilries　if　you　will；　but　do　not　raise　a　false　alarm
about　bears　and　wolves。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　Master　Pathfinder；　this　is　all　well　enough　for
you；　who　probably　know　the　name　of　every　creature　you
would　meet。　　Use　is　everything；　and　it　makes　a　man　bold
when　he　might　otherwise　be　bashful。　　I　have　known　sea…
men　in　the　low　latitudes　swim　for　hours　at　a　time　among
sharks　fifteen　or　twenty　feet　long。〃

〃This　is　extraordinary！〃　exclaimed　Jasper；　who　had
not　yet　acquired　that　material　part　of　his　trade；　the　ability
to　spin　a　yarn。　　〃I　have　always　heard　that　it　was　certain
death　to　venture　in　the　water　among　sharks。〃

〃I　forgot　to　say；　that　the　lads　always　took　capstan…bars；
or　gunners'　handspikes；　or　crows　with　them；　to　rap　the
beasts　over　the　noses　if　they　got　to　be　troublesome。　　No；
no；　I　have　no　liking　for　bears　and　wolves；　though　a　whale；
in　my　eye；　is　very　much　the　same　sort　of　fish　as　a　red
herring　after　it　is　dried　and　salted。　　Mabel　and　I　had
better　stick　to　the　canoe。〃

〃Mabel　would　do　well　to　change　canoes；〃　added　Jasper。
〃This　of　mine　is　empty；　and　even　Pathfinder　will　allow
that　my　eye　is　surer　than　his　own　on　the　water。〃

〃That　I　will；　cheerfully；　boy。　　The　water　belongs　to
your　gifts；　and　no　one　will　deny　that　you　have　improved
them　to　the　utmost。　　You　are　right　enough　in　believing
that　the　Sergeant's　daughter　will　be　safer　in　your　canoe
than　in　this；　and　though　I　would　gladly　keep　her　near
myself；　I　have　her　welfare　too　much　at　heart　not　to　give
her　honest　advice。　　Bring　your　canoe　close　alongside；　Jas…
per；　and　I　will　give　you　what　you　must　consider　as　a
precious　treasure。〃

〃I　do　so　consider　it；〃　returned　the　youth；　not　losing　a
moment　in　complying　with　the　request；　when　Mabel
passed　from　one　canoe　to　the　other　taking　her　seat　on　the
effects　which　had　hitherto　composed　its　sole　cargo。

As　soon　as　this　arrangement　was　made；　the　canoes　sepa…
rated　a　short　distance；　and　the　paddles　were　used；　though
with　great　care　to　avoid　making　any　noise。　　The　conversa…
tion　gradually　ceased；　and　as　the　dreaded　rift　was　ap…
proached；　all　became　impressed　with　the　gravity　of　the
moment。　　That　their　enemies　would　endeavor　to　reach
this　point　before　them　was　almost　certain；　and　it　seemed
so　little　probable　any　one　should　attempt　to　pass　it；　in　the
profound　obscurity　which　reigned；　that　Pathfinder　was
confident　parties　were　on　both　sides　of　the　river；　in　the
hope　of　intercepting　them　when　they　might　land。　　He
would　not　have　made　the　proposal　he　did　had　he　not　felr
sure　of　his　own　ability　to　convert　this　very　anticipation　of
success　into　a　means　of　defeating　the　plans　of　the　Iroquois。
As　the　arrangement　now　stood；　however；　everything　de…
pended　on　the　skill　of　those　who　guided　the　canoes；　for
should　either　hit　a　rock；　if　not　split　asunder；　it　would
almost　certainly　be　upset；　and　then　would　come　not　only
all　the　hazards　of　the　river　itself；　but；　for　Mabel；　the　cer…
tainty　of　falling　into　the　hands　of　her　persuers。　　The
utmost　circumspection　consequently　became　necessary；
and　each　one　was　too　much　engrossed　with　his　own
thoughts　to　feel　a　disposition　to　utter　more　than　was　called
for　by　the　exigencies　of　the　case。

At　the　canoes　stole　silently　along；　the　roar　of　the　rift
became　audible；　and　it　required　all　the　fortitude　of　Cap　to
keep　his　seat；　while　these　boding　sounds　were　approached；
amid　a　darkness　which　scarcely　permitted　a　view　of　the
outlines　of　the　wooded　shore　and　of　the　gloomy　vault
above　his　head。　　He　retained　a　vivid　impression　of　the
falls；　and　his　imagination　was　not　now　idle　in　swelling　the
dangers　of　the　rift　to　a　level　with　those　of　the　headlong
descent　he　had　that　day　made；　and　even　to　increase　them；
under　the　influence　of　doubt　and　uncertainty。　　In　this；
however；　the　old　mariner　was　mistaken；　for　the　Oswego
Rift　and　the　Oswego　Falls　are　very　different　in　their　char…
acters　and　violence；　the　former　being　no　more　than　a
rapid；　that　glances　among　shallows　and　rocks；　while　the
latter　really　deserved　the　name　it　bore；　as　has　been　already
shown。

Mabel　certainly　felt　distrust　and　apprehension；　but　her
entire　situ