the pathfinder-第67章

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Here　he　was　met　by　the　Pathfinder；　who　was　standing　near
Mabel　and　the　Quartermaster。　　Most　of　those　on　board；
with　the　exception　of　the　individuals　who　have　already
been　particularly　mentioned；　were　below；　some　seeking　re…
lief　from　physical　suffering　on　their　pallets；　and　others
tardily　bethinking　them　of　their　sins。　　For　the　first　time；
most　probably；　since　her　keel　had　dipped　into　the　limpid
waters　of　Ontario；　the　voice　of　prayer　was；　heard　on　board
the　_Scud_。

〃Jasper；〃　commenced　his　friend；　the　guide；　〃I　have　been
of　no　use　this　morning；　for　my　gifts　are　of　little　account；
as　you　know；　in　a　vessel　like　this；　but；　should　it　please
God　to　let　the　Sergeant's　daughter　reach　the　shore　alive；
my　acquaintance　with　the　forest　may　still　carry　her　through
in　safety　to　the　garrison。〃

〃'Tis　a　fearful　distance　thither；　Pathfinder！〃　Mabel　re…
joined；　the　party　being　so　near　together　that　all　which　was
said　by　one　was　overheard　by　the　others。　　〃I　am　afraid
none　of　us　could　live　to　reach　the　fort。〃

〃It　would　be　a　risky　path；　Mabel；　and　a　crooked　one；
though　some　of　your　sex　have　undergone　even　more　than
that　in　this　wilderness。　　But；　Jasper；　either　you　or　I；　or
both　of　us；　must　man　this　bark　canoe；　Mabel's　only　ohance
will　lie　in　getting　through　the　breakers　in　that。〃

〃I　would　willingly　man　anything　to　save　Mabel；〃　an…
swered　Jasper；　with　a　melancholy　smile；　〃but　no　human
hand；　Pathfinder；　could　carry　that　canoe　through　yonder
breakers　in　a　gale　like　this。　　I　have　hopes　from　anchoring；
after　all；　for　once　before　have　we　saved　the　_Scud_　in　an
extremity　nearly　as　great　as　this。〃

〃If　we　are　to　anchor；　Jasper；〃　the　Sergeant　inquired；
〃why　not　do　it　at　once？　　Every　foot　we　lose　in　drifting
now　would　come　into　the　distance　we　shall　probably　drag
when　the　anchors　are　let　go。〃

Jasper　drew　nearer　to　the　Sergeant；　and　took　his　hand；
pressing　it　earnestly；　and　in　a　way　to　denote　strong；　almost
uncontrollable　feelings。

〃Sergeant　Dunham；〃　said　he　solemnly；　〃you　are　a　good
man；　though　you　have　treated　me　harshly　in　this　business。
You　love　your　daughter？〃

〃That　you　canuot　doubt；　Eau…douce；〃　returned　the　Ser…
geant　huskily。

〃Will　you　give　her　　give　us　all　　the　only　chance　for　life
that　is　left？〃

〃What　would　you　have　me　do；　boy；　what　would　you　have
me　do？　　I　have　acted　according　to　my　judgment　hitherto；
…　what　would　you　have　me　do？〃

〃Support　me　against　Master　Cap　for　five　minutes；　and
all　that　man　can　do　towards　saving　the　_Scud_　shall　be　done。〃

The　Sergeant　hesitated；　for　he　was　too　much　of　a　dis…
ciplinarian　to　fly　in　the　face　of　regular　orders。　　He　dis…
liked　the　appearance　of　vacillation；　too；　and　then　he　had
a　profound　respect　for　his　kinsman's　seamanship。　　While
he　was　deliberating；　Cap　came　from　the　post　he　had　some
time　occupied；　which　was　at　the　side　of　the　man　at　the
helm；　and　drew　nigh　the　group。

〃Master　Eau…douce；〃　said　he；　as　soon　as　near　enough　to
be　heard；　〃I　have　come　to　inquire　if　you　know　any　spot
near　by　where　this　cutter　can　be　beached？　　The　moment
has　arrived　when　we　are　driven　to　this　hard　alternative。〃

That　instant　of　indecision　on　the　part　of　Cap　secured
the　triumph　of　Jasper。　　Looking　at　the　Sergeant；　the
young　man　received　a　nod　that　assured　him　of　all　he　asked；
and　he　lost　not　one　of　those　moments　that　were　getting
to　be　so　very　precious。

〃Shall　I　take　the　helm；〃　he　inquired　of　Cap；　〃and　see
if　we　can　reach　a　creek　that　lies　to　leeward？〃

〃Do　so；　do　so；〃　said　the　other；　hemming　to　clear　his
throat；　for　he　felt　oppressed　by　a　responsibility　that
weighed　all　the　heavier　on　his　shoulders　on　account　of　his
ignorance。　　〃Do　so；　Eau…douce；　since；　to　be　frank　with
you；　I　can　see　nothing　better　to　be　done。　　We　must　beach
or　swamp。〃

