the pathfinder-第76章

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it　away。〃

〃If　that　is　a　living　voice；〃　returned　Muir；　〃I　am　glad
to　hear　it；　for　we　all　thought　the　man　had　fallen　in　the
late　fearful　confusion。　　But；　Master　Pathfinder；　although
ye're　enjoying　the　society　of　our　friend　Cap；　　and　a　great
pleasure　do　I　know　it　to　be；　by　the　experience　of　two　days
and　a　night　passed　in　a　hole　in　the　earth；　　we've　lost　that
of　Sergeant　Dunham；　who　has　fallen；　with　all　the　brave
men　he　led　in　the　late　expedition。　　Lundie　would　have　it
so；　though　it　would　have　been　more　discreet　and　becoming
to　send　a　commissioned　officer　in　command。　　Dunham　was
a　brave　man；　notwithstanding；　and　shall　have　justice　done
his　memory。　　In　short；　we　have　all　acted　for　the　best；　and
that　is　as　much　as　could　be　said　in　favor　of　Prince　Eugene；
the　Duke　of　Marlborough；　or　the　great　Earl　of　Stair　him…
self。〃

〃You're　wrong　ag'in；　Quartermaster；　you're　wrong
ag'in；〃　answered　Pathfinder；　resorting　to　a　ruse　to　magnify
his　force。　　〃The　Sergeant　is　safe　in　the　block　too；　where
one　might　say　the　whole　family　is　collected。〃

〃Well　I　rejoice　to　hear　it；　for　we　had　certainly　counted
the　Sergeant　among　the　slain。　　If　pretty　Mabel　is　in　the
block　still；　let　her　not　delay　an　instant；　for　heaven's　sake；
in　quitting　it；　for　the　enemy　is　about　to　put　it　to　the　trial
by　fire。　　Ye　know　the　potency　of　that　dread　element；　and
will　be　acting　more　like　the　discreet　and　experienced　war…
rior　ye're　universally　allowed　to　be；　in　yielding　a　place　you
canna'　defend；　than　in　drawing　down　ruin　on　yourself　and
companions。〃

〃I　know　the　potency　of　fire；　as　you　call　it；　Quarter…
master；　and　am　not　to　be　told；　at　this　late　hour；　that　it
can　be　used　for　something　else　besides　cooking　a　dinner。
But　I　make　no　doubt　you've　heard　of　the　potency　of　Kill…
deer；　and　the　man　who　attempts　to　lay　a　pile　of　brush
against　these　logs　will　get　a　taste　of　his　power。　　As　for
arrows；　it　is　not　in　their　gift　to　set　this　building　on　fire；
for　we've　no　shingles　on　our　roof；　but　good　solid　logs　and
green　bark；　and　plenty　of　water　besides。　　The　roof　is　so
flat；　too；　as　you　know　yourself；　Quartermaster；　that　we　can
walk　on　it；　and　so　no　danger　on　that　score　while　water
lasts。　　I'm　peaceable　enough　if　let　alone；　but　he　who　en…
divors　to　burn　this　block　over　my　head　will　find　the　fire
squinched　in　his　own　blood。〃

〃This　is　idle　and　romantic　talk；　Pathfinder；　and　ye'll
no　maintain　it　yourself　when　ye　come　to　meditate　on　the
realities。　　I　hope　ye'll　no'　gainsay　the　loyalty　or　the　cour…
age　of　the　55th；　and　I　feel　convinced　that　a　council　of　war
would　decide　on　the　propriety　of　a　surrender　forthwith。
Na；　na；　Pathfinder；　foolhardiness　is　na　mair　like　the　brav…
ery　o'　Wallace　or　Bruce　than　Albany　on　the　Hudson　is　like
the　old　town　of　Edinbro'。〃

〃As　each　of　us　seems　to　have　made　up　his　mind；　Quar…
termaster；　more　words　are　useless。　　If　the　riptyles　near
you　are　disposed　to　set　about　their　hellish　job；　let　them
begin　at　once。　　They　can　burn　wood；　and　I'll　burn　pow…
der。　　If　I　were　an　Indian　at　the　stake；　I　suppose　I　could
brag　as　well　as　the　rest　of　them；　but；　my　gifts　and　natur'
being　both　white；　my　turn　is　rather　for　doing　than　talk…
ing。　　You've　said　quite　enough；　considering　you　carry　the
king's　commission；　and　should　we　all　be　consumed；　none
of　us　will　bear　you　any　malice。〃

〃Pathfinder；　ye'll　no'　be　exposing　Mabel；　pretty　Mabel
Dunham；　to　sic'　a　calamity！〃

