the pathfinder-第13章

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some　Scotch　or　Irish　blunderer；　who　is　thinking　more　of
his　oatmeal　or　his　potatoes　than　of　Indian　sarcumventions
or　Indian　rifles。〃

〃And　yet　I　should　think；　from　all　we　have　heard　in　the
towns；　that　the　soldiers　on　this　frontier　are　used　to　the
artifices　of　their　enemies；〃　said　Mabel；　〃and　become
almost　as　wily　as　the　red　men　themselves。〃

〃Not　they。　　Experience　makes　them　but　little　wiser；
and　they　wheel；　and　platoon；　and　battalion　it　about；　here
in　the　forest；　just　as　they　did　in　their　parks　at　home；　of
which　they　are　all　so　fond　of　talking。　　One　red…skin　has
more　cunning　in　his　natur'　than　a　whole　regiment　from
the　other　side　of　the　water；　that　is；　what　I　call　cunning
of　the　woods。　　But　there　is　smoke　enough；　of　all　con…
science；　and　we　had　better　drop　into　another　cover。　　The
lad　has　thrown　the　river　on　his　fire；　and　there　is　danger
that　the　Mingoes　will　believe　a　whole　regiment　is　out。〃

While　speaking；　the　Pathfinder　permitted　his　canoe　to
drift　away　from　the　bush　by　which　it　had　been　retained；
and　in　a　couple　of　minutes　the　bend　in　the　river　concealed
the　smoke　and　the　tree。　　Fortunately　a　small　indentation
in　the　shore　presented　itself；　within　a　few　yards　of　the
point　they　had　just　passed；　and　the　two　canoes　glided　into
it；　under　the　impulsion　of　the　paddles。

A　better　spot　could　not　have　been　found　for　the　pur…
pose。　　The　bushes　were　thick；　and　overhung　the　water；
forming　a　complete　canopy　of　leaves。　　There　was　a　small
gravelly　strand　at　the　bottom　of　the　little　bay；　where　most
of　the　party　landed　to　be　more　at　their　ease；　and　the　only
position　from　which　they　could　possibly　be　seen　was　a
point　on　the　river　directly　opposite。　　There　was　little
danger；　however；　of　discovery　from　that　quarter；　as　the
thicket　there　was　even　denser　than　common；　and　the　land
beyond　it　was　so　wet　and　marshy　as　to　render　it　difficult
to　be　trodden。

〃This　is　a　safe　cover；〃　said　the　Pathfinder；　after　he　had
taken　a　scrutinizing　survey　of　his　position；　〃but　it　may
be　necessary　to　make　it　safer。　　Master　Cap；　I　ask　nothing
of　you　but　silence；　and　a　quieting　of　such　gifts　as　you　may
have　got　at　sea；　while　the　Tuscarora　and　I　make　provision
for　the　evil　hour。〃

The　guide　then　went　a　short　distance　into　the　bushes；
accompanied　by　the　Indian；　where　the　two　cut　off　the
larger　stems　of　several　alders　and　other　bushes；　using　the
utmost　care　not　to　make　a　noise。　　The　ends　of　these　little
trees　were　forced　into　the　mud；　outside　of　the　canoes；　the
depth　of　the　water　being　very　trifling；　and　in　the　course
of　ten　minutes　a　very　effectual　screen　was　interposed　be…
tween　them　and　the　principal　point　of　danger。　　Much　in…
genuity　and　readiness　were　manifested　in　making　this
simple　arrangement；　in　which　the　two　workmen　were　es…
sentially　favored　by　the　natural　formation　of　the　bank；
the　indentation　in　the　shore；　the　shallowness　of　the　water；
and　the　manner　in　which　the　tangled　bushes　dipped　into
the　stream。　　The　Pathfinder　had　the　address　to　look　for
bushes　which　had　curved　stems；　things　easily　found　in　such
a　place；　and　by　cutting　them　some　distance　beneath　the
bend；　and　permitting　the　latter　to　touch　the　water；　the
artificial　little　thicket　had　not　the　appearance　of　growing
in　the　stream；　which　might　have　excited　suspicion；　but
one　passing　it　would　have　thought　that　the　bushes　shot
out　horizontally　from　the　bank　before　they　inclined　up…
wards　towards　the　light。　　In　short；　none　but　an　unusually
distrustful　eye　would　have　been　turned　for　an　instant
towards　the　spot　in　quest　of　a　hiding…place。

〃This　is　the　best　cover　I　ever　yet　got　into；〃　said　the
Pathfinder；　with　his　quiet　laugh；　after　having　been　on　the
outside　to　reconnoitre；　〃the　leaves　of　our　new　trees　fairly
touch　those　of　the　bushes　over　our　heads。　　Hist！　　yonder
comes　Eau…douce；　wading；　like　a　sensible　boy；　as　he　is；　to
leave　his　trail　in　the　water；　and　we　shall　soon　see　whether
our　cover　is　good　for　anything　or　not。〃

