the pathfinder-第105章

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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　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。