the pathfinder-第64章

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girl　and　then　at　the　bit　of　bunting；　which　he　still　held　be…
fore　him　in　a　way　to　denote　indecision。　　His　irresolution
lasted　but　for　this　minute；　however；　for　he　was　soon　be…
neath　the　tree；　where　he　fastened　the　mimic　flag　to　a　branch
again；　though；　from　his　ignorance　of　the　precise　spot　from
which　it　had　been　taken　by　Mabel；　he　left　it　fluttering
from　a　part　of　the　oak　where　it　was　still　more　exposed　than
before　to　the　eyes　of　any　passenger　on　the　river；　though
less　in　view　from　the　island　itself。



CHAPTER　XXI。

Each　one　has　had　his　supping　mess；
The　cheese　is　put　into　the　press；
The　pans　and　bowls；　clean　scalded　all；
Reared　up　against　the　milk…house　wall。
COTTON。


It　seemed　strange　to　Mabel　Dunham；　as　she　passed　along
on　her　way　to　find　her　female　companion；　that　others
should　be　so　composed；　while　she　herself　felt　as　if　the　re…
sponsibilities　of　life　and　death　rested　on　her　shoulders。　　It
is　true　that　distrust　of　June's　motives　mingled　with　her
forebodings；　but　when　she　came　to　recall　the　affectionate
and　natural　manner　of　the　young　Indian　girl；　and　all　the
evidences　of　good　faith　and　sincerity　she　had　seen　in　her
conduct　during　the　familiar　intercourse　of　their　journey；
she　rejected　the　idea　with　the　unwillingness　of　a　generous
disposition　to　believe　ill　of　others。　　She　saw；　however；　that
she　could　not　put　her　companions　properly　on　their　guard
without　letting　them　into　the　secret　of　her　conference　with
June；　and　she　found　herself　compelled　to　act　cautiously
and　with　a　forethought　to　which　she　was　unaccustomed；
more　especially　in　a　matter　of　so　much　moment。

The　soldier's　wife　was　told　to　transport　the　necessaries
into　the　blockhouse；　and　admonished　not　to　be　far　from　it
at　any　time　during　the　day。　　Mabel　did　not　explain　her
reasons。　　She　merely　stated　that　she　had　detected　some
signs　in　walking　about　the　island；　which　induced　her　to
apprehend　that　the　enemy　had　more　knowledge　of　its　po…
sition　than　had　been　previously　believed；　and　that　they
two　at　least；　would　do　well　to　be　in　readiness　to　seek　a
refuge　at　the　shortest　notice。　　It　was　not　difficult　to　arouse
the　apprehension　of　this　person；　who；　though　a　stout…
hearted　Scotchwoman；　was　ready　enough　to　listen　to　any…
thing　that　confirmed　her　dread　of　Indian　cruelties。　　As
soon　as　Mabel　believed　that　her　companion　was　sufficiently
frightened　to　make　her　wary；　she　threw　out　some　hints
touching　the　inexpediency　of　letting　the　soldiers　know　the
extent　of　their　own　fears。　　This　was　done　with　a　view　to
prevent　discussions　and　inquiries　that　might　embarrass
our　heroine：　she　determining　to　render　her　uncle；　the　Cor…
poral；　and　his　men　more　cautious；　by　adopting　a　different
course。　　Unfortunately；　the　British　army　could　not　have
furnished　a　worse　person　for　the　particular　duty　that　he
was　now　required　to　discharge　than　Corporal　M'Nab；　the
individual　who　had　been　left　in　command　during　the　ab…
sence　of　Sergeant　Dunham。　　On　the　one　hand；　he　was　res…
olute；　prompt；　familiar　with　all　the　details　of　a　soldier's
life；　and　used　to　war；　on　the　other；　he　was　supercilious　as
regards　the　provincials；　opinionated　on　every　subject　con…
nected　with　the　narrow　limits　of　his　professional　practice；
much　disposed　to　fancy　the　British　empire　the　centre　of
all　that　is　excellent　in　the　world；　and　Scotland　the　focus
of；　at　least；　all　moral　excellence　in　that　empire。　　In　short；
he　was　an　epitome；　though　on　a　scale　suited　to　his　rank；
of　those　very　qualities　which　were　so　peculiar　to　the　serv…
ants　of　the　Crown　that　were　sent　into　the　colonies；　as　these
servants　estimated　themselves　in　comparison　with　the　na…
tives　of　the　country；　or；　in　other　words；　he　considered　the
American　as　an　animal　inferior　to　the　parent　stock；　and
viewed　all　his　notions　of　military　service；　in　particular；　as
undigested　and　absurd。　　A　more　impracticable　subject；
therefore；　could　not　well　have　offered　for　the　purpose　of
Mabel；　and　yet　she　felt　obliged　to　lose　no　time　in　putting
her　plan　in　execution。

