the pathfinder-第74章

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than　other　some。　　I　daresay　poor　Gilbert；　who　took　my
place；　has　suffered　for　his　mistake。〃

〃He　fell　at　my　elbow；〃　the　Sergeant　answered　in　a　low
melancholy　tone。　　〃We　have；　indeed；　all　suffered　for　our
mistakes。〃

〃No；　no；　Sergeant；　I　meant　no　condemnation　on　you；
for　men　were　never　better　commanded　than　yourn；　in　this
very　expedition。　　I　never　beheld　a　prettier　flanking；　and
the　way　in　which　you　carried　your　own　boat　up　ag'in　their
howitzer　might　have　teached　Lundie　himself　a　lesson。〃

The　eyes　of　the　Sergeant　brightened；　and　his　face　even
wore　an　expression　of　military　triumph；　though　it　was　of
a　degree　that　suited　the　humble　sphere　in　which　he　had
been　an　actor。

〃'Twas　not　badly　done；　my　friend；〃　said　he；　〃and　we
carried　their　log　breastwork　by　storm。〃

〃'Twas　nobly　done；　Sergeant；　though；　I　fear；　when　all
the　truth　comes　to　be　known；　it　will　be　found　that　these
vagabonds　have　got　their　howitzer　back　ag'in。　　Well；　well；
put　a　stout　heart　upon　it；　and　try　to　forget　all　that　is　dis…
agreeable；　and　to　remember　only　the　pleasant　part　of　the
matter。　　That　is　your　truest　philosophy；　ay；　and　truest
religion　too。　　If　the　inimy　has　got　the　howitzer　ag'in；
they've　only　got　what　belonged　to　them　afore；　and　what
we　couldn't　help。　　They　haven't　got　the　blockhouse　yet；
nor　are　they　likely　to　get　it；　unless　they　fire　it　in　the　dark。
Well；　Sergeant；　the　Sarpent　and　I　separated　about　ten
miles　down　the　river；　for　we　thought　it　wisest　not　to　come
upon　even　a　friendly　camp　without　the　usual　caution。
What　has　become　of　Chingachgook　I　cannot　say；　though
Mabel　tells　me　he　is　not　far　off；　and　I　make　no　question
the　noble…hearted　Delaware　is　doing　his　duty；　although　he
is　not　now　visible　to　our　eyes。　　Mark　my　word；　Sergeant；
before　this　matter　is　over　we　shall　hear　of　him　at　some
critical　time　and　that　in　a　discreet　and　creditable　manner。
Ah；　the　Sarpent　is　indeed　a　wise　and　virtuous　chief！　and
any　white　man　might　covet　his　gifts；　though　his　rifle　is
not　quite　as　sure　as　Killdeer；　it　must　be　owned。　　Well；　as
I　came　near　the　island　I　missed　the　smoke；　and　that　put
me　on　my　guard；　for　I　knew　that　the　men　of　the　55th
were　not　cunning　enough　to　conceal　that　sign；　notwith…
standing　all　that　has　been　told　them　of　its　danger。　　This
made　me　more　careful；　until　I　came　in　sight　of　this　mock…
fisherman；　as　I've　just　told　Mabel；　and　then　the　whole　of
their　infernal　arts　was　as　plain　before　me　as　if　I　saw　it　on
a　map。　　I　need　not　tell　you；　Sergeant；　that　my　first
thoughts　were　of　Mabel；　and　that；　finding　she　was　in　the
block；　I　came　here；　in　order　to　live　or　die　in　her　company。〃

The　father　turned　a　gratified　look　upon　his　child；　and
Mabel　felt　a　sinking　of　the　heart　that　at　such　a　moment
she　could　not　have　thought　possible；　when　she　wished　to
believe　all　her　concern　centred　in　the　situation　of　her
parent。　　As　the　latter　held　out　his　hand；　she　took　it　in　her
own　and　kissed　it。　　Then；　kneeling　at　his　side；　she　wept
as　if　her　heart　would　break。

〃Mabel；〃　said　he　steadily；　〃the　will　of　God　must　be
done。　　It　is　useless　to　attempt　deceiving　either　you　or　my…
self；　my　time　has　come；　and　it　is　a　consolation　to　me　to
die　like　a　soldier。　　Lundie　will　do　me　justice；　for　our　good
friend　Pathfinder　will　tell　him　what　has　been　done；　and
how　all　came　to　pass。　　You　do　not　forget　our　last　con…
versation？〃

〃Nay；　father；　my　time　has　probably　come　too；〃　exclaimed
Mabel；　who　felt　just　then　as　if　it　would　be　a　relief　to　die。
〃I　cannot　hope　to　escape；　and　Pathfinder　would　do　well
to　leave　us；　and　return　to　the　garrison　with　the　sad　news
while　he　can。〃

