the pathfinder-第78章

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Mingo；　a　Delaware　is　sartain　to　get　a　story　right；　or　to
hold　his　tongue。〃

〃That　canoe　may　not　belong　to　the　cutter；〃　said　the
captious　seaman。　　〃Oh…deuce　had　one　on　board　when　he
sailed。〃

〃Very　true；　friend　Cap；　but　if　you　know　your　sails　and
masts　by　your　gores　and　fishes；　I　know　my　canoes　and　my
paths　by　frontier　knowledge。　　If　you　can　see　new　cloth　in
a　sail；　I　can　see　new　bark　in　a　canoe。　　That　is　the　boat　of
the　Sarpent；　and　the　noble　fellow　has　struck　off　for　the
garrison　as　soon　as　he　found　the　block　beseiged；　has　fallen
in　with　the　_Scud_；　and；　after　telling　his　story；　has　brought
the　cutter　down　here　to　see　what　can　be　done。　　The　Lord
grant　that　Jasper　Western　be　still　on　board　her！〃

〃Yes；　yes；　it　might　not　be　amiss；　for；　traitor　or　loyal；
the　lad　has　a　handy　way　with　him　in　a　gale；　it　must　be
owned。〃

〃And　in　coming　over　waterfalls！〃　said　Pathfinder；　nudg…
ing　the　ribs　of　his　companion　with　an　elbow；　and　laughing
in　his　silent　but　hearty　manner。　　〃We　will　give　the　boy
his　due；　though　he　scalps　us　all　with　his　own　hand。〃

The　_Scud_　was　now　so　near；　that　Cap　made　no　reply。
The　scene；　just　at　that　instant；　was　so　peculiar；　that　it
merits　a　particular　description；　which　may　also　aid　the
reader　in　forming　a　more　accurate　nature　of　the　picture
we　wish　to　draw。

The　gale　was　still　blowing　violently。　　Many　of　the　smaller
trees　bowed　their　tops；　as　if　ready　to　descend　to　the　earth；
while　the　rushing　of　the　wind　through　the　branches　of　the
groves　resembled　the　roar　of　distant　chariots。

The　air　was　filled　with　leaves；　which；　at　that　late　season；
were　readily　driven　from　their　stems；　and　flew　from　island
to　island　like　flights　of　birds。　　With　this　exception；　the　spot
seemed　silent　as　the　grave。　　That　the　savages　still　remained；
was　to　be　inferred　from　the　fact　that　their　canoes；　together
with　the　boats　of　the　55th；　lay　in　a　group　in　the　little　cove
that　had　been　selected　as　a　harbor。　　Otherwise；　not　a　sign
of　their　presence　was　to　be　detected。　　Though　taken　en…
tirely　by　surprise　by　the　cutter；　the　sudden　return　of　which
was　altogether　unlooked…for；　so　uniform　aud　inbred　were
their　habits　of　caution　while　on　the　war…path；　that　the　in…
stant　an　alarm　was　given　every　man　had　taken　to　his　cover
with　the　instinct　and　cunning　of　a　fox　seeking　his　hole。
The　same　stillness　reigned　in　the　blockhouse；　for　though
Pathfinder　and　Cap　could　command　a　view　of　the　chan…
nel；　they　took　the　precaution　necessary　to　lie　concealed。
The　unusual　absence　of　anything　like　animal　life　on　board
the　_Scud_；　too；　was　still　more　remarkable。　　As　the　Indians
witnessed　her　apparently　undirected　movements；　a　feeling
of　awe　gained　a　footing　among　them；　and　some　of　the　bold…
est　of　their　party　began　to　distrust　the　issue　of　an　expedi…
tion　that　had　commenced　so　prosperotisly。　　Even　Arrow…
head；　accustomed　as　he　was　to　intercourse　with　the　whites
on　both　sides　of　the　lakes；　fancied　there　was　something
ominous　in　the　appearance　of　this　unmanned　vessel；　and
he　would　gladly　at　that　moment　have　been　landed　again
on　the　main。

In　the　meantime　the　progress　of　the　cutter　was　steady
and　rapid。　　She　held　her　way　mid…channel；　now　inclining
to　the　gusts；　and　now　rising　again；　like　the　philosopher
that　bends　to　the　calamities　of　life　to　resume　his　erect　at…
titude　as　they　pass　away；　but　always　piling　the　water　be…
neath　her　bows　in　foam。　　Although　she　was　under　so　very
short　canvas；　her　velocity　was　great；　and　there　could　not
have　elapsed　ten　minutes　between　the　time　when　her　sails
were　first　seen　glancing　past　the　trees　and　bushes　in　the
distance　and　the　moment　when　she　was　abreast　of　the
blockhouse。　　Cap　and　Pathfinder　leaned　forward；　as　the　cut…
ter　came　beneath　their　eyrie；　eager　to　get　a　better　view　of
her　deck；　when；　to　the　delight　of　both；　Jasper　Eau…douce
sprang　upon　his　feet　and　gave　three　hearty　cheers。　　Re…
gardless　of　all　risk；　Cap　leaped　upon　the　rampart　of　logs
and　returned　the　greeting；　cheer　for　cheer。　　Happily；　the
policy　of　the　enemy　saved　the　latter；　for　they　still　lay
quiet；　not　a　rifle　being　discharged。　　On　the　other　hand；
Pathfinder　kept　in　view　the　useful；　utterly　disregarding
the　mere　dramatic　part　of　warfare。　　The　moment　he　be…
held　his　friend　Jasper；　he　called　out　to　him　with　stentorian
lungs；　

