the pathfinder-第35章

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eyes；　it　is　topped　at　least　a　foot　too　high；　and　then　the
pennant　is　foul；　and　　and　　ay；　d…　me；　if　there　isn't　a
topsail　gasket　adrift；　and　it　wouldn't　surprise　me　at　all　if
there　should　be　a　round　turn　in　that　hawser；　if　the　kedge
were　to　be　let　go　this　instant。　　Faults　indeed！　　No　seaman
could　look　at　her　a　moment　without　seeing　that　she　is　as
full　of　faults　as　a　servant　who　has　asked　for　his　discharge。〃

〃This　may　be　very　true；　uncle；　though　I　much　question
if　Jasper　knows　of　them。　　I　do　not　think　he　would　suffer
these　things；　Pathfinder；　if　they　were　once　pointed　out
to　him。〃

〃Let　Jasper　manage　his　own　cutter；　Mabel。　　His　gift
lies　that…a…way；　and　I'll　answer　for　it；　no　one　can　teach
him　how　to　keep　the　_Scud_　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Fron…
tenackers　or　their　devilish　Mingo　friends。　　Who　cares　for
round　turns　in　kedges；　and　for　hawsers　that　are　topped
too　high；　Master　Cap；　so　long　as　the　craft　sails　well；　and
keeps　clear　of　the　Frenchers？　　I　will　trust　Jasper　against
all　the　seafarers　of　the　coast；　up　here　on　the　lakes；　but　I
do　not　say　he　has　any　gift　for　the　ocean；　for　there　he　has
never　been　tried。〃

Cap　smiled　condescendingly；　but　he　did　not　think　it
necessary　to　push　his　critisms　any　further　just　as　that
moment。　　By　this　time　the　cutter　had　begun　to　drift　at
the　mercy　of　the　currents　of　the　lake；　her　head　turning　in
all　directions；　though　slowly；　and　not　in　a　way　to　attract
particular　attention。　　Just　at　this　moment　the　jib　was
loosened　and　hoisted；　and　presently　the　canvas　swelled
towards　the　land；　though　no　evidences　of　air　were　yet　to
be　seen　on　the　surface　of　the　water。　　Slight；　however；　as
was　the　impulsion；　the　light　hull　yielded；　and　in　another
minute　the　_Scud_　was　seen　standing　across　the　current　of
the　river　with　a　movement　so　easy　and　moderate　as　to　be
scarcely　perceptible。　　When　out　of　the　stream；　she　struck
an　eddy　and　shot　up　towards　the　land；　under　the　emi…
nence　where　the　fort　stood；　when　Jasper　dropped　his　kedge。

〃Not　lubberly　done；〃　muttered　Cap　in　a　sort　of　solilo…
quy；　　〃not　over　lubberly；　though　he　should　have　put　his
helm　a…starboard　instead　of　a…port；　for　a　vessel　ought
always　to　come…to　with　her　head　off　shore；　whether　she　is
a　league　from　the　land　or　only　a　cable's　length；　since　it
has　a　careful　look；　and　looks　are　something　in　this　world。〃

〃Jasper　is　a　handy　lad；〃　suddenly　observed　Sergeant
Dunham　at　his　brother…in…law's　elbow；　〃and　we　place
great　reliance　on　his　skill　in　our　expeditions。　　But　come；
one　and　all；　we　have　but　half　an　hour　more　of　daylight　to
embark　in；　and　the　boats　will　be　ready　for　us　by　the　time
we　are　ready　for　them。〃

On　this　intimation　the　whole　party　separated；　each　to
find　those　trifles　which　had　not　been　shipped　already。　　A
few　taps　of　the　drum　gave　the　necessary　signal　to　the
soldiers；　and　in　a　minute　all　were　in　motion。



CHAPTER　XIII。

The　goblin　now　the　fool　alarms；
Hags　meet　to　mumble　o'er　their　charms；
The　night…mare　rides　the　dreaming　ass；
And　fairies　trip　it　on　the　grass。
COTTON。


The　embarkation　of　so　small　a　party　was　a　matter　of
no　great　delay　or　embarrassment。　　The　whole　force　con…
fided　to　the　care　of　Sergeant　Dunham　consisted　of　but　ten
privates　and　two　non…commissioned　officers；　though　it　was
soon　positively　known　that　Mr。　Muir　was　to　accompany　the
expedition。　　The　Quartermaster；　however；　went　as　a　vol…
unteer；　while　some　duty　connected　with　his　own　depart…
ment；　as　had　been　arranged　between　him　and　his　com…
mander；　was　the　avowed　object。　　To　these　must　be　added
the　Pathfinder　and　Cap；　with　Jasper　and　his　subordinates；
one　of　whom　was　a　boy。　　The　party；　consequently；　con…
sisted　of　less　than　twenty　men；　and　a　lad　of　fourteen。
Mabel　and　the　wife　of　a　common　soldier　were　the　only
females。

