the pathfinder-第77章

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had　ceased；　and　directed　him　to　stand　in　readiness　with
his　water　at　a　hole　immediately　over　the　spot　assailed。

One　less　trained　than　our　hero　would　have　been　in　a
hurry　to　repel　this　dangerous　attempt　also；　and　might　have
resorted　to　his　means　prematurely；　not　so　with　Pathfinder。
His　aim　was　not　only　to　extinguish　the　fire；　about　which
he　felt　little　apprehension；　but　to　give　the　enemy　a　lesson
that　would　render　him　wary　during　the　remainder　of　the
night。　　In　order　to　effect　the　latter　purpose；　it　became
necessary　to　wait　until　the　light　of　the　intended　conflagra…
tion　should　direct　his　aim；　when　he　well　knew　that　a　very
slight　effort　of　his　skill　would　suffice。　　The　Iroquois　were
permitted　to　collect　their　heap　of　dried　brush；　to　pile　it
against　the　block；　to　light　it；　and　to　return　to　their　covers
without　molestation。　　All　that　Pathfinder　would　suffer
Cap　to　do；　was　to　roll　a　barrel　filled　with　water　to　the　hole
immediately　over　the　spot；　in　readiness　to　be　used　at　the
proper　instant。　　That　moment；　however；　did　not　arrive；　in
his　judgment；　until　the　blaze　illuminated　the　surrounding
bushes；　and　there　had　been　time　for　his　quick　and　practised
eye　to　detect　the　forms　of　three　or　four　lurking　savages；
who　were　watching　the　progress　of　the　flames；　with　the
cool　indifference　of　men　accustomed　to　look　on　human
misery　with　apathy。　　Then；　indeed；　he　spoke。

〃Are　you　ready；　friend　Cap？〃　he　asked。　　〃The　heat
begins　to　strike　through　the　crevices；　and　although　these
green　logs　are　not　of　the　fiery　natur'　of　an　ill…tempered
man；　they　may　be　kindled　into　a　blaze　if　one　provokes　them
too　much。　　Are　you　ready　with　the　barrel？　　See　that　it
has　the　right　cut；　and　that　none　of　the　water　is　wasted。〃

〃All　ready！〃　answered　Cap；　in　the　manner　in　which　a
seaman　replies　to　such　a　demand。

〃Then　wait　for　the　word。　　Never　be　over…impatient　in
a　critical　time；　nor　fool…risky　in　a　battle。　　Wait　for　the
word。〃

While　the　Pathfinder　was　giving　these　directions；　he　was
also　making　his　own　preparations；　for　he　saw　it　was　time
to　act。　　Killdeer　was　deliberately　raised；　pointed；　and　dis…
charged。　　The　whole　process　occupied　about　half　a　minute；
and　as　the　rifle　was　drawn　in　the　eye　of　the　marksman　was
applied　to　the　hole。

〃There　is　one　riptyle　the　less；〃　Pathfinder　muttered　to
himself；　〃I've　seen　that　vagabond　afore；　and　know　him　to
be　a　marciless　devil。　　Well；　well！　the　man　acted　accord…
ing　to　his　gifts；　and　he　has　been　rewarded　according　to　his
gifts。　　One　more　of　the　knaves；　and　that　will　sarve　the
turn　for　to…night。　　When　daylight　appears；　we　may　have
hotter　work。〃

All　this　time　another　rifle　was　being　got　ready；　and　as
Pathfinder　ceased；　a　second　savage　fell。　　This　indeed
sufficed；　for；　indisposed　to　wait　for　a　third　visitation　from
the　same　hand；　the　whole　band；　which　had　been　crouching
in　the　bushes　around　the　block；　ignorant　of　who　was　and
who　was　not　exposed　to　view；　leaped　from　their　covers　and
fled　to　different　places　for　safety。

〃Now；　pour　away；　Master　Cap；〃　said　Pathfinder；　〃I've
made　my　mark　on　the　blackguards；　and　we　shall　have　no
more　fires　lighted　to…night。〃

〃Scaldings！〃　cried　Cap；　upsetting　the　barrel；　with　a
care　that　at　once　and　completely　extinguished　the　flames。

This　ended　the　singular　conflict；　and　the　remainder　of
the　night　passed　in　peace。　　Pathfinder　and　Cap　watched
alternately；　though　neither　can　be　said　to　have　slept。
Sleep　indeed　scarcely　seemed　necessary　to　them；　for　both
were　accustomed　to　protracted　watchings；　and　there　were
seasons　and　times　when　the　former　appeared　to　be　literally
insensible　to　the　demands　of　hunger　and　thirst　and　callous
to　the　effects　of　fatigue。