〃Mabel　Dunham　is　by　the　side　of　her　wounded　father；
and　God　will　care　for　the　safety　of　a　pious　child。　　Not　a
hair；　of　her　head　shall　fall；　while　my　arm　and　sight　remain
true；　and　though　_you_　may　trust　the　Mingos；　Master　Muir；
I　put　no　faith　in　them。　　You've　a　knavish　Tuscarora　in
your　company　there；　who　has　art　and　malice　enough　to
spoil　the　character　of　any　tribe　with　which　he　consorts；
though　he　found　the　Mingos　ready　ruined　to　his　hands；　I
fear。　　But　enough　said；　now　let　each　party　go　to　the　use
of　his　means　and　his　gifts。〃

Throughout　this　dialogue　Pathfinder　had　kept　his　body
covered；　lest　a　treacherous　shot　should　be　aimed　at　the
loop；　and　he　now　directed　Cap　to　ascend　to　the　roof　in
order　to　be　in　readiness　to　meet　the　first　assault。　　Al…
though　the　latter　used　sufficient　diligence；　he　found　no
less　than　ten　blazing　arrows　sticking　to　the　bark；　while
the　air　was　filled　with　the　yells　and　whoops　of　the　enemy。
A　rapid　discharge　of　rifles　followed；　and　the　bullets　came
pattering　against　the　logs；　in　a　way　to　show　that　the　strug…
gle　had　indeed　seriously　commenced。

These　were　sounds；　however；　that　appalled　neither　Path…
finder　nor　Cap；　while　Mabel　was　too　much　absorbed　in　her
affliction　to　feel　alarm。　　She　had　good　sense　enough；　too；
to　understand　the　nature　of　the　defences；　and　fully　to　ap…
preciate　their　importance。　　As　for　her　father；　the　familiar
noises　revived　him；　and　it　pained　his　child；　at　such　a
moment；　to　see　that　his　glassy　eye　began　to　kindle；　and
that　the　blood　returned　to　a　cheek　it　had　deserted；　as　he
listened　to　the　uproar。　　It　was　now　Mabel　first　perceived
that　his　reason　began　slightly　to　wander。

〃Order　up　the　light　companies；〃　he　muttered；　〃and　let
the　grenadiers　charge！　　Do　they　dare　to　attack　us　in　our
fort？　　Why　does　not　the　artillery　open　on　them？〃

At　that　instant　the　heavy　report　of　a　gun　burst　on　the
night；　and　the　crashing　of　rending　wood　was　heard；　as　a
heavy　shot　tore　the　logs　in　the　room　above；　and　the　whole
block　shook　with　the　force　of　a　shell　that　lodged　in　the
work。　　The　Pathfinder　narrowly　escaped　the　passage　of
this　formidable　missile　as　it　entered；　but　when　it　exploded；
Mabel　could　not　suppress　a　shriek；　for　she　supposed　all
over　her　head；　whether　animate　or　inanimate；　destroyed。
To　increase　her　horror；　her　father　shouted　in　a　frantic
voice　to　〃charge！〃

〃Mabel；〃　said　Pathfinder；　with　his　head　at　the　trap；
〃this　is　true　Mingo　work　　more　noise　than　injury。　　The
vagabonds　have　got　the　howitzer　we　took　from　the　French；
and　have　discharged　it　ag'in　the　block；　but　fortunately
they　have　fired　off　the　only　shell　we　had；　and　there　is　an
ind　of　its　use　for　the　present。　　There　is　some　confusion
among　the　stores　up　in　this　loft；　but　no　one　is　hurt。　　Your
uncle　is　still　on　the　roof；　and；　as　for　myself；　I've　run　the
gauntlet　of　too　many　rifles　to　be　skeary　about　such　a　thing
as　a　howitzer；　and　that　in　Indian　hands。〃

Mabel　murmured　her　thanks；　and　tried　to　give　all　her
attention　to　her　father；　whose　efforts　to　rise　were　only
counteracted　by　his　debility。　　During　the　fearful　minutes
that　succeeded；　she　was　so　much　occupied　with　the　care　of
the　invalid　that　she　scarcely　heeded　the　clamor　that
reigned　around　her。　　Indeed；　the　uproar　was　so　great；
that；　had　not　her　thoughts　been　otherwise　employed；　con…
fusion　of　faculties　rather　than　alarm　would　probably　have
been　the　consequence。

