the pathfinder-第43章

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who　was　somewhat　of　a　humorist　in　his　own　quiet　Scotch
way；　had　secretly　ordered　it　to　be　introduced　expressly　to
mortify　him；　for；　a　laird　himself；　Lundie　did　not　relish
the　notion　that　one　who　might　claim　to　be　a　gentleman
should　bring　discredit　on　his　caste　by　forming　an　unequal
alliance。　　As　soon　as　everything　was　prepared；　Muir　was
summoned　to　the　stand；　and　the　potato　was　held　in　readi…
ness　to　be　thrown。　　As　the　sort　of　feat　we　are　about　to
offer　to　the　reader；　however；　may　be　new　to　him；　a　word　in
explanation　will　render　the　matter　more　clear。　　A　potato
of　large　size　was　selected；　and　given　to　one　who　stood　at
the　distance　of　twenty　yards　from　the　stand。　　At　the　word
〃heave！〃　which　was　given　by　the　marksman；　the　vegetable
was　thrown　with　a　gentle　toss　into　the　air；　and　it　was　the
business　of　the　adventurer　to　cause　a　ball　to　pass　through
it　before　it　reached　the　ground。

The　Quartermaster；　in　a　hundred　experiments；　had　once
succeeded　in　accomplishing　this　difficult　feat；　but　he　now
essayed　to　perform　it　again；　with　a　sort　of　blind　hope　that
was　fated　to　be　disappointed。　　The　potato　was　thrown　in
the　usual　manner；　the　rifle　was　discharged；　but　the　flying
target　was　untouched。

〃To　the　right…about；　and　fall　out；　Quartermaster；〃　said
Lundie；　smiling　at　the　success　of　the　artifice。　　〃The　honor
of　the　silken　calash　will　lie　between　Jasper　Eau…douce　and
Pathfinder。〃

〃And　how　is　the　trial　to　end；　Major？〃　inquired　the
latter。　　〃Are　we　to　have　the　two…potato　trial；　or　is　it　to　be
settled　by　centre　and　skin？〃

〃By　centre　and　skin；　if　there　is　any　perceptible　differ…
ence；　otherwise　the　double　shot　must　follow。〃

〃This　is　an　awful　moment　to　me；　Pathfinder；〃　observed
Jasper；　as　he　moved　towards　the　stand；　his　face　actually
losing　its　color　in　intensity　of　feeling。

Pathfinder　gazed　earnestly　at　the　young　man；　and　then；
begging　Major　Duncan　to　have　patience　for　a　moment；　he
led　his　friend　out　of　the　hearing　of　all　near　him　before　he
spoke。

〃You　seem　to　take　this　matter　to　heart；　Jasper？〃　the
hunter　remarked；　keeping　his　eyes　fastened　on　those　of
the　youth。

〃I　must　own；　Pathfinder；　that　my　feelings　were　never
before　so　much　bound　up　in　success。〃

〃And　do　you　so　much　crave　to　outdo　me；　an　old　and
tried　friend？　　and　that；　as　it　might　be；　in　my　own　way？
Shooting　is　my　gift；　boy；　and　no　common　hand　can　equal
mine。〃

〃I　know　it　　I　know　it；　Pathfinder；　but　yet　　〃

〃But　what；　Jasper；　boy？　　speak　freely；　you　talk　to　a
friend。〃

The　young　man　compressed　his　lips；　dashed　a　hand
across　his　eye；　and　flushed　and　paled　alternately；　like　a
girl　confessing　her　love。　　Then；　squeezing　the　other's
hand；　he　said　calmly；　like　one　whose　manhood　has　over…
come　all　other　sensations；　〃I　would　lose　an　arm；　Path…
finder；　to　be　able　to　make　an　offering　of　that　calash　to
Mabel　Dunham。〃

The　hunter　dropped　his　eyes　to　the　ground；　and　as　he
walked　slowly　back　towards　the　stand；　he　seemed　to　ponder
deeply　on　what　he　had　just　heard。

〃You　never　could　succeed　in　the　double　trial；　Jasper！〃
he　suddenly　remarked。

〃Of　that　I　am　certain；　and　it　troubles　me。〃

〃What　a　creature　is　mortal　man！　he　pines　for　things
which　are　not　of　his　gift　and　treats　the　bounties　of　Provi…
dence　lightly。　　No　matter；　no　matter。　　Take　your　station；
Jasper；　for　the　Major　is　waiting；　and　harke；　lad；　　I　must
touch　the　skin；　for　I　could　not　show　my　face　in　the　garri…
son　with　less　than　that。〃

〃I　suppose　I　must　submit　to　my　fate；〃　returned　Jasper；
flushing　and　losing　his　color　as　before；　〃but　I　will　make
the　effort；　if　I　die。〃

〃What　a　thing　is　mortal　man！〃　repeated　Pathfinder；
falling　back　to　allow　his　friend　room　to　take　his　arm；　〃he
overlooks　his　own　gifts；　and　craves　those　of　another！〃

The　potato　was　thrown；　Jasper　fired；　and　the　shout　that
followed　preceded　the　announcement　of　the　fact　that　he
had　driven　his　bullet　through　its　centre；　or　so　nearly　so　as
to　merit　that　award。

〃Here　is　a　competitor　worthy　of　you；　Pathfinder；〃　cried
Major　Duncan　with　delight；　as　the　former　took　his　station；
〃and　we　may　look　to　some　fine　shooting　in　the　double
trial。〃