〃Stand　by　us；　lad；　and　the　day's　our　own！　　Give　'em　a
grist　in　yonder　bushes；　and　you'll　put　'em　up　like　part…
ridges。〃

Part　of　this　reached　Jasper's　ears；　but　most　was　borne
off　to　leeward　on　the　wings　of　the　wind。　　By　the　time
this　was　said；　the　_Scud_　had　driven　past；　and　in　the　next
moment　she　was　hid　from　view　by　the　grove　in　which　the
blockhouse　was　partially　concealed。

Two　anxious　minutes　succeeded；　but；　at　the　expiration
of　that　brief　space；　the　sails　were　again　gleaming　through
the　trees；　Jasper　having　wore；　jibed；　and　hauled　up　under
the　lee　of　the　island　on　the　other　tack。　　The　wind　was
free　enough；　as　has　been　already　explained；　to　admit　of
this　manoeuvre；　and　the　cutter；　catching　the　current　under
her　lee　bow；　was　breasted　up　to　her　course　in　a　way　that
showed　she　would　come　out　to　windward　of　the　island
again　without　any　difficulty。　　This　whole　evolution　was
made　with　the　greatest　facility；　not　a　sheet　being　touched；
the　sails　trimming　themselves；　the　rudder　alone　controlling
the　admirable　machine。　　The　object　appeared　to　be　a　re…
connoissance。　　When；　however；　the　_Scud_　had　made　the　cir…
cuit　of　the　entire　island；　and　had　again　got　her　weatherly
position　in　the　channel　by　which　she　had　first　approached；
her　helm　was　put　down；　and　she　tacked。　　The　noise　of　the
mainsail　flapping　when　it　filled；　lose…reefed　as　it　was；
sounded　like　the　report　of　a　gun；　and　Cap　trembled　lest
the　seams　should　open。

〃His　Majesty　gives　good　canvas；　it　must　be　owned；〃
muttered　the　old　seaman；　〃and　it　must　be　owned；　too；
that　boy　handles　his　boat　as　if　he　were　thoroughly　bred！
D…　me；　Master　Pathfinder；　if　I　believe；　after　all　that　has
been　reported　in　the　matter；　that　this　Mister　Oh…deuce　got
his　trade　on　this　bit　of　fresh　water。〃

〃He　did；　yes；　he　did。　　He　never　saw　the　ocean；　and　has
come　by　his　calling　altogether　up　here　on　Ontario。　　I　have
often　thought　he　has　a　nat'ral　gift　in　the　way　of　schooners
and　sloops；　and　have　respected　him　accordingly。　　As　for
treason　and　lying　and　black…hearted　vices；　friend　Cap；
Jasper　Western　is　as　free　as　the　most　virtuousest　of　the
Delaware　warriors；　and　if　you　crave　to　see　a　truly　honest
man；　you　must　go　among　that　tribe　to　discover　him。〃

〃There　he　comes　round！〃　exclaimed　the　delighted　Cap；
the　_Scud_　at　this　moment　filling　on　her　original　tack；　〃and
now　we　shall　see　what　the　boy　would　be　at；　he　cannot　mean
to　keep　running　up　and　down　these　passages；　like　a　girl
footing　it　through　a　country…dance。〃

