the pathfinder-第47章

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tion　are　sent　up　the　river　to　Frontenac；　to　be　forwarded
along　the　shores　of　this　and　the　other　lakes；　in　order　to
enable　the　enemy　to　play　his　devilries　among　the　savages；
and　to　take　Christian　scalps。〃

〃And　will　our　presence　prevent　these　horrible　acts？〃
demanded　Mabel；　with　interest。

〃It　may　or　it　may　not；　as　Providence　wills。　　Lundie；　as
they　call　him；　he　who　commands　this　garrison；　sent　a　party
down　to　take　a　station　among　the　islands；　to　cut　off　some
of　the　French　boats；　and　this　expedition　of　ours　will　be
the　second　relief。　　As　yet　they've　not　done　much；　though
two　bateaux　loaded　with　Indian　goods　have　been　taken；
but　a　runner　came　in　last　week；　and　brought　such　tidings
that　the　Major　is　about　to　make　a　last　effort　to　circumvent
the　knaves。　　Jasper　knows　the　way；　and　we　shall　be　in
good　hands；　for　the　Sergeant　is　prudent；　and　of　the　first
quality　at　an　ambushment；　yes；　he　is　both　prudent　and
alert。〃

〃Is　this　all？〃　said　Cap　contemptuously；　〃by　the　prep…
arations　and　equipments；　I　had　thought　there　was　a　forced
trade　in　the　wind；　and　that　an　honest　penny　might　be
turned　by　taking　an　adventure。　　I　suppose　there　are　no
shares　in　your　fresh…water　prize…money？〃

〃Anan？〃

〃I　take　it　for　granted　the　king　gets　all　in　these　soldier…
ing　parties；　and　ambushments；　as　you　call　them。〃

〃I　know　nothing　about　that；　Master　Cap。　　I　take　my
share　of　the　lead　and　powder　if　any　falls　into　our　hands；
and　say　nothing　to　the　king　about　it。　　If　any　one　fares
better；　it　is　not　I；　though　it　is　time　I　did　begin　to　think
of　a　house　and　furniture　and　a　home。〃

Although　the　Pathfinder　did　not　dare　to　look　at　Mabel
while　he　made　this　direct　allusion　to　his　change　of　life；　he
would　have　given　the　world　to　know　whether　she　was　lis…
tening；　and　what　was　the　expression　of　her　countenance。
Mabel　little　suspected　the　nature　of　the　allusion；　however；
and　her　countenance　was　perfectly　unembarrassed　as　she
turned　her　eyes　towards　the　river；　where　the　appearance
of　some　movement　on　board　the　_Scud_　began　to　be　visible。

〃Jasper　is　bringing　the　cutter　out；〃　observed　the　guide；
whose　look　was　drawn　in　the　same　direction　by　the　fall　of
some　heavy　article　on　the　deck。　　〃The　lad　sees　the　signs
of　wind；　no　doubt；　and　wishes　to　be　ready　for　it。〃

〃Ay；　now　we　shall　have　an　opportunity　of　learning
seamanship；〃　returned　Cap；　with　a　sneer。　　〃There　is　a
nicety　in　getting　a　craft　under　her　canvas　that　shows　the
thoroughbred　mariner　as　much　as　anything　else。　　It's　like
a　soldier　buttoning　his　coat；　and　one　can　see　whether　he
begins　at　the　top　or　the　bottom。〃

〃I　will　not　say　that　Jasper　is　equal　to　your　seafarers
below；〃　observed　Pathfinder；　across　whose　upright　mind
an　unworthy　feeling　of　envy　or　of　jealousy　never　passed；
〃but　he　is　a　bold　boy；　and　manages　his　cutter　as　skillfully
as　any　man　can　desire；　on　this　lake　at　least。　　You　didn't
find　him　backwards　at　the　Oswego　Falls；　Master　Cap；
where　fresh　water　contrives　to　tumble　down　hill　with　little
difficulty。〃

Cap　made　no　other　answer　than　a　dissatisfied　ejaculation；
and　then　a　general　silence　followed；　all　on　the　bastion
studying　the　movements　of　the　cutter　with　the　interest
that　was　natural　to　their　own　future　connection　with　the
vessel。　　It　was　still　a　dead　calm；　the　surface　of　the　lake
literally　glittering　with　the　last　rays　of　the　sun。　　The
_Scud_　had　been　warped　up　to　a　kedge　that　lay　a　hundred
yards　above　the　points　of　the　outlet；　where　she　had　room
to　manoeuvre　in　the　river　which　then　formed　the　harbor　of
Oswego。　　But　the　total　want　of　air　prevented　any　such　at…
tempt；　and　it　was　soon　evident　that　the　light　vessel　was　to
be　taken　through　the　passage　under　her　sweeps。　　Not　a　sail
was　loosened；　but　as　soon　as　the　kedge　was　tripped；　the
heavy　fall　of　the　sweeps　was　heard；　when　the　cutter；　with
her　head　up　stream；　began　to　sheer　towards　the　centre　of
the　current；　on　reaching　which；　the　efforts　of　the　men
ceased；　and　she　drifted　towards　the　outlet。　　In　the　narrow
pass　itself　her　movement　was　rapid；　and　in　less　than　five
minutes　the　_Scud_　was　floating　outside　of　the　two　low
gravelly　points　which　intercepted　the　waves　of　the　lake。
No　anchor　was　let　go；　but　the　vessel　continued　to　set　off
from　the　land；　until　her　dark　hull　was　seen　resting　on　the
glossy　surface　of　the　lake；　full　a　quarter　of　a　mile　beyond
the　low　bluff　which　formed　the　eastern　extremity　of　what
might　be　called　the　outer　harbor　or　roadstead。　　Here　the
influence　of　the　river　current　ceased；　and　she　became；　vir…
tually；　stationary。

