the pathfinder-第57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！


mouthed；　whether　anything　depends　on　it　or　not。　　I　am
afraid；　however；　I　shall　not　keep　you　long　enough　in　the
_Scud_　to　show　you　what　she　can　do　at　need。〃

〃I　think　a　woman　unwise　who　ever　marries　a　sailor；〃
said　Mabel　abruptly；　and　almost　involuntarily。

〃This　is　a　strange　opinion；　why　do　you　hold　it？〃

〃Because　a　sailor's　wife　is　certain　to　have　a　rival　in　his
vessel。　　My　uncle　Cap；　too；　says　that　a　sailor　should　never
marry。〃

〃He　means　salt…water　sailors；〃　returned　Jasper；　laugh…
ing。　　〃If　he　thinks　wives　not　good　enough　for　those　who
sail　on　the　ocean；　he　will　fancy　them　just　suited　to　those
who　sail　on　the　lakes。　　I　hope；　Mabel；　you　do　not　take
your　opinions　of　us　fresh…water　mariners　from　all　that
Master　Cap　says。〃

〃Sail；　ho！〃　exclaimed　the　very　individual　of　whom　they
were　conversing；　〃or　boat；　ho！　would　be　nearer　the　truth。〃

Jasper　ran　forward；　and；　sure　enough；　a　small　object
was　discernible　about　a　hundred　yards　ahead　of　the　cutter；
and　nearly　on　her　lee　bow。　　At　the　first　glance；　he　saw　it
was　a　bark　canoe；　for；　though　the　darkness　prevented　hues
from　being　distinguished；　the　eye　that　had　become　accus…
tomed　to　the　night　might　discern　forms　at　some　little　dis…
tance；　and　the　eye　which；　like　Jasper's；　had　long　been
familiar　with　things　aquatic；　could　not　be　at　a　loss　in　dis…
covering　the　outlines　necessary　to　come　to　the　conclusion
he　did。

〃This　may　be　an　enemy；〃　the　young　man　remarked；
〃and　it　may　be　well　to　overhaul　him。〃

〃He　is　paddling　with　all　his　might；　lad；〃　observed　the
Pathfinder；　〃and　means　to　cross　your　bows　and　get　to
windward；　when　you　might　as　well　chase　a　full…grown　buck
on　snow…shoes！〃

〃Let　her　luff；〃　cried　Jasper　to　the　man　at　the　helm。
〃Luff　up；　till　she　shakes。　　There；　steady；　and　hold　all　that。〃

The　helmsman　complied；　and；　as　the　_Scud_　was　now
dashing　the　water　aside　merrily；　a　minute　or　two　put　the
canoe　so　far　to　leeward　as　to　render　escape　impracticable。
Jasper　now　sprang　to　the　helm　himself　and；　by　judicious
and　careful　handling；　he　got　so　near　his　chase　that　it　was
secured　by　a　boat…hook。　　On　receiving　an　order；　the　two
persons　who　were　in　the　canoe　left　it；　and　no　sooner　had
they　reached　the　deck　of　the　cutter　than　they　were　found
to　be　Arrowhead　and　his　wife。



CHAPTER　XV。

What　pearl　is　it　that　rich　men　cannot　buy；
That　learning　is　too　proud　to　gather　up；
But　which　the　poor　and　the　despised　of　all
Seek　and　obtain；　and　often　find　unsought？
Tell　me　　and　I　will　tell　thee　what　is　truth。
COWPER。


The　meeting　with　the　Indian　and　his　wife　excited　no
surprise　in　the　majority　of　those　who　witnessed　the　occur…
rence；　but　Mabel；　and　all　who　knew　of　the　manner　in
which　this　chief　had　been　separated　from　the　party　of　Cap；
simultaneously　entertained　suspicions；　which　it　was　far
easier　to　feel　than　to　follow　out　by　any　plausible　clue　to
certainty。　　Pathfinder；　who　alone　could　converse　freely
with　the　prisoners；　for　such　they　might　now　be　considered；
took　Arrowhead　aside；　and　held　a　long　conversation　with
him；　concerning　the　reasons　of　the　latter　for　having　de…
serted　his　charge　and　the　manner　in　which　he　had　been
since　employed。

The　Tuscarora　met　these　inquiries；　and　he　gave　his　an…
swers　with　the　stoicism　of　an　Indian。　　As　respects　the　sep…
aration；　his　excuses　were　very　simply　made；　and　they　seemed
to　be　sufficiently　plausible。　　When　he　found　that　the　party
was　discovered　in　its　place　of　concealment；　he　naturally
sought　his　own　safety；　which　he　secured　by　plunging　into
the　woods。　　In　a　word；　he　had　run　away　in　order　to　save
his　life。

〃This　is　well；〃　returned　Pathfinder；　affecting　to　believe
the　other's　apologies；　〃my　brother　did　very　wisely；　but
his　woman　followed？〃

〃Do　not　the　pale…faces'　women　follow　their　husbands？
Would　not　Pathfinder　have　looked　back　to　see　if　one　he
loved　was　coming？〃

This　appeal　was　made　to　the　guide　while　he　was　in　a
most　fortunate　frame　of　mind　to　admit　its　force；　for
Mabel　and　her　blandishments　and　constancy　were　becom…
ing　images　familiar　to　his　thoughts。　　The　Tuscarora；
though　he　could　not　trace　the　reason；　saw　that　his　excuse
was　admitted；　and　he　stood　with　quiet　dignity　awaiting
the　next　inquiry。