The　_Scud_　now　kept　so　much　away；　that　for　a　moment
the　two　observers　on　the　blockhouse　feared　Jasper　meant
to　come…to；　and　the　savages；　in　their　lairs；　gleamed　out
upon　her　with　the　sort　of　exultation　that　the　crouching
tiger　may　be　supposed　to　feel　as　he　sees　his　unconscious
victim　approach　his　bed。　　But　Jasper　had　no　such　inten…
tion：　familiar　with　the　shore；　and　acquainted　with　the
depth　of　water　on　every　part　of　the　island；　he　well　knew
that　the　_Scud_　might　be　run　against　the　bank　with　impu…
nity；　and　he　ventured　fearlessly　so　near；　that；　as　he　passed
through　the　little　cove；　he　swept　the　two　boats　of　the　sol…
diers　from　their　fastenings　and　forced　them　out　into　the
channel；　towing　them　with　the　cutter。　　As　all　the　canoes
were　fastened　to　the　two　Dunham　boats；　by　this　bold　and
successful　attempt　the　savages　were　at　once　deprived　of
the　means　of　quitting　the　island；　unless　by　swimming；　and
they　appeared　to　be　instantly　aware　of　the　very　important
fact。　　Rising　in　a　body；　they　filled　the　air　with　yells；　and
poured　in　a　harmless　fire。　　While　up　in　this　unguarded
manner；　two　rifles　were　discharged　by　their　adversaries。
One　came　from　the　summit　of　the　block；　and　an　Iroquois
fell　dead　in　his　tracks；　shot　through　the　brain。　　The　other
came　from　the　_Scud_。　　The　last　was　the　piece　of　the　Dela…
ware；　but；　less　true　than　that　of　his　friend；　it　only　maimed
an　enemy　for　life。　　The　people　of　the　_Scud_　shouted；　and
the　savages　sank　again；　to　a　man；　as　if　it　might　be　into　the
earth。

〃That　was　the　Sarpent's　voice；〃　said　Pathfinder；　as　soon
as　the　second　piece　was　discharged。　　〃I　know　the　crack　of
his　rifle　as　well　as　I　do　that　of　Killdeer。　　'Tis　a　good　bar…
rel；　though　not　sartain　death。　　Well；　well；　with　Chingach…
gook　and　Jasper　on　the　water；　and　you　and　I　in　the　block；
friend　Cap；　it　will　be　hard　if　we　don't　teach　these　Mingo
scamps　the　rationality　of　a　fight。〃

All　this　time　the　_Scud_　was　in　motion。　　As　soon　as　he
had　reached　the　end　of　the　island；　Jasper　sent　his　prizes
adrift；　and　they　went　down　before　the　wind　until　they
stranded　on　a　point　half　a　mile　to　leeward。　　He　then　wore；
and　came　stemming　the　current　again；　through　the　other
passage。　　Those　on　the　summit　of　the　block　could　now
perceive　that　something　was　in　agitation　on　the　deck　of
the　_Scud_；　and；　to　their　great　delight；　just　as　the　cutter
came　abreast　of　the　principal　cove；　on　the　spot　where　most
of　the　enemy　lay；　the　howitzer　which　composed　her　sole
armament　was　unmasked；　and　a　shower　of　case…shot　was
sent　hissing　into　the　bushes。　　A　bevy　of　quail　would　not
have　risen　quicker　than　this　unexpected　discharge　of　iron
hail　put　up　the　Iroquois；　when　a　second　savage　fell　by　a
messenger　sent　from　Killdeer；　and　another　went　limping
away　by　a　visit　from　the　rifle　of　Chingachgook。　　New
covers　were　immediately　found；　however；　and　each　party
seemed　to　prepare　for　the　renewal　of　the　strife　in　another
form。　　But　the　appearance　of　June；　bearing　a　white　flag；
and　accompanied　by　the　French　officer　and　Muir；　stayed
the　hands　of　all；　and　was　the　forerunner　of　another　parley。
The　negotiation　that　followed　was　held　beneath　the
blockhouse；　and　so　near　it　as　at　once　to　put　those　who
were　uncovered　completely　at　the　mercy　of　Pathfinder's
unerring　aim。　　Jasper　anchored　directly　abeam；　and　the
howitzer；　too；　was　kept　trained　upon　the　negotiators：　so
that　the　beseiged　and　their　friends；　with　the　exception　of
the　man　who　held　the　match；　had　no　hesitation　about　ex…
posing　their　persons。　　Chingachgook　alone　lay　in　ambush；
more；　however；　from　habit　than　distrust。

〃You've　triumphed；　Pathfinder；〃　called　out　the　Quarter…
master；　〃and　Captain　Sanglier　has　come　himself　to　offer
terms。　　You'll　no'　be　denying　a　brave　enemy　honorable
retreat；　when　he　has　fought　ye　fairly；　and　done　all　the
credit　he　could　to　king　and　country。　　Ye　are　too　loyal　a
subject　yourself　to　visit　loyalty　and　fidelity　with　a　heavy
judgment。　　I　am　authorized　to　offer；　on　the　part　of　the
enemy；　an　evacuation　of　the　island；　a　mutual　exchange　of
prisoners；　and　a　restoration　of　scalps。　　In　the　absence　of
baggage　and　artillery；　little　more　can　be　done。〃

As　the　conversation　was　necessarily　carried　on　in　a　high
key；　both　on　account　of　the　wind　and　of　the　distance；　all
that　was　said　was　heard　equally　by　those　in　the　block　and
those　in　the　cutter。

〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　Jasper？〃　called　out　Path…
finder。　　〃You　hear　the　proposal。　　Shall　we