〃My　father　has　left　you　a　responsible　command；　Corpo…
ral；〃　she　said；　as　soon　as　she　could　catch　M'Nab　a　little
apart；　〃for　should　the　island　fall　into　the　hands　of　the
enemy；　not　only　should　we　be　captured；　but　the　party　that
is　now　out　would　in　all　probability　become　their　prisoners
also。〃

〃It　needs　no　journey　from　Scotland　to　this　place　to
know　the　facts　needful　to　be　o'　that　way　of　thinking。〃　re…
turned　M'Nab　drily。

〃I　do　not　doubt　your　understanding　it　as　well　as　myelf；
Mr。　M'Nab；　but　I'm　fearful　that　you　veterans；　accustomed
as　you　are　to　dangers　and　battles；　are　a　little　apt　to　overlook
some　of　the　precautions　that　may　be　necessary　in　a　situa…
tion　as　peculiar　as　ours。〃

〃They　say　Scotland　is　no　conquered　country；　young
woman；　but　I'm　thinking　there　must　be　some　mistak'　in
the　matter；　as　we；　her　children；　are　so　drowsy…headed　and
apt　to　be　o'ertaken　when　we　least　expect　it。〃

〃Nay；　my　good　friend；　you　mistake　my　meaning。　　In
the　first　place；　I'm　not　thinking　of　Scotland　at　all；　but　of
this　island；　and　then　I　am　far　from　doubting　your　vigi…
lance　when　you　think　it　necessary　to　practise　it；　but　my
great　fear　is　that　there　may　be　danger　to　whicb　your　cour…
age　will　make　you　indifferent。〃

〃My　courage；　Mistress　Dunham；　is　doubtless　of　a　very
pool　quality；　being　nothing　but　Scottish　courage；　your
father's　is　Yankee；　and　were　he　here　amang　us　we　should
see　different　preparations；　beyond　a　doubt。　　Well；　times
are　getting　wrang；　when　foreigners　hold　commissions　and
carry　halberds　in　Scottish　corps；　and　I　no　wonder　that
battles　are　lost；　and　campaigns　go　wrang　end　foremost。〃

Mabel　was　almost　in　despair；　but　the　quiet　warning　of
June　was　still　too　vividly　impressed　on　her　mind　to　allow
her　to　yield　the　matter。　　She　changed　her　mode　of　operat…
ing；　therefore；　still　clinging　to　the　hope　of　getting　the
whole　party　within　the　blockhouse；　without　being　corn…
pelled　to　betray　the　source　whence　she　obtained　her　notices
of　the　necessity　of　vigilance。

〃I　daresay　you　are　right；　Corporal　M'Nab；〃　she　ob…
served；　〃for　I've　often　heard　of　tbe　heroes　of　your　coun…
try；　who　have　been　among　the　first　of　tbe　civilized　world；
if　what　they　tell　me　of　them　is　true。〃

〃Have　you　read　the　history　of　Scotland；　Mistress　Dun…
ham？〃　demanded　the　Corporal；　looking　up　at　his　pretty
companion；　for　the　first　time　with　something　like　a　smile
on　his　hard；　repulsive　countenance。

〃I　have　read　a　little　of　it；　Corporal；　but　I've　heard　much
more。　　The　lady　who　brought　me　up　had　Scottish　blood
in　her　veins；　and　was　fond　of　the　subject。〃

〃I'll　warrant　ye；　the　Sergeant　no'　troubled　himself　to
expatiate　on　the　renown　of　the　country　where　his　regiment
was　raised？〃

〃My　father　has　other　things　to　think　of；　and　the　little
I　know　was　got　from　the　lady　I　have　mentioned。〃

〃She'll　no'　be　forgetting　to　tall　ye　o'　Wallace？〃

〃Of　him　I've　even　read　a　good　deal。〃

〃And　o'　Bruce；　and　the　affair　of　Bannockburn？〃

〃Of　that　too；　as　well　as　of　Culloden　Muir。〃

The　last　of　these　battles　was　then　a　recent　event；　it　hav…
ing　actually　been　fought　within　the　recollection　of　our
heroine；　whose　notions　of　it；　however；　were　so　confused
that　she　scarcely　appreciated　the　effect　her　allusion　might
produce　on　her　companion。　　She　knew　it　had　been　a　vic…
tory；　and　had　often　heard　the　guests　of　her　patroness　men…
tion　it　with　triumph；　and　she　fancied　their　feelings　would
find　a　sympathetic　chord　in　those　of　every　British　soldier。
Unfortunately；　M'Nab　had　fought　throughout　that　luckless
day　on　the　side　of　the　Pretender；　and　a　deep　scar　that
garnished　his　face　had　been　left　there　by　the　sabre　of　a
German　soldier　in　the　service　of　the　House　of　Hanover。
He　fancied　that　his　wound　bled　afresh　at　Mabel's　allusion；
and　it　is　certain　that　the　blood　rushed　to　his　face　in　a　tor…
rent；　as　if　it　would　pour　out　of　his　skin　at　the　cicatrix。

