the pathfinder-第48章

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〃My　uncle's　obstinacy　must　not　be　permitted　to　occa…
sion　this　disaster。　　Go　once　more　on　deck；　Jasper；　and
ask　my　father　to　come　into　the　cabin。〃

While　the　young　man　was　complying　with　this　request；
Mabel　sat　listening　to　the　howling　of　the　storm　and　the
dashing　of　the　water　against　the　cutter；　in　a　dread　to　which
she　had　hitherto　been　a　stranger。　　Constitutionally　an　ex…
cellent　sailor；　as　the　term　is　used　among　passengers；　she
had　not　hitherto　bethought　her　of　any　danger；　and　had
passed　her　time　since　the　commencemeut　of　the　gale　in
such　womanly　employments　as　her　situation　allowed；　but
now　that　alarm　was　seriously　awakened；　she　did　not　fail　to
perceive　that　never　before　had　she　been　on　the　water　in
such　a　tempest。　　The　minute　or　two　which　elapsed　before
the　Sergeant　came　appeared　an　hour；　and　she　scarcely
breathed　when　she　saw　him　and　Jasper　descending　the
ladder　in　company。　　Quick　as　language　could　express　her
meaning；　she　acquainted　her　father　with　Jasper's　opinion
of　their　situation；　and　entreated　him；　if　he　loved　her；　or
had　any　regard　for　his　own　life；　or　for　those　of　his　men；
to　interfere　with　her　uncle；　and　to　induce　him　to　yield　the
control　of　the　cutter　again　to　its　proper　commander。

〃Jasper　is　true；　father；〃　added　she　earnestly；　〃and　if
false；　he　could　have　no　motive　in　wrecking　us　in　this　dis…
tant　part　of　the　lake　at　the　risk　of　all　our　lives；　his　own
included。　　I　will　pledge　my　own　life　for　his　truth。〃

〃Ay；　this　is　well　enough　for　a　young　woman　who　is
frightened；〃　answered　the　more　phlegmatic　parent；　〃but
it　might　not　be　so　excusable　in　one　in　command　of　an　ex…
pedition。　　Jasper　may　think　the　chance　of　drowning　in
getting　ashore　fully　repaid　by　the　chance　of　escaping　as
soon　as　he　reaches　the　land。〃

〃Sergeant　Dunham！〃

〃Father！〃

These　exclamations　were　made　simultaneously；　but　they
were　uttered　in　tones　expressive　of　different　feelings。　　In
Jasper；　surprise　was　the　emotion　uppermost；　in　Mabel
reproach。　　The　old　soldier；　however；　was　too　much　accus…
tomed　to　deal　frankly　with　subordinates　to　heed　either；
and　after　a　moment's　thought；　he　continued　as　if　neither
had　spoken。　　〃Nor　is　brother　Cap　a　man　likely　to　submit
to　be　taught　his　duty　on　board　a　vessel。〃

〃But；　father；　when　all　our　lives　are　in　the　utmost　jeop…
ardy！〃

〃So　much　the　worse。　　The　fair…weather　commander　is
no　great　matter；　it　is　when　things　go　wrong　that　the　best
officer　shows　himself　in　his　true　colors。　　Charles　Cap　will
not　be　likely　to　quit　the　helm　because　the　ship　is　in　dan…
ger。　　Besides；　Jasper　Eau…douce；　he　says　your　proposal　in
itself　has　a　suspicious　air　about　it；　and　sounds　more　like
treachery　than　reason。〃

〃He　may　think　so；　but　let　him　send　for　the　pilot　and
hear　his　opinion。　　It　is　well　known　that　I　have　not　seen
the　man　since　yesterday　evening。〃

〃This　does　sound　reasonably；　and　the　experiment　shall
be　tried。　　Follow　me　on　deck　then；　that　all　may　be　hon…
est　and　above…aboard。〃

Jasper　obeyed；　and　so　keen　was　the　interest　of　Mabel；
that　she　too　ventured　as　far　as　the　companion…way；　where
her　garments　were　sufficiently　protected　against　the　vio…
lence　of　the　wind　and　her　person　from　the　spray。　　Here
maiden　modesty　induced　her　to　remain；　though　an　absorbed
witness　of　what　was　passing。

The　pilot　soon　appeared；　and　there　was　no　mistaking　the
look　of　concern　that　he　cast　around　at　the　scene　as　soon　as
he　was　in　the　open　air。　　Some　rumors　of　the　situation　of
the　_Scud_　had　found　their　way　below；　it　is　true；　but　in　this
instance　rumor　had　lessened　instead　of　magnifying　the
danger。　　He　was　allowed　a　few　minutes　to　look　about　him；
and　then　the　question　was　put　as　to　the　course　which　he
thought　it　prudent　to　follow。