Cap　preserved　his　coolness　admirably。　　He　had　a　pro…
found　and　increasing　respect　for　the　power　of　the　savages；
and　even　for　the　majesty　of　fresh　water；　it　is　true；　but　his
apprehensions　of　the　former　proceeded　more　from　his
dread　of　being　scalped　and　tortured　than　from　any　un…
manly　fear　of　death；　and；　as　he　was　now　on　the　deck　of　a
house；　if　not　on　the　deck　of　a　ship；　and　knew　that　there
was　little　danger　of　boarders；　he　moved　about　with　a　fear…
lessness　and　a　rash　exposure　of　his　person　that　Pathfinder；
had　he　been　aware　of　the　fact；　would　have　been　the　first　to
condemn。　　Instead　of　keeping　his　body　covered；　agreeably
to　the　usages　of　Indian　warfare；　he　was　seen　on　every　part
of　the　roof；　dashing　the　water　right　and　left；　with　the　ap…
parent　steadiness　and　unconcern　he　would　have　manifested
had　he　been　a　sail　trimmer　exercising　his　art　in　a　battle
afloat。　　His　appearance　was　one　of　the　causes　of　the　ex…
traordinary　clamor　among　the　assailants；　who；　unused　to
see　their　enemies　so　reckless；　opened　upon　him　with　their
tongues；　like　a　pack　that　has　the　fox　in　view。　　Still　he　ap…
peared　to　possess　a　charmed　life；　for；　though　the　bullets
whistled　around　him　on　every　side；　and　his　clothes　were
several　times　torn；　nothing　cut　his　skin。　　When　the　shell
passed　through　the　logs　below；　the　old　sailor　dropped　his
bucket；　waved　his　hat；　and　gave　three　cheers；　in　which
heroic　act　he　was　employed　as　the　dangerous　missile　ex…
ploded。　　This　characteristic　feat　probably　saved　his　life；
for　from　that　instant　the　Indians　ceased　to　fire　at　him；
and　even　to　shoot　their　flaming　arrows　at　the　block；　hav…
ing　taken　up　the　notion　simultaneously；　and　by　common
consent；　that　the　〃Saltwater〃　was　mad；　and　it　was　a
singular　effect　of　their　magnanimity　never　to　lift　a　hand
against　those　whom　they　imagined　devoid　of　reason。

The　conduct　of　Pathfinder　was　very　different。　　Every…
thing　he　did　was　regulated　by　the　most　exact　calculation；
the　result　of　long　experience　and　habitual　thoughtfulness。
His　person　was　kept　carefully　out　of　a　line　with　the　loops；
and　the　spot　that　he　selected　for　his　look…out　was　one　quite
removed　from　danger。　　This　celebrated　guide　had　often
been　known　to　lead　forlorn　hopes：　he　had　once　stood　at
the　stake；　suffering　under　the　cruelties　and　taunts　of　savage
ingenuity　and　savage　ferocity　without　quailing；　and　legends
of　his　exploits；　coolness；　and　daring　were　to　be　heard　all
along　that　extensive　frontier；　or　wherever　men　dwelt　and
men　contended。　　But　on　this　occasion；　one　who　did　not
know　his　history　and　character　might　have　thought　his
exceeding　care　and　studied　attention　to　self…preservation
proceeded　from　an　unworthy　motive。　　But　such　a　judge
would　not　have　understood　his　subject；　the　Pathfinder
bethought　him　of　Mabel；　and　of　what　might　possibly　be　the
consequences　to　that　poor　girl　should　any　casualty　befall
himself。　　But　the　recollection　rather　quickened　his　intel…
lect　than　changed　his　customary　prudence。　　He　was；　in
fact；　one　of　those　who　was　so　unaccustomed　to　fear；　that
he　never　bethought　him　of　the　constructions　others　might
put　upon　his　conduct。　　But　while　in　moments　of　danger
he　acted　with　the　wisdom　of　the　serpent；　it　was　also　with
the　simplicity　of　a　child。

For　the　first　ten　minutes　of　the　assault；　Pathfinder　never
raised　the　breech　of　his　rifle　from　the　floor；　except　when
he　changed　his　own　position；　for　he　well　knew　that　the
bullets　of　the　enemy　were　thrown　away　upon　the　massive
logs　of　the　work；　and　as　he　had　been　at　the　capture　of
the　howitzer　he　felt　certain　that　the　savages　had　no　other
shell　than　the　one　found　in　it　when　the　piece　was　taken。
There　existed　no　reason；　therefore；　to　dread　the　fire　of　the
assailants；　except　as　a　casual　bullet　might　find　a　passage
through　a　loophole。　　One　or　two　of　these　accidents　did
occur；　but　the　balls　entered　at　an　angle　that　deprived　them
of　all　chance　of　doing　any　injury　so　long　as　the　Indians
kept　near　the　block；　and　if　discharged　from　a　distance；
there　was　scarcely　the　possibility　of　one　in　a　hundred's
striking　the　apertures。　　But　when　Pathfinder　heard　the
sound　of　mocassined　feet　and　the　rustling　of　brush　at　the
foot　of　the　building；　he　knew　that　the　attempt　to　build　a
fire　against　the　logs　was　about　to　be　renewed。　　He　now
summoned　Cap　from　the　roof；　where；　indeed；　all　the　danger
had　ceased；　and　directed　him　to　stand　in　readiness　with
his　water　at　a　hole　immediately　over　the　s