the pathfinder-第79章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　Jasper？〃　called　out　Path…
finder。　　〃You　hear　the　proposal。　　Shall　we　let　the　vaga…
bonds　go？　or　shall　we　mark　them；　as　they　mark　their
sheep　in　the　settlements；　that　we　may　know　them　again？〃

〃What　has　befallen　Mabel　Dunham？〃　demanded　the
young　man；　with　a　frown　on　his　handsome　face；　that　was
visible　even　to　those　on　the　block。　　〃If　a　hair　of　her
head　has　been　touched；　it　will　go　hard　with　the　whole　Iro…
quois　tribe。〃

〃Nay；　nay；　she　is　safe　below；　nursing　a　dying　parent；　as
becomes　her　sex。　　We　owe　no　grudge　on　account　of　the
Sergeant's　hurt；　which　comes　of　lawful　warfare；　and　as
for　Mabel　　〃

〃She　is　here！〃　exclaimed　the　girl　herself；　who　had
mounted　to　the　roof　the　moment　she　found　the　direction
things　were　taking；　　〃she　is　here！　and；　in　the　name　of　our
holy　religion；　and　of　that　God　whom　we　profess　to　wor…
ship　in　common；　let　there　be　no　more　bloodshed！　　Enough
has　been　spilt　already；　and　if　these　men　will　go　away；
Pathfinder　　if　they　will　depart　peaceably；　Jasper　　oh；　do
not　detain　one　of　them！　　My　poor　father　is　approaching
his　end；　and　it　were　better　that　he　should　draw　his　last
breath　in　peace　with　the　world。　　Go；　go；　Frenchmen　and
Indians！　we　are　no　longer　your　enemies；　and　will　harm
none　of　you。〃

〃Tut；　tut；　Magnet！〃　put　in　Cap；　〃this　sounds　religious；
perhaps；　or　like　a　book　of　poetry；　but　it　does　not　sound
like　common　sense。　　The　enemy　is　just　ready　to　strike；
Jasper　is　anchored　with　his　broadside　to　bear；　and；　no
doubt；　with　springs　on　his　cables；　Pathfinder's　eye　and
hand　are　as　true　as　the　needle；　and　we　shall　get　prize…
money；　head…money；　and　honor　in　the　bargain；　if　you　will
not　interfere　for　the　next　half…hour。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Pathfinder；　〃I　incline　to　Mabel's　way　of
thinking。　　There　_has_　been　enough　blood　shed　to　answer
our　purpose　and　to　sarve　the　king；　and　as　for　honor；　in
that　meaning；　it　will　do　better　for　young　ensigns　and　re…
cruits　than　for　cool…headed；　obsarvant　Christian　men。
There　is　honor　in　doing　what's　right；　and　unhonor　in　doing
what's　wrong；　and　I　think　it　wrong　to　take　the　life　even
of　a　Mingo；　without　a　useful　end　in　view；　I　do；　and　nght
to　hear　reason　at　all　times。　　So；　Lieutenant　Muir；　let　us
know　what　your　friends　the　Frenchers　and　Indians　have
to　say　for　themselves。〃

〃My　friends！〃　said　Muir；　starting；　〃you'll　no'　be　calling
the　king's　enemies　my　friends；　Pathfinder；　because　the
fortune　of　war　has　thrown　me　into　their　hands？　　Some　of
the　greatest　warriors；　both　of　ancient　aud　modern　times；
have　been　prisoners　of　war；　and　yon　is　Master　Cap；　who
can　testify　whether　we　did　not　do　all　that　men　could　de…
vise　to　escape　the　calamity。〃

〃Ay；　ay；〃　drily　answered　Cap；　〃escape　is　the　proper
word。　　We　ran　below　aud　hid　ourselves；　and　so　discreetly；
that　we　might　have　remained　in　the　hole　to　this　hour；　had
it　not　been　for　the　necessity　of　re…stowing　the　bread　lockers。
You　burrowed　on　that　occasion；　Quartermaster；　as　handily
as　a　fox；　and　how　the　d…l　you　knew　so　well　where　to
find　the　spot　is　a　matter　of　wonder　to　me。　　A　regular　skulk
on　board　ship　does　not　trail　aft　more　readily　when　the　jib
is　to　be　stowed；　than　you　went　into　that　same　hole。〃

〃And　did　ye　no'　follow？　　There　are　moments　in　a　man's
life　when　reason　ascends　to　instinct　　〃

〃And　men　descend　into　holes；〃　interrupted　Cap；　laugh…
ing　in　his　boisterous　way；　while　Pathfinder　chimed　in；　in
his　peculiar　manner。　　Even　Jasper；　though　still　filled　with
concern　for　Mabel；　was　obliged　to　smile。　　〃They　say　the
d…l　wouldn't　make　a　sailor　if　he　didn't　look　aloft；　and
now　it　seems　he'll　not　make　a　soldier　if　he　doesn't　look
below！〃