Jasper　required　no　more；　springing　aft；　he　soon　had　the
tiller　in　his　own　hands。　　The　pilot　was　prepared　for　what
was　to　follow；　and；　at　a　sign　from　his　young　commander；
the　rag　of　sail　that　had　so　long　been　set　was　taken　in。　　At
that　moment；　Jasper；　watching　his　time；　put　the　helm　up；
the　head　of　a　staysail　was　loosened　forward；　and　the　light
cutter；　as　if　conscious　she　was　now　under　the　control　of
familiar　hands；　fell　off；　and　was　soon　in　the　trough　of　the
sea。　　This　perilous　instant　was　passed　in　safety；　and　at　the
next　moment　the　little　vessel　appeared　flying　down　toward
the　breakers　at　a　rate　that　threatened　instant　destruction。
The　distances　had　become　so　short；　that　five　or　six　minutes
sufficed　for　all　that　Jasper　wished；　and　he　put　the　helm
down　again；　when　the　bows　of　the　_Scud_　came　up　to　the
wind；　notwithstanding　the　turbulence　of　the　waters；　as
gracefully　as　the　duck　varies　its　line　of　direction　on　the
glassy　pond。　　A　sign　from　Jasper　set　all　in　motion　on　the
forecastle；　and　a　kedge　was　thrown　from　each　bow。　　The
fearful　nature　of　the　drift　was　now　apparent　even　to　Mabel's
eyes；　for　the　two　hawsers　ran　out　like　tow…lines。　　As　soon
as　they　straightened　to　a　slight　strain；　both　anchors　were
let　go；　and　cable　was　given　to　each；　nearly　to　the　better…
ends。　　It　was　not　a　difficult　task　to　snub　so　light　a　craft
with　ground…tackle　of　a　quality　better　than　common；　and
in　less　than　ten　minutes　from　the　moment　when　Jasper
went　to　the　helm；　the　_Scud_　was　riding；　head　to　sea；　with
the　two　cables　stretched　ahead　in　lines　that　resembled　bars
of　iron。

〃This　is　not　well　done；　Master　Jasper！〃　angrily　ex…
claimed　Cap；　as　soon　as　he　perceived　the　trick　which　had
been　played　him；　〃this　is　not　well　done；　sir。　　I　order　you
to　cut；　and　to　beach　the　cutter　without　a　moment's　delay。〃

No　one；　however；　seemed　disposed　to　comply　with　this
order；　for　so　long　as　Eau…douce　saw　fit　to　command；　his
own　people　were　disposed　to　obey。　　Finding　that　the　men
remained　passive；　Cap；　who　believed　they　were　in　the　ut…
most　peril；　turned　fiercely　to　Jasper；　and　renewed　his　re…
monstrances。

〃You　did　not　head　for　your　pretended　creek；〃　added
he；　after　dealing　in　some　objurgatory　remarks　that　we　do
not　deem　it　necessary　to　record；　〃but　steered　for　that　bluff；
where　every　soul　on　board　would　have　been　drowned；　had
we　gone　ashore。〃

〃And　you　wish　to　cut；　and　put　every　soul　ashore　at　that
very　spot！〃　Jasper　retorted；　a　little　drily。

〃Throw　a　lead…line　overboard；　and　ascertain　the　drift！〃
Cap　now　roared　to　the　people　forward。　　A　sign　from　Jas…
per　sustaining　this　order；　it　was　instantly　obeyed。　　All　on
deck　watched；　with　nearly　breathless　interest；　the　result
of　the　experiment。　　The　lead　was　no　sooner　on　the　bottom；
than　the　line　tended　forward；　and　in　about　two　minutes
it　was　seen　that　the　cutter　had　drifted　her　length　dead　in
towards　the　bluff。　　Jasper　looked　gravely；　for　he　well　knew
nothing　would　hold　the　vessel　did　she　get　within　the　vor…
tex　of　the　breakers；　the　first　line　of　which　was　appearing
and　disappearing　about　a　cable's　length　directly　under　their
stern。

〃Traitor！〃　exclaimed　Cap；　shaking　a　finger　at　the　young
commander；　though　passion　choked　the　rest。　　〃You　must
answer　for　this　with　your　life！〃　he　added　after　a　short
pause。　　〃If　I　were　at　the　head　of　this　expedition；　Sergeant；
I　would　hang　him　at　the　end　of　the　main…boom；　lest　he
escape　drowning。〃

〃Moderate　your　feelings；　brother；　be　more　moderate；　I
bcseech　you；　Jasper　appears　to　have　done　all　for　the　best；
and　matters　may　not　be　so　bad　as　you　believe　them。〃

〃Why　did　he　not　run　for　the　creek　he　mentioned？　　why
has　he　brought　us　here；　dead　to　windward　of　that　bluff；
and　to　a　spot　where　even　the　breakers　are　only　of　half　the
ordinary　width；　as　if　in　a　hurry　to　drown　all　on　board？〃

〃I　headed　for　the　bluff；　for　the　precise　reason　that　the
breakers　are　so　narrow　at　this　spot；〃　answered　Jasper
mildly；　though　his　gorge　had　risen　at　the　language　the
other　held。

〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　an　old　seaman　like　me　that　this
cutter　could　live　in　those　breakers？〃

〃I　do　not；　sir。　　I　think　she　would　fill　and　swamp　if
driven　into　the　first　line　of　them；　I　am　certain　she　would
never　reach　the　shore　on　her　bottom；　if　fairly　entered。　　I
hope　to　keep　her　clear　of　them　altogether。〃

〃With　a　drift　of　her　length　in　a　minute？〃

〃The　backing　of　the　anchors　does　not　yet　fairly　tell；　nor
do　I　even　hope　that　_they_