the pathfinder-第56章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　moccassins　on　leaves　as　plainly　as　we　can　see　the　sun
in　the　heaven。〃

〃D…　me；　if　I　believe　there　is　even　any　compass！〃

〃Stand　by　to　haul　down　the　jib；〃　called　out　Jasper；
who　merely　smiled　at　the　remarks　of　his　companion。
〃Haul　down　　starboard　your　helm　　starboard　hard　　so
…　meet　her　　gently　there　with　the　helm　　touch　her　lightly
…　now　jump　ashore　with　the　fast；　lad　　no；　heave；　there
are　some　of　our　people　ready　to　take　it。〃

All　this　passed　so　quickly　as　barely　to　allow　the　spectator
time　to　note　the　different　evolutions；　ere　the　_Scud_　had　been
thrown　into　the　wind　until　her　mainsail　shivered；　next
cast　a　little　by　the　use　of　the　rudder　only；　and　then　she　set
bodily　alongside　of　a　natural　rocky　quay；　where　she　was
immediately　secured　by　good　fasts　run　to　the　shore。　　In
a　word；　the　station　was　reached；　and　the　men　of　the　55th
were　greeted　by　their　expecting　comrades；　with　the　satis…
faction　which　a　relief　usually　brings。

Mabel　sprang　up　on　the　shore　with　a　delight　which　she
did　not　care　to　express；　and　her　father　led　his　men　after
her　with　an　alacrity　which　proved　how　wearied　he　had　be…
come　of　the　cutter。　　The　station；　as　the　place　was　fami…
liarly　termed　by　the　soldiers　of　the　55th；　was　indeed　a　spot
to　raise　expectations　of　enjoyment　among　those　who　had
been　cooped　up　so　long　in　a　vessel　of　the　dimensions　of
the　_Scud_。　　None　of　the　islands　were　high；　though　all　lay
at　a　sufficient　elevation　above　the　water　to　render　them
perfectly　healthy　and　secure。　　Each　had　more　or　less　of
wood；　and　the　greater　number　at　that　distant　day　were
clothed　with　the　virgin　forest。　　The　one　selected　by　the
troops　for　their　purpose　was　small；　containing　about　twenty
acres　of　land；　and　by　some　of　the　accidents　of　the　wilder…
ness　it　had　been　partly　stripped　of　its　trees；　probably　cen…
turies　before　the　period　of　which　we　are　writing；　and　a
little　grassy　glade　covered　nearly　half　its　surface。

The　shores　of　Station　Island　were　completely　fringed
with　bushes；　and　great　care　had　been　taken　to　preserve
them；　as　they　answered　as　a　screen　to　conceal　the　persons
and　things　collected　within　their　circle。　　Favored　by　this
shelter；　as　well　as　by　that　of　several　thickets　of　trees　and
different　copses；　some　six　or　eight　low　huts　bad　been　erected
to　be　used　as　quarters　for　the　officer　and　his　men；　to　con…
tain　stores；　and　to　serve　the　purposes　of　kitchen；　hospital；
etc。　　These　huts　were　built　of　logs　in　the　usual　manner；
had　been　roofed　by　bark　brought　from　a　distance；　lest　the
signs　of　labor　should　attract　attention；　and；　as　they　had
now　been　inhabited　some　months；　were　as　comfortable　as
dwellings　of　that　description　usually　ever　get　to　be。

At　the　eastern　extremity　of　the　island；　however；　was　a
small；　densely…wooded　peninsula；　with　a　thicket　of　under…
brush　so　closely　matted　as　nearly　to　prevent　the　possibility
of　seeing　across　it；　so　long　as　the　leaves　remained　on　the
branches。　　Near　the　narrow　neck　that　connected　this　acre
with　the　rest　of　the　island；　a　small　blockhouse　had　been
erected；　with　some　attention　to　its　means　of　resistance。
The　logs　were　bullet…proof；　squared　and　jointed　with　a
care　to　leave　no　defenceless　points；　the　windows　were　loop…
holes；　the　door　massive　and　small；　and　the　roof；　like　the
rest　of　the　structure；　was　framed　of　hewn　timber；　covered
properly　with　bark　to　exclude　the　rain。　　The　lower　apart…
ment　as　usual　contained　stores　and　provisions；　here　indeed
the　party　kept　all　their　supplies；　the　second　story　was　in…
tended　for　a　dwelling；　as　well　as　for　the　citadel；　and　a　low
garret　was　subdivided　into　two　or　three　rooms；　and　could
hold　the　pallets　of　some　ten　or　fifteen　persons。　　All　the
arrangements　were　exceedingly　simple　and　cheap；　but　they
were　sufficient　to　protect　the　soldiers　against　the　effects　of
a　surprise。　　As　the　whole　building　was　considerably　less
than　forty　feet　high；　its　summit　was　concealed　by　the　tops
of　the　trees；　except　from　the　eyes　of　those　who　had　reached
the　interior　of　the　island。　　On　that　side　the　view　was　open
from　the　upper　loops；　though　bushes　even　there；　more　or
less；　concealed　the　base　of　the　wooden　tower。