〃Hoot！　hoot　awa'！〃　he　fairly　shouted；　〃with　your　Cul…
loden　and　Sherriff　muirs；　young　woman；　ye'll　no'　be　un…
derstanding　the　subject　at　all；　and　will　manifest　not　only
wisdom　but　modesty　in　speaking　o'　your　ain　country　and
its　many　failings。　　King　George　has　some　loyal　subjects
in　the　colonies；　na　doubt；　but　'twill　be　a　lang　time　before
he　sees　or　hears　any　guid　of　them。〃

Mabel　was　surprised　at　the　Corporal's　heat；　for　she　had
not　the　smallest　idea　where　the　shoe　pinched；　but　she
was　determined　not　to　give　up　the　point。

〃I've　always　heard　that　the　Scotch　had　two　of　the　good
qualities　of　soldiers；〃　she　said；　〃courage　and　circumspec…
tion；　and　I　feel　persuaded　that　Corporal　M'Nab　will　sus…
tain　the　national　renown。〃

〃Ask　yer　own　father；　Mistress　Dunham；　he　is　acquaint'
with　Corporal　M'Nab；　and　will　no'　be　backward　to　point
out　his　demerits。　　We　have　been　in　battle　thegither；　and
he　is　my　superior　officer；　and　has　a　sort　o'　official　right　to
give　the　characters　of　his　subordinates。〃

〃My　father　thinks　well　of　you；　M'Nab；　or　he　would　not
have　left　you　in　charge　of　this　island　and　all　it　contains；
his　own　daughter　included。　　Among　other　things；　I　well
know　that　he　calculates　largely　on　your　prudence。　　He
expects　the　blockhouse　in　particular　to　be　strictly　attended
to。〃

〃If　he　wishes　to　defend　the　honor　of　the　55th　behind
logs；　he　ought　to　have　remained　in　command　himsel'；　for；
to　speak　frankly；　it　goes　against　a　Scotchman's　bluid　and
opinions　to　be　beaten　out　of　the　field　even　before　he　is　at…
tacked。　　We　are　broadsword　men；　and　love　to　stand　foot
to　foot　with　the　foe。　　This　American　mode　of　fighting；
that　is　getting　into　so　much　favor；　will　destroy　the　repu…
tation　of　his　Majesty's　army；　if　it　no'　destroy　its　spirit。〃

〃No　true　soldier　despises　caution。　　Even　Major　Duncan
himself；　than　whom　there　is　none　braver；　is　celebrated　for
his　care　of　his　men。〃

〃Lundie　has　his　weakness；　and　is　fast　forgetting　the
broadsword　and　open　heaths　in　his　tree　and　rifle　practice。
But；　Mistress　Dunham；　tak'　the　word　of　an　old　soldier；
who　has　seen　his　fifty…fifth　year；　when　he　talls　ye　that　there
is　no　surer　method　to　encourage　your　enemy　than　to　seem
to　fear　him；　and　that　there　is　no　danger　in　this　Indian
warfare　that　the　fancies　and　imaginations　of　your　Ameri…
cans　have　not　enlarged　upon；　until　they　see　a　savage　in
every　bush。　　We　Scots　come　from　a　naked　region；　and　have
no　need　and　less　relish　for　covers；　and　so　ye'll　be　seeing；
Mistress　Dunham　　〃

The　Corporal　gave　a　spring　into　the　air；　fell　forward　on
his　face；　and　rolled　over　on　his　back；　the　whole　passing　so
suddenly　that　Mabel　had　scarcely　heard　the　sharp　crack
of　the　rifle　that　had　sent　a　bullet　through　his　body。　　Our
heroine　did　not　shriek　　did　not　even　tremble；　for　the
occurrence　was　too　sudden；　too　awful；　and　too　unexpected
for　that　exhibition　of　weakness；　on　the　contrary；　she
stepped　hastily　forward；　with　a　natural　impulse　to　aid　her
companion。　　There　was　just　enough　of　life　left　in　M'Nab
to　betray　his　entire　consciousness　of　all　that　had　passed。
His　countenance　had　the　wild　look　of　one　who　had　been
overtaken　by　death　by　surprise；　and　Mabel；　in　her　cooler
moments；　fancied　that　it　showed　the　tardy　repentance　of
a　willful　and　obstinate　sinner。

〃Ye'll　be　getting　into　the　blockhouse　as　fast　as　possible；〃
M'Nab　whi