Sergeant　Dunham　carried　off　his　command　in　a　large
bateau；　and　then　returned　for　his　final　orders；　and　to　see
that　his　brother…in…law　and　daughter　were　properly　at…
tended　to。　　Having　pointed　out　to　Cap　the　boat　that　he
and　Mabel　were　to　use；　he　ascended　the　hill　to　seek　his
last　interview　with　Lundie。

It　was　nearly　dark　when　Mabel　found　herself　in　the　boat
that　was　to　carry　her　off　to　the　cutter。　　So　very　smooth
was　the　surface　of　the　lake；　that　it　was　not　found　necessary
to　bring　the　bateaux　into　the　river　to　receive　their　freights；
but　the　beach　outside　being　totally　without　surf；　and　the
water　as　tranquil　as　that　of　a　pond；　everybody　embarked
there。　　When　the　boat　left　the　land；　Mabel　would　not
have　known　that　she　was　afloat　on　so　broad　a　sheet　of
water　by　any　movement　which　is　usual　to　such　circum…
stances。　　The　oars　had　barely　time　to　give　a　dozen　strokes；
when　the　boat　lay　at　the　cutter's　side。

Jasper　was　in　readiness　to　receive　his　passengers；　and；
as　the　deck　of　the　_Scud_　was　but　two　or　three　feet　above
the　water；　no　difficulty　was　experienced　in　getting　on
board　of　her。　　As　soon　as　this　was　effected；　the　young　man
pointed　out　to　Mabel　and　her　companion　the　accommoda…
tions　prepared　for　their　reception。　　The　little　vessel　con…
tained　four　apartments　below；　all　between　decks　having
been　expressly　constructed　with　a　view　to　the　transporta…
tion　of　officers　and　men；　with　their　wives　and　families。
First　in　rank　was　what　was　called　the　after…cabin；　a　small
apartment　that　contained　four　berths；　and　which　enjoyed
the　advantage　of　possessing　small　windows；　for　the　ad…
mission　of　air　and　light。　　This　was　uniformly　devoted　to
females　whenever　any　were　on　board；　and　as　Mabel　and
her　companion　were　alone；　they　had　ample　accommoda…
tion。　　The　main　cabin　was　larger；　and　lighted　from　above。
It　was　now　appropriated　to　the　Quartermaster；　the　Ser…
geant；　Cap；　and　Jasper；　the　Pathfinder　roaming　through
any　part　of　the　cutter　he　pleased；　the　female　apartment
excepted。　　The　corporals　and　common　soldiers　occupied
the　space　beneath　the　main　hatch；　which　had　a　deck　for
such　a　purpose；　while　the　crew　were　berthed；　as　usual；　in　the
forecastle。　　Although　the　cutter　did　not　measure　quite
fifty　tons；　the　draft　of　officers　and　men　was　so　light；　that
there　was　ample　room　for　all　on　board；　there　being　space
enough　to　accommodate　treble　the　number；　if　necessary。

As　soon　as　Mabel　had　taken　possession　of　her　own　really
comfortable　cabin；　in　doing　which　she　could　not　abstain
from　indulging　in　the　pleasant　reflection　that　some　of
Jasper's　favor　had　been　especially　manifested　in　her　be…
half；　she　went　on　deck　again。　　Here　all　was　momentarily
in　motion；　the　men　were　roving　to　and　fro；　in　quest　of
their　knapsacks　and　other　effects；　but　method　and　habit
soon　reduced　things　to　order；　when　the　stillness　on　board
became　even　imposing；　for　it　was　connected　with　the　idea
of　future　adventure　and　ominous　preparation。

Darkness　was　now　beginning　to　render　objects　on　shore
indistinct；　the　whole　of　the　land　forming　one　shapeless
black　outline　of　even　forest　summits；　to　be　distinguished
from　the　impending　heavens　only　by　the　greater　light　of
the　sky。　　The　stars；　however；　soon　began　to　appear　in　the
latter；　one　after　another；　in　their　usual　mild；　placid　lustre；
bringing　with　them　that　sense　of　quiet　which　ordinarily
accompanies　night。　　There　was　something　soothing；　as
well　as　exciting；　in　such　a　scene；　and　Mabel；　who　was
seated　on　the　quarter…deck；　sensibly　felt　both　influences。
The　Pathfinder　was　standing　near　her；　leaning；　as　usual；
on　his　long　rifle；　and　she　fancied　that；　through　the　grow…
ing　darkness　of　the　hour；　she　could　trace　even　stronger
lines　of　thought　than　usual　in　his　rugged　countenance。