〃Mabel　Dunham；〃　said　Pathfinder　reproachfully；　though
he　took　her　hand　with　kindness；　〃I　have　not　desarved　this。
I　know　I　am　wild；　and　uncouth；　and　ungainly　　〃

〃Pathfinder！〃

〃Well；　well；　we'll　forget　it；　you　did　not　mean　it；　you
could　not　think　it。　　It　is　useless　now　to　talk　of　escaping；
for　the　Sergeant　cannot　be　moved；　and　the　blockhouse
must　be　defended；　cost　what　it　will。　　Maybe　Lundie　will
get　the　tidings　of　our　disaster；　and　send　a　party　to　raise
the　siege。〃

〃Pathfinder　　Mabel！〃　said　the　Sergeant；　who　had　been
writhing　with　pain　until　the　cold　sweat　stood　on　his　fore…
head；　〃come　both　to　my　side。　　You　understand　each
other；　I　hope？〃

〃Father；　say　nothing　of　that；　it　is　all　as　you　wish。〃

〃Thank　God！　　Give　me　your　hand；　Mabel　　here；　Path…
finder；　take　it。　　I　can　do　no　more　than　give　you　the　girl
in　this　way。　　I　know　you　will　make　her　a　kind　husband。
Do　not　wait　on　account　of　my　death；　but　there　will　be　a
chaplain　in　the　fort　before　the　season　closes；　and　let　him
marry　you　at　once。　　My　brother；　if　living；　will　wish。to　go
back　to　his　vessel；　and　then　the　child　will　have　no　pro…
tector。　　Mabel；　your　husband　will　have　been　my　friend；
and　that　will　be　some　consolation　to　you；　I　hope。〃

〃Trust　this　matter　to　me；　Sergeant；〃　put　in　Pathfinder；
〃leave　it　all　in　my　hands　as　your　dying　request；　and；　de…
pend　on　it；　all　will　go　as　it　should。〃

〃I　do；　I　do　put　all　confidence　in　you；　my　trusty　friend；
and　empower　you　to　act　as　I　could　act　myself　in　every
particular。　　Mabel；　child；　　hand　me　the　water；　　you　will
never　repent　this　night。　　Bless　you；　my　daughter！　　God
bless；　and　have　you　in　His　holy　keeping！〃

This　tenderness　was　inexpressibly　touching　to　one　of
Mabel's　feelings；　and　she　felt　at　that　moment　as　if　her
feuture　union　with　Pathfinder　had　received　a　solemnization
that　no　ceremony　of　the　Church　could　render　more　holy。
Still；　a　weight；　as　that　of　a　mountain；　lay　upon　her　heart；
and　she　thought　it　would　be　happiness　to　die。　　Then　fol…
lowed　a　short　pause；　when　the　Sergeant；　in　broken　sen…
tences；　briefly　related　what　had　passed　since　he　parted
with　Pathfinder　and　the　Delaware。　　The　wind　had　come
more　favorable；　and；　instead　of　encamping　on　an　island
agreeably　to　the　original　intention；　he　had　determined　to
continue；　and　reach　the　station　that　night。　　Their　approach
would　have　been　unseen；　and　a　portion　of　the　calamity
avoided；　he　thought；　had　they　not　grounded　on　the　point
of　a　neighboring　island；　where；　no　doubt；　the　noise　made
by　the　men　in　getting　off　the　boat　gave　notice　of　their　ap…
proach；　and　enabled　the　enemy　to　be　in　readiness　to　receive
them。　　They　had　landed　without　the　slightest　suspicion　of
danger；　though　surprised　at　not　finding　a　sentinel；　and　had
actually　left　their　arms　in　the　boat；　with　the　intention　of
first　securing　their　knapsacks　and　provisions。　　The　fire
had　been　so　close；　that；　notwithstanding　the　obscurity；　it
was　very　deadly。　　Every　man　had　fallen；　though　two　or
three　subsequently　arose　and　disappeared。　　Four　or　five　of
the　soldiers　had　been　killed；　or　so　nearly　so　as　to　survive
but　a　few　minutes；　though；　for　some　unknown　reason；　the
enemy　did　not　make　the　usual　rush　for　the　scalps。　　Ser…
geant　Dunham　fell　with　the　others；　and　he　had　heard　the
voice　of　Mabel；　as　she　rushed　from　the　blockhouse。　　This
frantic　appeal　aroused　all　his　parental　feelings；　and　had
enabled　him　to　crawl　as　far　as　the　door　of　the　building；
where　he　had　raised　himself　against　the　logs　in　the　manner
already　mentioned。

