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第58章

the pathfinder-第58章

小说: the pathfinder 字数: 每页4000字

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〃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 we have a right to be here; though we may
not have a right to say _why_ we are here。〃

〃Arrowhead saw the big canoe; and he loves to look on
the face of Eau…douce。  He was going towards the sun at
evening in order to seek his wigwam; but; finding that
the young sailor was going the other way; he turned that
he might look in the same direction。  Eau…douce and
Arrowhead were together on the last trail。〃

〃This may all be true; Tuscarora; and you are welcome。
You shall eat of our venison; and then we must separate。
The setting sun is behind us; and both of us move quick:
my brother will get too far from that which he seeks;
unless he turns round。〃

Pathfinder now returned to the others; and repeated
the result of his examination。  He appeared himself to
believe that the account of Arrowhead might be true;
though he admitted that caution would be prudent with
one he disliked; but his auditors; Jasper excepted; seemed
less disposed to put faith in the explanations。

〃This chap must be ironed at once; brother Dunham;〃
said Cap; as soon as Pathfinder finished his narration;
〃he must be turned over to the master…at…arms; if there
is any such officer on fresh water; and a court…martial
ought to be ordered as soon as we reach port。〃

〃I think it wisest to detain the fellow;〃 the Sergeant
answered; 〃but irons are unnecessary so long as he re…
mains in the cutter。  In the morning the matter shall be
inquired into。〃

Arrowhead was now summoned and told the decision。
The Indian listened gravely; and made no objections。  On
the contrary; he submitted with the calm and reserved
dignity with which the American aborigines are known to
yield to fate; and he stood apart; an attentive but calm
observer of what was passing。  Jasper caused the cutter's
sails to be filled; and the _Scud_ resumed her course。

It was now getting near the hour to set the watch; and
when it was usual to retire for the night。  Most of the
party went below; leaving no one on deck but Cap; the
Sergeant; Jasper; and two of the crew。  Arrowhead and
his wife also remained; the former standing aloof in proud
reserve; and the latter exhibiting; by her attitude and pas…
siveness; the meek humility that characterizes an Indian
woman。

〃You will find a place for your wife below; Arrowhead;
where my daughter will attend to her wants;〃 said the
Sergeant kindly; who was himself on the point of quitting
the deck; 〃yonder is a sail where you may sleep yourself。〃

〃I thank my father。  The Tuscaroras are not poor。  The
woman will look for my blankets in the canoe。〃

〃As you wish; my friend。  We think it necessary to de…
tain you; but not necessary to confine or to maltreat you。
Send your squaw into the canoe for the blankets and you
may follow her yourself; and hand us up the paddles。  As
there may be some sleepy heads in the _Scud_; Eau…douce;〃
added the Sergeant in a lower tone; 〃it may be well to
secure the paddles。〃

Jasper assented; and Arrowhead and his wife; with
whom resistance appeared to be out of the question; silently
complied with the directions。  A few expressions of sharp
rebuke passed from the Indian to his wife; while both
were employed in the canoe; which the latter received with
submissive quiet; immediately repairing an error she had
made by laying aside the blanket she had taken and search…
ing for another that was more to her tyrant's mind。

〃Come; bear a hand; Arrowhead;〃 said the Sergeant; who
stood on the gunwale overlooking the movements of the
two; which were proceeding too slowly for the impatience
of a drowsy man; 〃it is getting late; and we soldiers have
such a thing as reveille  early to bed and early to rise。〃

〃Arrowhead is coming;〃 was the answer; as the Tusca…
rora stepped towards the head of his canoe。

One blow of his keen knife severed the rope which held
the boat; and then the cutter glanced ahead; leaving the
light bubble of bark; which instantly lost its way; almost
stationary。  So suddenly and dexterously was this manoeu…
vre performed; that the canoe was on the lee quarter of
the _Scud_ before the Sergeant was aware of the artifice; and
quite in her wake ere he had time to announce it to his
companions。

〃Hard…a…lee!〃 shouted Jasper; letting fly the jib…sheet
with his own hands; when the cutter came swiftly up to
the breeze; with all her canvas flapping; or was running
into the wind's eye; as seamen term it; until the light craft
was a hundred feet to windward of her former position。
Quick and dexterous as was this movement; and ready as
had been the expedient; it was not quicker or more ready
than that of the Tuscarora。  With an intelligence that
denoted some familiarity with vessels; he had seized his
paddle and was already skimming the water; aided by the
efforts of his wife。  The direction he took was south…
westerly; or on a line that led him equally towards the
wind and the shore; while it also kept him so far aloof
from the cutter as to avoid the danger of the latter falling
on board of him when she filled on the other tack。  Swiftly
as the _Scud_ had shot into the wind; and far as she had
forced ahead; Jasper knew it was necessary to cast her ere
she had lost all her way; and it was not two minutes from
the time the helm had been put down before the lively
little craft was aback forward; and rapidly falling off; in
order to allow her sails to fill on the opposite tack。

〃He will escape!〃 said Jasper the instant he caught a
glimpse of the relative bearings of the cutter and the
canoe。  〃The cunning knave is paddling dead to wind…
ward; and the _Scud_ can never overtake him!〃

〃You have a canoe!〃 exclaimed the Sergeant; mani…
festing the eagerness of a boy to join in the pursuit; 〃let
us launch it; and give chase!〃

〃It will be useless。  If Pathfinder had been on deck;
there might have been a chance; but there is none now。
To launch the canoe would have taken three or four min…
utes; and the time lost would be sufficient for the purposes
of Arrowhead。〃

Both Cap and the Sergeant saw the truth of this; which
would have been nearly self…evident even to one unaccus…
tomed to vessels。  The shore was distant less than half a
mile; and the canoe was already glancing into its shadows;
at a rate to show that it would reach the land before its
pursuers could probably get half the distance。  The helm
of the _Scud_ was reluctantly put up again; and the cutter
wore short round on her heel; coming up to her course on
the other tack; as if acting on an instinct。  All this was
done by Jasper in profound silence; his assistants under…
standing what was necessary; and lending their aid in a
sort of mechanical imitation。  While these manoeuvres
were in the course of execution; Cap took the Sergeant by
a button; and led him towards the cabin…door; where he
was out of ear…shot; and began to unlock his stores of
thought。

〃Hark'e; brother Dunham;〃 said he; with an ominous
face; 〃this is a matter that requires mature thought and
much circumspection。〃

〃The life of a soldier; brother Cap; is one of constant
thought and circumspection。  On this frontier; were we
to overlook either; our scalps might be taken from our
heads in the first nap。〃

〃But I consider this capture of Arrowhead as a circum…
stance; and I might add his escape as another。  This Jas…
per Freshwater must look to it。〃

〃They are both circumstances truly; brother; but they
tell different ways。  If it is a circumstance against the
lad that the Indian has escaped; it is a circumstance in
his favor that he was first taken。〃

〃Ay; ay; but two circumstances do not contradict each
other like two negatives。  If you will follow the advice of
an old seaman; Sergeant; not a moment is to be lost in
taking the steps necessary for the security of the vessel and
all on board of her。  The cutter is now slipping through
the water at the rate of six knots; and as the distances are
so short on this bit of a pond; we may all find ourselves in
a French port before morning; and in a French prison
before night。〃

〃This may 

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