〃I　see　no　means　of　saving　the　cutter　but　to　anchor；〃　he
answered　simply；　and　without　hesitation。

〃What！　out　here　in　the　lake？〃　inquired　Cap；　as　he　had
previously　done　of　Jasper。

〃No：　but　closer　in；　just　at　the　outer　line　of　the
breakers。〃

The　effect　of　this　communication　was　to　leave　no　doubt
in　the　mind　of　Cap　that　there　was　a　secret　arrangement
between　her　commander　and　the　pilot　to　cast　away　the
_Scud_；　most　probably　with　the　hope　of　effecting　their　es…
cape。　　He　consequently　treated　the　opinion　of　the　latter
with　the　indifference　he　had　manifested　towards　that　of
the　former。

〃I　tell　you；　brother　Dunham；〃　said　he；　in　answer　to　the
remonstrances　of　the　Sergeant　against　his　turning　a　deaf
ear　to　this　double　represeutation；　〃that　no　seaman　would
give　such　an　opinion　honestly。　　To　anchor　on　a　lee　shore
in　a　gale　of　wind　would　be　an　act　of　madness　that　I　could
never　excuse　to　the　underwriters；　under　any　circumstances；
so　long　as　a　rag　can　be　set；　but　to　anchor　close　to　breakers
would　be　insanity。〃

〃His　Majesty　underwrites　the　_Scud_；　brother；　and　I　am
responsible　for　the　lives　of　my　command。　　These　men　are
better　acquainted　with　Lake　Ontario　than　we　can　possibly
be；　and　I　do　think　their　telling　the　same　tale　entitles　them
to　some　credit。〃

〃Uncle！〃　said　Mabel　earnestly；　but　a　gesture　from　Jas…
per　induced　the　girl　to　restrain　her　feelings。

〃We　are　drifting　down　upon　the　breakers　so　rapidly；〃
said　the　young　man；　〃that　little　need　be　said　on　the　dub…
ject。　　Half　an　hour　must　settle　the　matter；　one　way　or　the
other；　but　I　warn　Master　Cap　that　the　surest…footed　man
among　us　will　not　be　able　to　keep　his　feet　an　instant　on
the　deck　of　this　low　craft；　should　she　fairly　get　within
them。　　Indeed　I　make　little　doubt　that　we　shall　fill　and
founder　before　the　second　line　of　rollers　is　passed。〃

〃And　how　would　anchoring　help　the　matter？〃　de…
manded　Cap　furiously；　as　if　he　felt　that　Jasper　was　re…
sponsible　for　the　effects　of　the　gale；　as　well　as　for　the
opinion　he　had　just　given。

〃It　would　at　least　do　no　harm；〃　Eau…douce　mildly　re…
plied。　　〃By　bringing　the　cutter　head　to　sea　we　should　les…
sen　her　drift；　and　even　if　we　dragged　through　the　break…
ers；　it　would　be　with　the　least　possible　danger。　　I　hope；
Master　Cap；　you　will　allow　the　pilot　and　myself　to　_prepare_
for　anchoring；　since　the　precaution　may　do　good；　and　can
do　no　harm。〃

〃Overhaul　your　ranges；　if　you　will；　and　get　your　anchors
clear；　with　all　my　heart。　　We　are　now　in　a　situation　that
cannot　be　much　affected　by　anything　of　that　sort。　　Ser…
geant；　a　word　with　you　aft　here；　if　you　please。〃

Cap　led　his　brother…in…law　out　of　ear…shot；　and　then；
with　more　of　human　feeling　in　his　voice　and　manner　than
he　was　apt　to　exhibit；　he　opened　his　heart　on　the　subject
of　their　real　situation。

〃This　is　a　melancholy　affair　for　poor　Mabel；〃　said　he；
blowing　his　nose；　and　speaking　with　a　slight　tremor。
〃You　and　I；　Sergeant；　are　old　fellows；　and　used　to　being
near　death；　if　not　to　actually　dying；　our　trades　fit　us　for
such　scenes；　but　poor　Mabel！　　she　is　an　affectionate　and
kind…hearted　girl；　and　I　had　hoped　to　see　her　comfortably
settled；　and　a　mother；　before　my　time　came。　　Well；　well！
we　must　take　the　bad　with　the　good　in　every　v'y'ge；　and
the　only　serious　objection　that　an　old　seafaring　man　can
with　propriety　make　to　such　an　event　is；　that　it　should
happen　on　this　bit　of　dd　fresh　water。〃