The　object　being　purely　defence；　care　had　been　taken　to
place　the　blockhouse　so　near　an　opening　in　the　limestone
rock　that　formed　the　base　of　the　island　as　to　admit　of　a
bucket　being　dropped　into　the　water；　in　order　to　obtain
that　great　essential　in　the　event　of　a　siege。　　In　order　to
facilitate　this　operation；　and　to　enfilade　the　base　of　the
building；　the　upper　stories　projected　several　feet　beyond
the　lower　in　the　manner　usual　to　blockhouses；　and　pieces
of　wood　filled　the　apertures　cut　in　the　log　flooring；　which
were　intended　as　loops　and　traps。　　The　communications
between　the　different　stories　were　by　means　of　ladders。　　If
we　add　that　these　blockhouses　were　intended　as　citadels
for　garrisons　or　settlements　to　retreat　to；　in　the　cases　of
attacks；　the　general　reader　will　obtain　a　sufficiently　correct
idea　of　the　arrangements　it　is　our　wish　to　explain。

But　the　situation　of　the　island　itself　formed　its　principal
merit　as　a　military　position。　　Lying　in　the　midst　of　twenty
others；　it　was　not　an　easy　matter　to　find　it；　since　boats
might　pass　quite　near；　and；　by　glimpses　caught　through
the　openings；　this　particular　island　would　be　taken　for　a
part　of　some　other。　　Indeed；　the　channels　between　the
islands　which　lay　around　the　one　we　have　been　describing
were　so　narrow　that　it　was　even　difficult　to　say　which　por…
tions　of　the　land　were　connected；　or　which　separated；　even
as　one　stood　in　the　centre；　with　the　express　desire　of　ascer…
taining　the　truth。　　The　little　bay　in　particular；　which
Jasper　used　as　a　harbor；　was　so　embowered　with　bushes
and　shut　in　with　islands；　that；　the　sails　of　the　cutter　being
lowered；　her　own　people　on　one　occasion　had　searched　for
hours　before　they　could　find　the　_Scud_；　in　their　return　from
a　short　excursion　among　the　adjacent　channels　in　quest　of
fish。　　In　short；　the　place　was　admirably　adapted　to　its
present　objects；　and　its　natural　advantages　had　been　as　in…
geniously　improved　as　economy　and　the　limited　means　of
a　frontier　post　would　very　well　allow。

The　hour　which　succeeded　the　arrival　of　the　_Scud_　was
one　of　hurried　excitement。　　The　party　in　possession　had
done　nothing　worthy　of　being　mentioned；　and；　wearied
with　their　seclusion；　they　were　all　eager　to　return　to　Os…
wego。　　The　Sergeant　and　the　officer　he　came　to　relieve　had
no　sooner　gone　through　the　little　ceremonies　of　transfer…
ring　the　command；　than　the　latter　hurried　on　board　the
_Scud_　with　his　whole　party；　and　Jasper；　who　would　gladly
have　passed　the　day　on　the　island；　was　required　to　get
under　way　forthwith；　the　wind　promising　a　quick　passage
up　the　river　and　across　the　lake。　　Before　separating；　how…
ever；　Lieutenant　Muir；　Cap；　and　the　Sergeant　had　a　private
conference　with　the　ensign　who　had　been　relieved；　in
which　the　last　was　made　acquainted　with　the　suspicions
that　existed　against　the　fidelity　of　the　young　sailor。
Promising　due　caution；　the　officer　embarked；　and　in　less
than　three　hours　from　the　time　when　she　had　arrived　the
cutter　was　again　in　motion。