Mabel　watched　by　her　father's　pallet；　and　began　to　feel
how　much　our　happiness　in　this　world　depends　even　on
things　that　are　imaginary。　　Hitherto　she　had　virtually
lived　without　a　father；　the　connection　with　her　remaining
parent　being　ideal　rather　than　positive；　but　now　that　she
was　about　to　lose　him；　she　thought　for　the　moment　that
the　world　would　be　a　void　after　his　death；　and　that　she
could　never　be　acquainted　with　happiness　again。



CHAPTER　XXV。

There　was　a　roaring　in　the　wind　all　night；
The　rain　came　heavily；　and　fell　in　floods；
But　now　the　sun　is　rising　calm　and　bright；
The　birds　are　singing　in　the　distant　woods。
WORDSWORTH。


As　the　light　returned；　Pathfinder　and　Cap　ascended
again　to　the　roof；　with　a　view　to　reconnoitre　the　state　of
things　once　more　on　the　island。　　This　part　of　the　block…
house　had　a　low　battlement　around　it；　which　afforded　a
considerable　protection　to　those　who　stood　in　its　centre；
the　intention　having　been　to　enable　marksmen　to　lie　be…
hind　it　and　to　fire　over　its　top。　　By　making　proper　use；
therefore；　of　these　slight　defences；　　slight　as　to　height；
though　abundantly　ample　as　far　as　they　went；　　the　two
look…outs　commanded　a　pretty　good　view　of　the　island；　its
covers　excepted；　and　of　most　of　the　channels　that　led　to
the　spot。

The　gale　was　still　blowing　very　fresh　at　south；　and　there
were　places　in　the　river　where　its　surface　looked　green　and
angry；　though　the　wind　had　hardly　sweep　enough　to　raise
the　water　into　foam。　　The　shape　of　the　little　island　was
nearly　oval；　and　its　greater　length　was　from　east　to　west。
By　keeping　in　the　channels　that　washed　it；　in　consequence
of　their　several　courses　and　of　the　direction　of　the　gale；　it
would　have　been　possible　for　a　vessel　to　range　past　the
island　on　either　of　its　principal　sides；　and　always　to　keep
the　wind　very　nearly　abeam。　　These　were　the　facts　first
noticed　by　Cap；　and　explained　to　his　companion；　for　the
hopes　of　both　now　rested　on　the　chances　of　relief　sent　from
Oswego。　　At　this　instant；　while　they　stood　gazing　anxiously
about　them；　Cap　cried　out；　in　his　lusty；　hearty　manner；

〃Sail；　ho！〃

Pathfinder　turned　quickly　in　the　direction　of　his　com…
panion's　face；　and　there；　sure　enough；　was　just　visible　the
object　of　the　old　sailor's　exclamation。　　The　elevation　en…
abled　the　two　to　overlook　the　low　land　of　several　of　the
adjacent　islands；　and　the　canvas　of　a　vessel　was　seen
through　the　bushes　that　fringed　the　shore　of　one　that　lay
to　the　southward　and　westward。　　The　stranger　was　under
what　seamen　call　low　sail；　but　so　great　was　the　power　of
the　wind；　that　her　white　outlines　were　seen　flying　past　the
openings　of　the　verdure　with　the　velocity　of　a　fast…travelling
horse　　resembling　a　cloud　driving　in　the　heavens。

〃That　cannot　be　Jasper；〃　said　Pathfinder　in　disappoint…
ment；　for　be　did　not　recognize　the　cutter　of　his　friend　in
the　swift…passing　object。　　〃No；　no；　the　lad　is　behind　the
hour；　and　that　is　some　craft　which　the　Frenchers　have
sent　to　aid　their　friends；　the　accursed　Mingos。〃

〃This　time　you　are　out　in　your　reckoning；　friend　Path…
finder；　if　you　never　were　before；〃　returned　Cap　in　a　man…
ner　that　had　lost　none　of　its　dogmatism　by　the　critical　cir…
cumstances　in　which　they　were　placed。　　〃Fresh　water　or
salt；　that　is　the　head　of　the　_Scud's_　mainsail；　for　it　is　cut
with　a　smaller　gore　than　common；　and　then　you　can　see
that　the　gaff　has　been　fished　　quite　neatly　done；　I　admit；
but　fished。〃

〃I　can　see　none　of　this；　I　confess；〃　answered　Pathfinder；
to　whom　even　the　terms　of　his　companion　were　Greek。

〃No！　　Well；　I　own　that　surprises　me；　for　I　thought
your　eyes　could　see　anything！　　Now　to　me　nothing　is
plainer　than　that　gore　and　that　fish；　and　I　must　say；　my
honest　friend；　that　in　your　place　I　should　apprehend　that
my　sight　was　beginning　to　fail。〃