After　this　simple　explanation　was　made；　the　Sergeant
was　so　weak　as　to　need　repose；　and　his　companions；　while
they　ministered　to　his　wants；　suffered　some　time　to　pass　in
silence。　　Pathfinder　took　the　occasion　to　reconnoitre　from
the　loops　and　the　roof；　and　he　examined　the　condition　of
the　rifles；　of　which　there　were　a　dozen　kept　in　the　build…
ing；　the　soldiers　having　used　their　regimental　muskets　in
the　expedition。　　But　Mabel　never　left　her　father's　side　for
an　instant；　and　when；　by　his　breathing；　she　fancied　he
slept；　she　bent　her　knees　and　prayed。

The　half…hour　that　succeeded　was　awfully　solemn　and
still。　　The　moccasin　of　Pathfinder　was　barely　heard　over…
head；　and　occasionally　the　sound　of　the　breech　of　a　rifle
fell　upon　the　floor；　for　he　was　busied　in　examining　the
pieces；　with　a　view　to　ascertain　the　state　of　their　charges
and　their　primings。　　Beyond　this；　nothing　was　so　loud　as
the　breathing　of　the　wounded　man。　　Mabel's　heart　yearned
to　be　in　communication　with　the　father　she　was　so　soon　to
lose；　and　yet　she　would　not　disturb　his　apparent　repose。
But　Dunham　slept　not；　he　was　in　that　state　when　the
world　suddenly　loses　its　attractious；　its　illusions；　and　its
power；　and　the　unknown　future　fills　the　mind　with　its
conjectures；　its　revelations；　and　its　immensity。　　He　had
been　a　moral　man　for　one　of　his　mode　of　life；　but　he　had
thought　little　of　this　all…important　moment。　　Had　the　din
of　battle　been　ringing　in　his　ears；　his　martial　ardor　might
have　endured　to　the　end；　but　there；　in　the　silence　of　that
nearly　untenanted　blockhouse；　with　no　sound　to　enliven
him；　no　appeal　to　keep　alive　factitious　sentiment；　no　hope
of　victory　to　impel；　things　began　to　appear　in　their　true
colors；　and　this　state　of　being　to　be　estimated　at　its　just
value。　　He　would　have　given　treasures　for　religious　con…
solation；　and　yet　he　knew　not　where　to　turn　to　seek　it。
He　thought　of　Pathfinder；　but　he　distrusted　his　knowl…
edge。　　He　thought　of　Mabel；　but　for　the　parent　to　appeal
to　the　child　for　such　succor　appeared　like　reversing　the
order　of　nature。　　Then　it　was　that　he　felt　the　full　re…
sponsibility　of　the　parental　character；　and　had　some　clear
glimpse　of　the　manner　in　which　he　himself　had　discharged
the　trust　towards　an　orphan　child。　　While　thoughts　like
these　were　rising　in　his　mind；　Mabel；　who　watched　the
slightest　change　in　his　breathing；　heard　a　guarded　knock
at　the　door。　　Supposing　it　might　be　Chingachgook；　she
rose；　undid　two　of　the　bars；　and　held　the　third　in　her　hand；
as　she　asked　who　was　there。　　The　answer　was　in　her　uncle's
voice；　and　he　implored　her　to　give　him　instant　admission。
Without　an　instant　of　hesitation；　she　turned　the　bar；　and
Cap　entered。　　He　had　barely　passed　the　opening；　when
Mabel　closed　the　door　again；　and　secured　it　as　before；　for
practice　had　rendered　her　expert　in　this　portion　of　her
duties。

The　sturdy　seaman；　when　he　had　made　sure　of　the　state
of　his　brother…in…law；　and　that　Mabel；　as　well　as　himself；
was　safe；　was　softened　nearly　to　tears。　　His　own　appear…
ance　he　explained　by　saying　that　he　had　been　carelessly
guarded；　under　the　impression　that　he　and　the　Quarter…
master　were　sleeping　under　the　fumes　of　liquor　with　which
they　had　been　plied　with　a　view　to　keep　them　quiet　in　the
expected　engagement。　　Muir　had　been　left　asleep；　or　seem…
ing　to　sleep；　but　Cap　had　run　into　the　bushes　on　the
alarm　of　the　attack；　and　having　found　Pathfinder's　canoe；
had　only　succeeded；　at　that　moment；　in　getting　to　the
blockhouse；　whither　he　had　come　with　the　kind　intent　of
escaping　with　his　niece　by　water。　　It　is　scarcely　necessary
to　say　that　he　changed　his　plan　when　he　ascertained　the
state　of　the　Sergeant；　and　the　apparent　security　of　his
present　quarters。

〃If　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst；　Master　Pathfinder；〃
said　he；　〃we　must　strike；　and　that　will　entitle　us　to　re…
ceive　quarter。　　We　owe　it　to　our　manhood　to　hold　out　a
reasonable　time；　and　to　ourselves　to　haul　down　the　ensign
in　season　to　make　saving　conditions。　　I　wished　Master
Muir　to　do　the　same　thing　when　we　were　captured　by　these
chaps　you　call　vagabonds　　and　rightly　are