Mabel　had　taken　possession　of　a　hut；　and　with　female
readiness　and　skill　she　made　all　the　simple　little　domestic
arrangements　of　which　the　circumstances　would　admit；　not
only　for　her　own　comfort；　but　for　that　of　her　father。　　To
save　labor；　a　mess…table　was　prepared　in　a　hut　set　apart
for　that　purpose；　where　all　the　heads　of　the　detachment
were　to　eat；　the　soldier's　wife　performing　the　necessary
labor。　　The　hut　of　the　Sergeant；　which　was　the　best　on
the　island；　being　thus　freed　from　any　of　the　vulgar　offices
of　a　household；　admitted　of　such　a　display　of　womanly
taste；　that；　for　the　first　time　since　her　arrival　on　the　fron…
tier；　Mabel　felt　proud　of　her　home。　　As　soon　as　these　im…
portant　duties　were　discharged；　she　strolled　out　on　the
island；　taking　a　path　which　led　through　the　pretty　glade；
and　which　conducted　to　the　only　point　not　covered　with
bushes。　　Here　she　stood　gazing　at　the　limpid　water；　which
lay　with　scarcely　a　ruffle　on　it　at　her　feet；　musing　on　the
novel　situation　in　which　she　was　placed；　and　permitting　a
pleasing　and　deep　excitement　to　steal　over　her　feelings；
as　she　remembered　the　scenes　through　which　she　had　so
lately　passed；　and　conjectured　those　which　still　lay　veiled
in　the　future。

〃You're　a　beautiful　fixture；　in　a　beautiful　spot；　Mistress
Mabel；〃　said　David　Muir；　suddenly　appearing　at　her　el…
bow；　〃and　I'll　no'　engage　you're　not　just　the　handsomest
of　the　two。〃

〃I　will　not　say；　Mr。　Muir；　that　compliments　on　my　per…
son　are　altogether　unwelcome；　for　I　should　not　gain　credit
for　speaking　the　truth；　perhaps；〃　answered　Mabel　with
spirit；　〃but　I　will　say　that　if　you　would　condescend　to
address　to　me　some　remarks　of　a　different　nature；　I　may
be　led　to　believe　you　think　I　have　sufficient　faculties　to
understand　them。〃

〃Hoot！　your　mind；　beautiful　Mabel；　is　polished　just　like
the　barrel　of　a　soldier's　musket；　and　your　conversation　is
only　too　discreet　and　wise　for　a　poor　d…l　who　has　been
chewing　birch　up　here　these　four　years　on　the　lines；　instead
of　receiving　it　in　an　application　that　has　the　virtue　of
imparting　knowledge。　　But　you　are　no'　sorry；　I　take　it；
young　lady；　that　you've　got　your　pretty　foot　on　_terra　firma_
once　more。〃

〃I　thought　so　two　hours　since；　Mr。　Muir；　but　the　_Scud_
looks　so　beautiful　as　she　sails　through　these　vistas　of　trees；
that　I　almost　regret　I　am　no　longer　one　of　her　passengers。〃

As　Mabel　ceased　speaking；　she　waved；　her　handkerchief
in　return　to　a　salutation　from　Jasper；　who　kept　his　eyes
fastened　on　her　form　until　the　white　sails　of　the　cutter
had　swept　round　a　point；　and　were　nearly　lost　behind　its
green　fringe　of　leaves。

〃There　they　go；　and　I'll　no'　say　'joy　go　with　them；'　but
may　they　have　the　luck　to　return　safely；　for　without　them
we　shall　be　in　danger　of　passing　the　winter　on　this　island；
unless；　indeed；　we　have　the　alternative　of　the　castle　at
Quebec。　　Yon　Jasper　Eau…douce　is　a　vagrant　sort　of　a　lad；
and　they　have　reports　of　him　in　the　garrison　that　it　pains
my　very　heart　to　hear。　　Your　worthy　father；　and　almost
as　worthy　uncle；　have　none　of　the　best　opinion　of　him。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；　Mr。　Muir；　I　doubt　not　that　time
will　remove　all　their　distrust。〃

〃If　time　would　only　remove　mine；　pretty　Mabel；〃　re…
joined　the　Quartermaster　in　a　wheedling　tone；　〃I　should
feel　no　envy　of　the　commander…in…chief。　　I　think　if　I　were
in　a　condition　to　retire；　the　Sergeant　would　just　step　into
my　shoes。〃

〃If　my　dear　father　is　worthy　to　step　into　your　shoes；　Mr。
Muir；〃　returned　the　girl；　with　malicious　pleasure；　〃I'm
sure　that　the　qualification　is　mutual；　and　that　you　are　every
way　worthy　to　step　into　his。〃

〃The　deuce　is　in　the　child！　you　would　not　reduce　me
to　the　rank　of　a　non…commissioned　officer；　Mabel？〃

〃No；　indeed；　sir；　I　was　not　thinking　of　the　army　at　all
as　you　spoke　of　retiring。　　My　thoughts　were　more　egotis…
tical；　and　I　was　thinking　how　much　you　reminded　me　of
my　dear　father；　by　your　experience；　wisdom；　ana　suitable…
ness　to　take　his　place　as　the　head　of　a　family。〃

〃As　its　bridegroom；　pretty　Mabel；　but　not　as