Jasper　had　indeed　returned　from　his　duty　above；　and
missing　the　canoes；　he　at　once　inferred　that　they　had
dropped　round　the　next　bend　in　the　river；　in　order　to　get
out　of　sight　of　the　fire。　　His　habits　of　caution　immediately
suggested　the　expediency　of　stepping　into　the　water；　in
order　that　there　might　exist　no　visible　communication
between　the　marks　left　on　the　shore　by　the　party　and　the
place　where　he　believed　them　to　have　taken　refuge　below。
Should　the　Canadian　Indians　return　on　their　own　trail；
and　discover　that　made　by　the　Pathfinder　and　the　Serpent
in　their　ascent　from　and　descent　to　the　river；　the　clue　to
their　movements　would　cease　at　the　shore；　water　leaving
no　prints　of　footsteps。　　The　young　man　had　therefore
waded；　knee…deep；　as　far　as　the　point；　and　was　now　seen
making　his　way　slowly　down　the　margin　of　the　stream；
searching　curiously　for　the　spot　in　which　the　canoes　were
hid。

It　was　in　the　power　of　those　behind　the　bushes；　by　plac…
ing　their　eyes　near　the　leaves；　to　find　many　places　to　look
through　while　one　at　a　little　distance　lost　this　advantage。
To　those　who　watched　his　motions　from　behind　their
cover；　and　they　were　all　in　the　canoes；　it　was　evident　that
Jasper　was　totally　at　a　loss　to　imagine　where　the　Pathfinder
had　secreted　himself。　　When　fairly　round　the　curvature　in
the　shore；　and　out　of　sight　of　the　fire　he　had　lighted　above；
the　young　man　stopped　and　began　examining　the　bank　de…
liberately　and　with　great　care。　　Occasionally　he　advanced
eight　or　ten　paces；　and　then　halted　again；　to　renew　the
search。　　The　water　being　much　shallower　than　common；
he　stepped　aside；　in　order　to　walk　with　greater　ease　to
himself　and　came　so　near　the　artificial　plantation　that　he
might　have　touched　it　with　his　hand。　　Still　he　detected
nothing；　and　was　actually　passing　the　spot　when　Path…
finder　made　an　opening　beneath　the　branches；　and　called
to　him　in　a　low　voice　to　enter。

〃This　is　pretty　well；〃　said　the　Pathfinder；　laughing；
〃though　pale…face　eyes　and　red…skin　eyes　are　as　different
as　human　spy…glasses。　　I　would　wager；　with　the　Sergeant's
daughter　here；　a　horn　of　powder　against　a　wampum…belt
for　her　girdle；　that　her　father's　rijiment　should　march　by
this　embankment　of　ours　and　never　find　out　the　fraud！
But　if　the　Mingoes　actually　get　down　into　the　bed　of　the
river　where　Jasper　passed；　I　should　tremble　for　the　planta…
tion。　　It　will　do　for　their　eyes；　even　across　the　stream；
however；　and　will　not　be　without　its　use。〃

〃Don't　you　think；　Master　Pathfinder；　that　it　would　be
wisest；　after　all；〃　said　Cap；　〃to　get　under　way　at　once；　and
carry　sail　hard　down　stream；　as　soon　as　we　are　satisfied
that　these　rascals　are　fairly　astern　of　us？　　We　seamen　call
a　stern　chase　a　long　chase。〃

〃I　wouldn't　move　from　this　spot　until　we　hear　from　the
Sarpent　with　the　Sergeant's　pretty　daughter　here　in　our
company；　for　all　the　powder　in　the　magazine　of　the　fort
below。　　Sartain　captivity　or　sartain　death　would　follow。
If　a　tender　fa'n；　such　as　the　maiden　we　have　in　charge；
could　thread　the　forest　like　old　deer；　it　might；　indeed；　do
to　quit　the　canoes；　for　by　making　a　circuit　we　could　reach
the　garrison　before　morning。〃

〃Then　let　it　be　done；〃　said　Mabel；　springing　to　her　feet
under　the　sudden　impulse　of　awakened　energy。　　〃I　am
young；　active；　used　to　exercise；　and　could　easily　out…walk
my　dear　uncle。　　Let　no　one　think　me　a　hindrance。　　I
cannot　bear　that　all　your　lives　should　be　exposed　on　my
account。〃

〃No；　no；　pretty　one；　we　think　you　anything　but　a　hin…
drance　or　anything　that　is　unbecoming；　and　would　will…
ingly　run　twice　this　risk　to　do　you　and　the　honest　Ser…
geant　a　service。　　Do　I　not　speak　your　mind；　Eau…
donce？〃

〃To　do　_her_　a　service！〃　said　Jasper　with　emphasis。
〃Nothing　shall　tempt　me　to　desert　Mabel　Dunham　until
she　is　safe　in　her　father's　arms。〃

〃Well　said；　lad；　bravely　and　honestly　said；　too；　and　I
join　in　it；　heart　and　hand。　　No；　no！　you　are　not　the　first
of　your　sex　I　have　led　through　the　wilderness；　and　never
but　once　did　any　harm　befall　any　of　them：　　that　was　a　sad
day；　certainly　but　its　like　may　never　come　again。〃

Mabel　looked　from　one　of　her　protectors　to　the　other；
and　her　fine　eyes　swam　in　tears。　　Frankly　placing　a　hand
in　that　of