〃To　you；　Pathfinder；　expeditions　like　this　can　be　no
great　novelty；〃　said　she；　〃though　I　am　surprised　to　find
how　silent　and　thoughtful　the　men　appear　to　be。〃

〃We　learn　this　by　making　war　ag'in　Indians。　　Your
militia　are　great　talkers　and　little　doers　in　general；　but
the　soldier　who　has　often　met　the　Mingos　learns　to　know
the　value　of　a　prudent　tongue。　　A　silent　army；　in　the
woods；　is　doubly　strong；　and　a　noisy　one；　doubly　weak。
If　tongues　made　soldiers；　the；　women　of　a　camp　would
generally　carry　the　day。〃

〃But　we　are　neither　an　army；　nor　in　the　woods。　　There
can　be　no　danger　of　Mingos　in　the　_Scud_。〃

〃No　one　is　safe　from　a　Mingo；　who　does　not　understand
his　very　natur'；　and　even　then　he　must　act　up　to　his　own
knowledge；　and　that　closely。　　Ask　Jasper　how　he　got　com…
mand　of　this　very　cutter。〃

〃And　how　_did_　he　get　command？〃　inquired　Mabel；　with
an　earnestness　and　interest　that　quite　delighted　her　simple…
minded　and　true…hearted　companion；　who　was　never　better
pleased　than　when　he　had　an　opportunity　of　saying　aught
in　favor　of　a　friend。　　〃It　is　honorable　to　him　that　he　has
reached　this　station　while　yet　so　young。〃

〃That　is　it；　but　he　deserved　it　all；　and　more。　　A　frigate
wouldn't　have　been　too　much　to　pay　for　so　much　spirit
and　coolness；　had　there　been　such　a　thing　on　Ontario；　as
there　is　not；　hows'ever；　or　likely　to　be。〃

〃But　Jasper　　you　have　not　yet　told　me　how　he　got　the
command　of　the　schooner。〃

〃It　is　a　long　story；　Mabel；　and　one　your　father；　the　Ser…
geant；　can　tell　much　better　than　I；　for　he　was　present；
while　I　was　off　on　a　distant　scouting。　　Jasper　is　not　good
at　a　story；　I　will　own　that；　I　have　heard　him　questioned
about　this　affair；　and　he　never　made　a　good　tale　of　it；　al…
though　every　body　knows　it　was　a　good　thing。　　The　_Scud_
had　near　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　French　and　the
Mingos；　when　Jasper　saved　her；　in　a　way　which　none　but
a　quick…witted　mind　and　a　bold　heart　would　have　at…
tempted。　　The　Sergeant　will　tell　the　tale　better　than　I
can；　and　I　wish　you　to　question　him　some　day；　when
nothing　better　offers。〃

Mabel　determined　to　ask　her　father　to　repeat　the　inci…
dents　of　the　affair　that　very　night；　for　it　struck　her　young
fancy　that　nothing　better　could　well　offer　than　to　listen　to
the　praises　of　one　who　was　a　bad　historian　of　his　own　ex…
ploits。

〃Will　the　_Scud_　remain　with　us　when　we　reach　the
island？〃　she　asked；　after　a　little　hesitation　about　the
propriety　of　the　question；　〃or　shall　we　be　left　to　our…
selves？〃

〃That's　as　may　be：　Jasper　does　not　often　keep　the
cutter　idle　when　anything　is　to　be　done；　and　we　may
expect　activity　on　his　part。　　My　gifts；　however；　run　so
little　towards　the　water　and　vessels　generally；　unless　it　be
among　rapids　and　falls　and　in　canoes；　that　I　pretend　to
know　nothing　about　it。　　We　shall　have　all　right　under
Jasper；　I　make　no　doubt；　who　can　find　a　trail　on　Ontario
as　well　as　a　Delaware　can　find　one　on　the　land。〃

〃And　our　own　Delaware；　Pathfinder　　the　Big　Serpent　
why　is　he　not　with　us　to…night？〃

〃Your　question　would　have　been　more　natural　had　you
said；　Why　are　_you_　here；　Pathfinder？　　The　Sarpent　is　in
his　place；　while　I　am　not　in　mine。　　He　is　out；　with　two　or
three　more；　scouting　the　lake　shores；　and　will　join　us　down
among　the　islands；　with　the　tidings　he　may　gather。　　The
Sergeant　is　too　good　a　soldier　to　forget　his　rear　while　he
is　facing　the　enemy　in　front。　　It's　a　thousand　pities；
Mabel；　your　father　wasn't　born　a　general；　as　some　of　the
English　are　who　come　among　us；　for　I　feel　sartain　he
wouldn't　leave　a　Frencher　in　the　Canadas　a　week；　could
he　have　his　own　way　with　them。〃

〃Shall　we　have　enemies　to　face　in　front？〃　asked　Mabel；
s