〃What　a　thing　is　mortal　man！〃　repeated　the　hunter；
scarcely　seeming　to　notice　what　was　passing　around　him；
so　much　were　his　thoughts　absorbed　in　his　own　reflections。
〃Toss！〃

The　potato　was　tossed；　the　rifle　cracked；　　it　was　re…
marked　just　as　the　little　black　ball　seemed　stationary　in
the　air；　for　the　marksman　evidently　took　unusual　heed　to
his　aim；　　and　then　a　look　of　disappointment　and　wonder
succeeded　among　those　who　caught　the　falling　target。

〃Two　holes　in　one？〃　called　out　the　Major。

〃The　skin；　the　skin！〃　was　the　answer；　〃only　the　skin！〃

〃How's　this；　Pathfinder？　　Is　Jasper　Eau…douce　to　carry
off　the　honors　of　the　day？〃

〃The　calash　is　his；〃　returned　the　other；　shaking　his
head　and　walking　quietly　away　from　the　stand。　　〃What　a
creature　is　mortal　man！　never　satisfied　with　his　own　gifts；
but　for　ever　craving　that　which　Providence　denies！〃

As　Pathfinder　had　not　buried　his　bullet　in　the　potato；
but　had　cut　through　the　skin；　the　prize　was　immediately
adjudged　to　Jasper。　　The　calash　was　in　the　hands　of　the
latter　when　the　Quartermaster　approached；　and　with　a
polite　air　of　cordiality　he　wished　his　successful　rival　joy　of
his　victory。

〃But　now　you've　got　the　calash；　lad；　it's　of　no　use　to
you；〃　he　added；　〃it　will　never　make　a　sail；　nor　even　an
ensign。　　I'm　thinking；　Eau…douce；　you'd　no'　be　sorry　to
see　its　value　in　good　siller　of　the　king？〃

〃Money　cannot　buy　it；　Lieutenant；〃　returned　Jasper；
whose　eye　lighted　with　all　the　fire　of　success　and　joy。　　〃I
would　rather　have　won　this　calash　than　have　obtained　fifty
new　suits　of　sails　for　the　_Scud！_〃

〃Hoot；　hoot；　lad！　you　are　going　mad　like　all　the　rest　of
them。　　I'd　even　venture　to　offer　half　a　guinea　for　the　trifle
rather　than　it　should　lie　kicking　about　in　the　cabin　of
your　cutter；　and　in　the　end　become　an　ornament　for　the
head　of　a　squaw。〃

Although　Jasper　did　not　know　that　the　wary　Quarter…
master　had　not　offered　half　the　actual　cost　of　the　prize；　he
heard　the　proposition　with　indifference。　　Shaking　his　head
in　the　negative；　he　advanced　towards　the　stage；　where　his
approach　excited　a　little　commotion；　the　officers'　ladies；
one　and　all；　having　determined　to　accept　the　present；
should　the　gallantry　of　the　young　sailor　induce　him　to
offer　it。　　But　Jasper's　diffidence；　no　less　than　admiration
for　another；　would　have　prevented　him　from　aspiring　to
the　honor　of　complimenting　any　whom　he　thought　so
much　his　superiors。

〃Mabel；〃　said　he；　〃this　prize　is　for　you；　unless　　〃

〃Unless　what；　Jasper？〃　answered　the　girl；　losing　her
own　bashfulness　in　the　natural　and　generous　wish　to　re…
lieve　his　embarrassment；　though　both　reddened　in　a　way
to　betray　strong　feeling。

〃Unless　you　may　think　too　indifferently　of　it；　because
it　is　offered　by　one　who　may　have　no　right　to　believe　his
gift　will　be　accepted。〃

〃I　do　accept　it；　Jasper；　and　it　shall　be　a　sign　of　the
danger　I　have　passed　in　your　company；　and　of　the　grati…
tude　I　feel　for　your　care　of　me　　your　care；　and　that　of　the
Pathfinder。〃

〃Never　mind　me；　never　mind　me！〃　exclaimed　the　latter；
〃this　is　Jasper's　luck；　and　Jasper's　gift：　give　him　full
credit　for　both。　　My　turn　may　come　another　day；　mine
and　the　Quartermaster's；　who　seems　to　grudge　the　boy　the
calash；　though　what　_he_　can　want　of　it　I　cannot　under…
stand；　for　he　has　no　wife。〃

〃And　has　Jasper　Eau…douce　a　wife？　or　have　you　a　wife
yoursel'；　Pathfinder？　　I　may　want　it　to　help　to　get　a
wife；　or　as　a　memorial　that　I　have　had　a　wife；　or　as　proof
how　much　I　admire　the　sex；　or　because　it　is　a　female　gar…
ment；　or　for　some　other　equally　respectable　motive。　　It's
not　the　unreflecting　that　are　the　most　prized　by　the
thoughtful；　and　there　is　no　surer　sign　that　a　man　made　a
good　husband　to　his　first　consort；　let　me　tell　you　all；　than
to　see　him　speedily　looking　round　for　a　competent　suc…
cessor。　　The　affections　are　good　gifts　from　Providence；
and　they　that　have　loved　one　faithfully　prove　how　much
of　this　bounty　has　been　lavished　upon　them　by　loving　an…
other　as　soon　as　possible。〃

〃It　may　be　so；　it　may　be　so。　　I　am　no　practiti