〃If　Jasper　is　truly　coming；　I　shall　apprehend　but　little。
We　can　make　good　the　block　against　the　whole　Mingo　na…
tion　for　the　next　eight　or　ten　hours；　and　with　Eau…douce
to　cover　the　retreat；　I　shall　despair　of　nothing。　　God　send
that　the　lad　may　not　run　alongside　of　the　bank；　and　fall
into　an　ambushment；　as　befell　the　Sergeant！〃

〃Ay；　there's　the　danger。　　There　ought　to　have　been　sig…
nals　concerted；　and　an　anchorage…ground　buoyed　out；　and
even　a　quarantine　station　or　a　lazaretto　would　have　been
useful；　could　we　have　made　these　Minks…ho　respect　the
laws。　　If　the　lad　fetches　up；　as　you　say；　anywhere　in　the
neighborhood　of　this　island；　we　may　look　upon　the　cutter
as　lost。　　And；　after　all；　Master　Pathfinder；　ought　we　not
to　set　down　this　same　Jasper　as　a　secret　ally　of　the　French；
rather　than　as　a　friend　of　our　own？　　I　know　the　Sergeant
views　the　matter　in　that　light；　and　I　must　say　this　whole
affair　looks　like　treason。〃

〃We　shall　soon　know；　we　shall　soon　know；　Master　Cap；
for　there；　indeed；　comes　the　cutter　clear　of　the　other　island；
and　five　minutes　must　settle　the　matter。　　It　would　be　no
more　than　fair；　however；　if　we　could　give　the　boy　some
sign　in　the　way　of　warning。　　It　is　not　right　that　he　should
fall　into　the　trap　without　a　notice　that　it　has　been　laid。〃

Anxiety　and　suspense；　notwithstanding；　prevented　either
from　attempting　to　make　any　signal。　　It　was　not　easy；
truly；　to　see　how　it　could　be　done；　for　the　_Scud_　came
foaming　through　the　channel；　on　the　weather　side　of　the
island；　at　a　rate　that　scarcely　admitted　of　the　necessary
time。　　Nor　was　any　one　visible　on　her　deck　to　make　signs
to；　even　her　helm　seemed　deserted；　though　her　course　was
as　steady　as　her　progress　was　rapid。

Cap　stood　in　silent　admiration　of　a　spectacle　so　unusual。
But；　as　the　_Scud_　drew　nearer；　his　practised　eye　detected
the　helm　in　play　by　means　of　tiller…ropes；　though　the　per…
son　who　steered　was　concealed。　　As　the　cutter　had　weather…
boards　of　some　little　height；　the　mystery　was　explained；
no　doubt　remaining　that　her　people　lay　behind　the　latter；
in　order　to　be　protected　from　the　rifles　of　the　enemy。　　As
this　fact　showed　that　no　force　beyond　that　of　the　small
crew　could　be　on　board；　Pathfinder　received　his　compan…
ion's　explanation　with　an　ominous　shake　of　the　head。

〃This　proves　that　the　Sarpent　has　not　reached　Oswego；〃
said　he；　〃and　that　we　are　not　to　expect　succor　from　the
garrison。　　I　hope　Lundie　has　not　taken　it　into　his　head
to　displace　the　lad；　for　Jasper　Western　would　be　a　host　of
himself　in　such　a　strait。　　We　three；　Master　Cap；　ought　to
make　a　manful　warfare：　you；　as　a　seaman；　to　keep　up　the
intercourse　with　the　cutter；　Jasper；　as　a　laker　who　knows
all　that　is　necessary　to　be　done　on　the　water；　and　I；　with
gifts　that　are　as　good　as　any　among　the　Mingos；　let　me　be
what　I　may　in　other　particulars。　　I　say　we　ought　to　make
a　manful　fight　in　Mabel's　behalf。〃

〃That　we　ought；　and　that　we　will；〃　answered　Cap　hear…
tily；　for　he　began　to　have　more　confidence　in　the　security
of　his　scalp　now　that　he　saw　the　sun　again。　　〃I　set　down
the　arival　of　the　_Scud_　as　one　circumstance；　and　the　chances
of　Oh…deuce's　honesty　as　another。　　This　Jasper　is　a　young
man　of　prudence；　you　find；　for　he　keeps　a　good　offing；　and
seems　determined　to　know　how　matters　stand　on　the　island
before　he　ventures　to　bring　up。〃

〃I　have　it！　　I　have　it！〃　exclaimed　Pathfinder；　with　ex…
ultation。　　〃There　lies　the　canoe　of　the　Sarpent　on　the　cut…
ter's　deck；　and　the　chief　has　got　on　board；　and　no　doubt
has　given　a　true　account　of　our　condition；　for；　unlike　a
Mingo；　a　Delaware　is　sartain　to　get　a　story　right；　or　to
hold　his　tongue。〃

〃That　canoe　may　not　belong　to　the　cutter；〃　sai