This　burst　of　merriment；　though　it　was　anything　but
agreeable　to　Muir；　contributed　largely　towards　keeping
the　peace。　　Cap　fancied　he　had　said　a　thing　much　better
than　common；　and　that　disposed　him　to　yield　his　own
opinion　on　the　main　point；　so　long　as　he　got　the　good　opin…
ion　of　his　companions　on　his　novel　claim　to　be　a　wit。
After　a　short　discussion；　all　the　savages　on　the　island　were
collected　in　a　body；　without　arms；　at　the　distance　of　a　hun…
dred　yards　from　the　block；　and　under　the　gun　of　the　_Scud_；
while　Pathfinder　descended　to　the　door　of　the　blockhouse
and　settled　the　terms　on　which　the　island　was　to　be　finally
evacuated　by　the　enemy。　　Considering　all　the　circum…
stances；　the　conditions　were　not　very　discreditable　to　either
party。　　The　Indians　were　compelled　to　give　up　all　their
arms；　even　to　their　knives　and　tomahawks；　as　a　measure　of
precaution；　their　force　being　still　quadruple　that　of　their
foes。　　The　French　officer；　Monsieur　Sanglier；　as　he　was
usually　styled；　and　chose　to　call　himself；　remonstrated
against　this　act　as　one　likely　to　reflect　more　discredit　on
his　command　than　any　other　part　of　the　affair；　but　Path…
finder；　who　had　witnessed　one　or　two　Indian　massacres；
and　knew　how　valueless　pledges　became　when　put　in　op…
position　to　interest　where　a　savage　was　concerned；　was　ob…
durate。　　The　second　stipulation　was　of　nearly　the　same
importance。　　It　compelled　Captain　Sanglier　to　give　up　all
his　prisoners；　who　had　been　kept　well　guarded　in　the　very
hole　or　cave　in　which　Cap　and　Muir　had　taken　refuge。
When　these　men　were　produced；　four　of　them　were　found
to　be　unhurt；　they　had　fallen　merely　to　save　their　lives；　a
common　artifice　in　that　species　of　warfare；　and　of　the　re…
mainder；　two　were　so　slightly　injured　as　not　to　be　unfit　for
service。　　As　they　brought　their　muskets　with　them；　this
addition　to　his　force　immediately　put　Pathfinder　at　his
ease；　for；　having　collected　all　the　arms　of　the　enemy　in　the
blockhouse；　he　directed　these　men　to　take　possession　of
the　building；　stationing　a　regular　sentinel　at　the　door。　　The
remainder　of　the　soldiers　were　dead；　the　badly　wounded
having　been　instantly　despatched　in　order　to　obtain　the
much…coveted　scalps。

As　soon　as　Jasper　was　made　acquainted　with　the　terms；
and　the　preliminaries　had　been　so　far　observed　as　to　ren…
der　it　safe　for　him　to　be　absent；　he　got　the　_Scud_　under
weigh；　and；　running　down　to　the　point　where　the　boats
had　stranded；　he　took　them　in　tow　again；　and；　making　a
few　stretches；　brought　them　into　the　leeward　passage。
Here　all　the　savages　instantly　embarked；　when　Jasper　took
the　boats　in　tow　a　third　time；　and；　running　off　before　the
wind；　he　soon　set　them　adrift　full　a　mile　to　leeward　of　the
island。　　The　Indians　were　furnished　with　but　a　single　oar
in　each　boat　to　steer　with；　the　young　sailor　well　knowing
that　by　keeping　before　the　wind　they　would　land　on　the
shores　of　Canada　in　the　course　of　the　morning。

Captain　Sanglier；　Arrowhead；　and　June　alone　remained；
when　this　disposition　had　been　made　of　the　rest　of　the
party：　the　former　having　certain　papers　to　draw　up　and
sign　with　Lieutenant　Muir；　who　in　his　eyes　possessed　the
virtues　which　are　attached　to　a　commission；　and　the　lat…
ter　preferring；　for　reasons　of　his　own；　not　to　depart　in　com…
pany　with　his　late　friends；　the　Iroquis。　　Canoes　were　de…
tained　for　the　departure　of　these　three；　when　the　proper
moment　should　arrive。