Sergeant　Dunham　was　a　brave　man；　and　had　shown　his
spirit　in　scenes　that　looked　much　more　appalling　than
this；　but　on　all　such　occasions　he　had　been　able　to　act　his
I　part　against　his　foes；　while　here　he　was　pressed　upon　by
an　enemy　whom　he　had　no　means　of　resisting。　　For　him…
self　he　cared　far　less　than　for　his　daughter；　feeling　some　of
that　self…reliance　which　seldom　deserts　a　man　of　firmness
who　is　in　vigorous　health；　and　who　has　been　accustomed　to
personal　exertions　in　moments　of　jeopardy；　but　as　respects
Mabel　he　saw　no　means　of　escape；　and；　with　a　father's
fondness；　he　at　once　determined　that；　if　either　was　doomed
to　perish；　he　and　his　daughter　must　perish　together。

〃Do　you　think　this　must　come　to　pass？〃　he　asked　of
Cap　firmly；　but　with　strong　feeling。

〃Twenty　minutes　will　carry　us　into　the　breakers；　and
look　for　yourself；　Sergeant：　what　chance　will　even　the
stoutest　man　among　us　have　in　that　caldron　to　leeward？〃

The　prospect　was；　indeed；　little　calculated　to　encourage
hope。　　By　this　time　the　_Scud_　was　within　a　mile　of　the
shore；　on　which　the　gale　was　blowing　at　right　angles；　with
a　violence　that　forbade　the　idea　of　showing　any　additional
canvas　with　a　view　to　claw　off。　　The　small　portion　of　the
mainsail　actually　set；　and　which　merely　served　to　keep　the
head　of　the　_Scud_　so　near　the　wind　as　to　prevent　the　waves
from　breaking　over　her；　quivered　under　the　gusts；　as　if　at
each　moment　the　stout　threads　which　held　the　complicated
fabric　together　were　about　to　be　torn　asunder。　　The　driz…
zle　had　ceased；　but　the　air；　for　a　hundred；　feet　above　the
surface　of　the　lake；　was　filled　with　dazzling　spray；　which
had　an　appearance　not　unlike　that　of　a　brilliant　mist；
while　above　all　the　sun　was　shining　gloriously　in　a　cloud…
less　sky。　　Jasper　had　noted　the　omen；　and　had　foretold
that　it　announced　a　speedy　termination　to　the　gale；　though
the　next　hour　or　two　must　decide　their　fate。　　Between　the
cutter　and　the　shore　the　view　was　still　more　wild　and　ap…
palling。　　The　breakers　extended　nearly　half　a　mile；　while
the　water　within　their　line　was　white　with　foam；　the　air
above　them　was　so　far　filled　with　vapor　and　spray　as　to
render　the　land　beyond　hazy　and　indistinct。　　Still　it　could
be　seen　that　the　latter　was　high；　　not　a　usual　thing　for
the　shores　of　Ontario；　　and　that　it　was　covered　with　the
verdant　mantle　of　the　interminable　forest。

While　the　Sergeant　and　Cap　were　gazing　at　this　scene
in　silence；　Jasper　and　his　people　were　actively　engaged　on
the　forecastle。　　No　sooner　had　the　young　man　received
permission　to　resume　his　old　employment；　than；　appealing
to　some　of　the　soldiers　for　aid；　he　mustered　five　or　six　as…
sistants；　and　set　about　in　earnest　the　performance　of　a　duty
which　had　been　too　long　delayed。　　On　these　narrow　waters
anchors　are　never　stowed　in…board；　or　cables　that　are　in…
tended　for　service　unbent；　and　Jasper　was　saved　much　of
the　labor　that　would　have　been　necessary　in　a　vessel　at　sea。
The　two　bowers　were　soon　ready　to　be　let　go；　ranges　of　the
cables　were　overhauled；　and　then　the　party　paused　to　look
about　them。　　No　changes　for　the　better　had　occurred；　but
the　cutter　was　falling　slowly　in；　and　each　instant　rendered
it　more　certain　that　she　could　not　gain　an　inch　to　wind…
ward。

One　long；　earnest　survey　of　the　lake　ended；　Jasper　gave
new　orders　in　a　similar　manner　to　prove　how　much　he
thought　that　the　time　pressed。　　Two　kedges　were　got　on
deck；　and　hawsers　were　bent　to　them；　the　inner　ends　of
the　hawsers　were　bent；　in　their　turns；　to　the　crowns　of　the
anchors；　and　everything　was　got　ready　to　throw　them　over…
board　at　the　proper　moment。　　These　preparations　com…
pleted；　Jasper's　manner　changed　from　the　excitement　of
exertion　to　a　look　of　calm　but　settled　concern。　　He　quitted
the　forecastle；　where　the　seas　were　dashing　in…board　at
every　plunge　of　the　vessel；　the　duty　just　mentioned　having
been　executed　with　the　bodies　of　the　crew　frequently　buried
in　the　water；　and　walked　to　a　drier　part　of　the　deck；　aft。
Here　he　was　met　by　the　Pathfinder；　who　was　standing　near
Mabel　and　the　Quarter