〃She　seems　very　beautiful　to　me；　uncle；〃　said　Mabel；
whose　gaze　had　not　been　averted　from　the　cutter　for　a
single　moment　while　it　had　thus　been　changing　its　posi…
tion；　〃I　daresay　you　can　find　faults　in　her　appearance；
and　in　the　way　she　is　managed；　but　to　my　ignorance　both
are　perfect。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　she　drops　down　with　a　current　well　enough；
girl；　and　so　would　a　chip。　　But　when　you　come　to　niceties；
all　old　tar　like　myself　has　no　need　of　spectacles　to　find
fault。〃

〃Well；　Master　Cap；〃　put　in　the　guide；　who　seldom　heard
anything　to　Jasper's　prejudice　without　manifesting　a　dis…
position　to　interfere；　〃I've　heard　old　and　experienced　salt…
water　mariners　confess　that　the　_Scud_　is　as　pretty　a　craft
as　floats。　　I　know　nothing　of　such　matters　myself；　but
one　may　have　his　own　notions　about　a　ship；　even　though
they　be　wrong　notions；　and　it　would　take　more　than　one
witness　to　persuade　me　Jasper　does　not　keep　his　boat　in
good　order。〃

〃I　do　not　say　that　the　cutter　is　downright　lubberly；
Master　Pathfinder；　but　she　has　faults；　and　great　faults。〃

〃And　what　are　they；　uncle？　　If　he　knew　them；　Jasper
would　be　glad　to　mend　them。〃

〃What　are　they？　　Why；　fifty；　ay；　for　that　matter　a
hundred。　　Very　material　and　manifest　faults。〃

〃Do　name　them；　sir；　and　Pathfinder　will　mention　them
to　his　friend。〃

〃Name　them！　it　is　no　easy　matter　to　call　off　the　stars；
for　the　simple　reason　that　they　are　so　numerous。　　Name
them；　indeed！　　Why；　my　pretty　niece；　Miss　Magnet；　what
do　you　think　of　that　main…boom　now？　　To　my　ignorant
eyes；　it　is　topped　at　least　a　foot　too　high；　and　then　the
pennant　is　foul；　and　　and　　ay；　d…　me；　if　there　isn't　a
topsail　gasket　adrift；　and　it　wouldn't　surprise　me　at　all　if
there　should　be　a　round　turn　in　that　hawser；　if　the　kedge
were　to　be　let　go　this　instant。　　Faults　indeed！　　No　seaman
could　look　at　her　a　moment　without　seeing　that　she　is　as
full　of　faults　as　a　servant　who　has　asked　for　his　discharge。〃

〃This　may　be　very　true；　uncle；　though　I　much　question
if　Jasper　knows　of　them。　　I　do　not　think　he　would　suffer
these　things；　Pathfinder；　if　they　were　once　pointed　out
to　him。〃

〃Let　Jasper　manage　his　own　cutter；　Mabel。　　His　gift
lies　that…a…way；　and　I'll　answer　for　it；　no　one　can　teach
him　how　to　keep　the　_Scud_　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Fron…
tenackers　or　their　devilish　Mingo　friends。　　Who　cares　for
round　turns　in　kedges；　and　for　hawsers　that　are　topped
too　high；　Master　Cap；　so　long　as　the　craft　sails　well；　and
keeps　clear　of　the　Frenchers？　　I　will　trust　Jasper　against
all　the　seafarers　of　the　coast；　up　here　on　the　lakes；　but　I
do　not　say　he　has　any　gift　for　the　ocean；　for　there　he　has
never　been　tried。〃

Cap　smiled　condescendingly；　but　he　did　not　think　it
necessary　to　push　his　critisms　any　further　just　as　that
moment。　　By　this　time　the　cutter　had　begun　to　drift　at
the　mercy　of　the　currents　of　the　lake；　her　head　turning　in
all　directions；　though　slowly；　and　not　in　a　way　to　attract
particular　attention。　　Just　at　this　moment　the　jib　was
loosened　and　hoisted；　and　presently　the　canvas　swelled
towards　the　land；　though　no　evidences　of　air　were　yet　to
be　seen　on　the　surface　of　the　water。　　Slight；　however；　as
was　the　impulsion；　the　light　hull　yielded；　and　in　another
minute　the　_Scud_　was　seen　standing　across　the　current　of
the　river　with　a　movement　so　easy　and　moderate　as　to　be
scarcely　perceptible。　　When　out　of　the　stream；　she　struck
an　eddy　and　shot　up　towards　the　land；　under　the　emi…
nence　where　the　fort　stood；　when　Jasper　dropped　his　kedge。

〃Not　lubberly　done；〃　muttered　Cap　in　a　sort　of　solilo…
quy；　　〃not　over　lubberly；　though　he　should　have　put　his
helm　a…starboard　instead　o