〃This　is　reasonable　and　natural；〃　returned　Pathfinder；
〃this　is　natural；　and　may　be　so。　　A　woman　would　be　likely
to　follow　the　man　to　whom　she　had　plighted　faith；　and
husband　and　wife　are　one　flesh。　　Your　words　are　honest；
Tuscarora；〃　changing　the　language　to　the　dialect　of　the
other。　　〃Your　words　are　honest；　and　very　pleasant　and
just。　　But　why　has　my　brother　been　so　long　from　the　fort？
His　friends　have　thought　of　him　often；　but　have　never
seen　him。〃

〃If　the　doe　follows　the　buck；　ought　not　the　buck　to　fol…
low　the　doe？〃　answered　the　Tuscarora；　smiling；　as　he　laid
a　finger　significantly　on　the　shoulder　of　his　interrogator。
〃Arrowhead's　wife　followed　Arrowhead；　it　was　right　in
Arrowhead　to　follow　his　wife。　　She　lost　her　way；　and　they
made　her　cook　in　a　strange　wigwam。〃

〃I　understand　you；　Tuscarora。　　The　woman　fell　into
the　hands　of　the　Mingos；　and　you　kept　upon　their　trail。〃

〃Pathfinder　can　see　a　reason　as　easily　as　he　can　see　the
moss　on　the　trees。　　It　is　so。〃

〃And　how　long　have　you　got　the　woman　back；　and　in
what　manner　has　it　been　done？〃

〃Two　suns。　　The　Dew…of…June　was　not　long　in　coming
when　her　husband　whispered　to　her　the　path。〃

〃Well；　well；　all　this　seems　natural；　and　according　to
matrimony。　　But；　Tuscarora；　how　did　you　get　that　canoe；
and　why　are　you　paddling　towards　the　St。　Lawrence　in…
stead　of　the　garrison？〃

〃Arrowhead　can　tell　his　own　from　that　of　another。
This　canoe　is　mine；　I　found　it　on　the　shore　near　the　fort。〃

〃That　sounds　reasonable；　too；　for　the　canoe　does　belong
to　the　man；　and　an　Indian　would　make　few　words　about
taking　it。　　Still；　it　is　extraordinary　that　we　saw　nothing
of　the　fellow　and　his　wife；　for　the　canoe　must　have　left
the　river　before　we　did　ourselves。〃

This　idea；　which　passed　rapidly　through　the　mind　of
the　guide；　was　now　put　to　the　Indian　in　the　shape　of　a
question。

〃Pathfinder　knows　that　a　warrior　can　have　shame。　　The
father　would　have　asked　me　for　his　daughter；　and　I　could
not　give　her　to　him。　　I　sent　the　Dew…of…June　for　the　canoe；
and　no　one　spoke　to　the　woman。　　A　Tuscarora　woman
would　not　be　free　in　speaking　to　strange　men。〃

All　this；　too；　was　plausible；　and　in　conformity　with　In…
dian　character　and　customs。　　As　was　usual；　Arrowhead
had　received　one　half　of　his　compensation　previously　to
quitting　the　Mohawk；　and　his　refraining　to　demand　the
residue　was　a　proof　of　that　conscientious　consideration　of
mutual　rights　that　quite　as　often　distinguishes　the　moral…
ity　of　a　savage　as　that　of　a　Christian。　　To　one　as　upright
as　Pathfinder；　Arrowhead　had　conducted　himself　with
delicacy　and　propriety；　though　it　would　have　been　more
in　accordance　with　his　own　frank　nature　to　have　met　the
father；　and　abided　by　the　simple　truth。　　Still；　accustomed
to　the　ways　of　Indians；　he　saw　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary
track　of　things　in　the　course　the　other　had　taken。

〃This　runs　like　water　flowing　down　hill；　Arrowhead；〃
he　answered；　after　a　little　reflection；　〃and　truth　obliges　me
to　own　it。　　It　was　the　gift　of　a　red…skin　to　act　in　this　way；
though　I　do　not　think　it　was　the　gift　of　a　pale…face。　　You
would　not　look　upon　the　grief　of　the　girl's　father？〃

Arrowhead　made　a　quiet　inclination　of　the　body　as　if
to　assent。

〃One　thing　more　my　brother　will　tell　me；〃　continued
PaLhfinder；　〃and　there　will　be　no　cloud　between　his　wig…
wam　and　the　strong…house　of　the　Yengeese。　　If　he　can
blow　away　this　bit　of　fog　with　his　breath；　his　friends　will
look　at　him　as　he　sits　by　his　own　fire；　and　he　can　look　at
them　as　they　lay　aside　their　arms；　and　forget　that　they　are
warriors。　　Why　was　the　head　of　Arrowhead's　canoe　looking
towards　the　St。　Lawrence；　where　there　are　none　but　ene…
mies　to　be　found？〃

〃Why　were　the　Pathfinder　and　his　friends　looking　the
same　way？〃　asked　the　Tuscarora　calmly。　　〃A　Tuscarora
may　look　in　the　same　direction　as　a　Yengeese。〃

〃Why；　to　own　the　truth；　Arrowhead；　we　are　out　scouting
like；　that　is；　sailing　　in　other　words；　we　are　on　the　king's
business；　and　w