In　the　meantime；　or　while　the　_Scud_　was　running　down
with　the　boats　in　tow；　Pathfinder　and　Cap；　aided　by　proper
assistants；　busied　themselves　with　preparing　a　breakfast；
most　of　the　party　not　having　eaten　for　four…and…twenty
hours。　　The　brief　space　that　passed　in　this　manner　before
the　_Scud_　came…to　again　was　little　interrupted　by　discourse；
though　Pathfinder　found　leisure　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　Ser…
geant；　to　say　a　few　friendly　words　to　Mabel；　and　to　give
such　directions　as　he　thought　might　smooth　the　passage　of
the　dying　man。　　As　for　Mabel　herself；　he　insisted　on　her
taking　some　light　refreshment；　and；　there　no　longer　ex…
isting　any　motive　for　keeping　it　there；　he　had　the　guard
removed　from　the　block；　in　order　that　the　daughter　might
have　no　impediment　to　her　attentions　to　her　father。　　These
little　arrangements　completed；　our　hero　returned　to　the
fire；　around　which　he　found　all　the　remainder　of　the　party
assembled；　including　Jasper。



CHAPTER　XXVI。

You　saw　but　sorrow　in　its　waning　form；
A　working　sea　remaining　from　a　storm；
Where　now　the　weary　waves　roll　o'er　the　deep；
And　faintly　murmur　ere　they　fall　asleep。
DRYDEN。


Men　accustomed　to　a　warfare　like　that　we　have　been　de…
scribing　are　not　apt　to　be　much　under　the　influence　of　the
tender　feelings　while　still　in　the　field。　　Notwithstanding
their　habits；　however；　more　than　one　heart　was　with　Mabel
in　the　block；　while　the　incidents　we　are　about　to　relate
were　in　the　course　of　occurrence；　and　even　the　indispen…
sable　meal　was　less　relished　by　the　hardiest　of　the　soldiers
than　it　might　have　been　had　not　the　Sergeant　been　so　near
his　end。

As　Pathfinder　returned　from　the　block；　he　was　met　by
Muir；　who　led　him　aside　in　order　to　hold　a　private　discourse。
The　manner　of　the　Quartermaster　had　that　air　of　supere…
rogatory　courtesy　about　it　which　almost　invariably　denotes
artifice；　for；　while　physiognomy　and　phrenology　are　but　lame
sciences　at　the　best；　and　perhaps　lead　to　as　many　false　as
right　conclusions；　we　hold　that　there　is　no　more　infallible
evidence　of　insincerity　of　purpose；　short　of　overt　acts；　than
a　face　that　smiles　when　there　is　no　occasion；　and　the　tongue
that　is　out　of　measure　smooth。　　Muir　had　much　of　this
manner　in　common；　mingled　with　an　apparent　frankness
that　his　Scottish　intonation　of　voice；　Scottish　accent；　and
Scottish　modes　of　expression　were　singularly　adapted　to
sustain。　　He　owed　his　preferment；　indeed；　to　a　long…exer…
cised　deference　to　Lundie　and　his　family；　for；　while　the
Major　himself　was　much　too　acute　to　be　the　dupe　of　one
so　much　his　inferior　in　real　talents　and　attainments；　most
persons　are　accustomed　to　make　liberal　concessions　to　the
flatterer；　even　while　they　distrust　his　truth　and　are　per…
fectly　aware　of　his　motives。　　On　the　present　occasion；　the
contest　in　skill　was　between　two　men　as　completely　the
opposites　of　each　other　in　all　the　leading　essentials　of　char…
acter　as　very　well　could　be。　　Pathfinder　was　as　simple　as
the　Quartermaster　was　practised；　he　was　as　sincere　as　the
other　was　false；　and　as　direct　as　the　last　was　tortuous。
Both　were　cool　and　calculating；　and　both　were　brave；
though　in　different　modes　and　degrees；　Muir　never　expos…
ing　his　person　except　for　effect；　while　the　guide　included
fear　among　the　rational　passions；　or　as　a　sensation　to　be
deferred　to　only　when　good　might　come　of　it。

〃My　dearest　friend；〃　Muir　commenced；　　〃for　ye'll　be
dearer　to　us　all；　by　seventy　and　sevenfold；　after　your　late
conduct　than　ever　ye　were；　　ye've　just　established　yourself
in　this　late　transaction。　　It's　true　that　they'll　not　be　mak…
ing　ye　a　commissioned　officer；　for　that　species　of　prefair…
ment　is　not　much　in　your　line；　nor　much　in　your　wishes；
I'm　thinking；　but　as　a　guide；　and　a　counsellor；　and　a　loyal
subject；　and　an　expert　marksman；　yer　renown　may　be　said
to　be　full。　　I　doubt　if　the　commander…in…chief　will　carry
away　with　him　from　America　as　much　credit　as　will　fall　to
yer　share；　and　ye　ought　just　to　set　down　in　content　and
enjoy　yoursal'　for　the　remainder　of　yer　days。　　Get　mar…
ried；　man；　without　delay；　and　look　to　your　precious　happi…
ness；　for　ye've　no　occasion　to　look　any