the pathfinder-第76章

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situation　to　do　them　any　immediate　injury。

Left　to　himself；　Jasper　Western　soon　proved　how　much
was　really　in　him。　　He　weathered　upon　the　islands；　passed
them；　and　on　coming　out　to　the　eastward；　kept　broad
away；　with　nothing　in　sight　in　his　wake　or　to　leeward。
By　sunset　again　the　cutter　was　up　with　the　first　of　the
islands　that　lie　in　the　outlet　of　the　lake；　and　ere　it　was
dark　she　was　running　through　the　narrow　channels　on　her
way　to　the　long…sought　station。　　At　nine　o'clock；　however；
Cap　insisted　that　they　should　anchor；　for　the　maze　of
islands　became　so　complicated　and　obscure；　that　he　feared；
at　every　opening；　the　party　would　find　themselves　under
the　guns　of　a　French　fort。　　Jasper　consented　cheerfully；
it　being　a　part　of　his　standing　instructions　to　approach　the
station　under　such　circumstances　as　would　prevent　the
men　from　obtaining　any　very　accurate　notions　of　its　posi…
tion；　lest　a　deserter　might　betray　the　little　garrison　to　the
enemy。

The　_Scud_　was　brought　to　in　a　small　retired　bay；　where
it　would　have　been　difficult　to　find　her　by　daylight；　and
where　she　was　perfectly　concealed　at　night；　when　all　but　a
solitary　sentinel　on　deck　sought　their　rest。　　Cap　had　been
so　harassed　during　the　previous　eight…and…forty　hours；
that　his　slumbers　were　long　and　deep；　nor　did　he　awake
from　his　first　nap　until　the　day　was　just　beginning　to
dawn。　　His　eyes　were　scarcely　open；　however；　when　his
nautical　instinct　told　him　that　the　cutter　was　under　way。
Springing　up；　he　found　the　_Scud_　threading　the　islands
again；　with　no　one　on　deck　but　Jasper　and　the　pilot；　un…
less　the　sentinel　be　excepted；　who　had　not　in　the　least
interfered　with　movements　that　he　had　every　reason　to
believe　were　as　regular　as　they　were　necessary。

〃How's　this；　Master　Western？〃　demanded　Cap；　with
sufficient　fierceness　for　the　occasion；　〃are　you　running　us
into　Frontenac　at　last；　and　we　all　asleep　below；　like　so
many　mariners　waiting　for　the　'sentry　go'？〃

〃This　is　according　to　orders；　Master　Cap；　Major　Duncan
having　commanded　me　never　to　approach　the　station　un…
less　at　a　moment　when　the　people　were　below；　for　he　does
not　wish　there　should　be　more　pilots　in　those　waters　than
the　king　has　need　of。〃

〃Whe…e…e…w！　a　pretty　job　I　should　have　made　of
running　down　among　these　bushes　and　rocks　with　no　one
on　deck！　　Why；　a　regular　York　branch　could　make　noth…
ing　of　such　a　channel。〃

〃I　always　thought；　sir；〃　said　Jasper；　smiling；　〃you　would
have　done　better　had　you　left　the　cutter　in　my　hands　until
she　had　safely　reached　her　place　of　destination。〃

〃We　should　have　done　it；　Jasper；　we　should　have　done
it；　had　it　not　been　for　a　circumstance；　these　circumstances
are　serious　matters；　and　no　prudent　man　will　overlook
them。〃

〃Well；　sir；　I　hope　there　is　now　an　end　of　them。　　We
shall　arrive　in　less　than　an　hour　if　the　wind　holds；　and
then　you'll　be　safe　from　any　circumstances　that　I　can
contrive。〃

〃Humph！〃

Cap　was　obliged　to　acquiesce；　and；　as　everything　around
him　had　the　appearance　of　Jasper's　being　sincere；　there
was　not　much　difficulty　in　making　up　his　mind　to　submit。
It　would　not　have　been　easy　indeed　for　a　person　the　most
sensitive　on　the　subject　of　circumstances　to　fancy　that　the
_Scud_　was　anywhere　in　the　vicinity　of　a　port　so　long　es…
tablished　and　so　well　known　on　the　frontiers　as　Fronte…
nac。　　The　islands　might　not　have　been　literally　a　thousand
in　number；　but　they　were　so　numerous　and　small　as　to
baffle　calculation；　though　occasionally　one　of　larger　size
than　common　was　passed。　　Jasper　had　quitted　what　might
have　been　termed　the　main　channel；　and　was　winding　his
way；　with　a　good　stiff　breeze　and　a　favorable　current；
through　passes　that　were　sometimes　so　narrow　that　there
appeared　to　be　barely　room　sufficient　for　the　_Scud's_　spars
to　clear　the　trees；　while　at　other　moments　he　shot　across
little　bays；　and　buried　the　cutter　again　amid　rocks；　forests；
and　bushes。　　The　water　was　so　transparent　that　there
was　no　occasion　for　the　lead；　and　being　of　very　equal
depth；　little　risk　was　actually　run；　though　Cap；　with　his
maritime　habits；　was　in　a　constant　fever　lest　they　should
strike。

〃I　give　it　up；　I　give　it　up；　Pathfinder！〃　the　old　seaman
at　length　exclaimed；　when　the　little　vessel　emerged　in
safety　from　the　twentieth　of　these　narrow　inlets　through
which　she　had　been　so　boldly　carried；　〃this　is　defying　the
very　nature　of　seamanship；　and　sending　all　its　laws　and
rules　to　the　d…l！〃

〃Nay；　nay；　Saltwater；　'tis　the　perfection　of　the　art。　　You
perceive　that　Jasper　never　falters；　but；　like　a　hound　with
a　true　nose；　he　runs　with　his　head　high　as　if　he　had　a
strong　scent。　　My　life　on　it；　the　lad　brings　us　out　right　in
the　ind；　as　he　would　have　done　in　the　beginning　had　we
given　him　leave。〃

〃No　pilot；　no　lead；　no　beacons；　buoys；　or　lighthouses；
no　　〃

〃Trail；〃　interrupted　Pathfinder；　〃for　that　to　me　is　the
most　mysterious　part　of　the　business。　　Water　leaves　no
trail；　as　every　one　knows；　and　yet　here　is　Jasper　moving
ahead　as　boldly　as　if　he　had　before　his　eyes　the　prints　of
the　moccassins　on　leaves　as　plainly　as　we　can　see　the　sun
in　the　heaven。〃

〃D…　me；　if　I　believe　there　is　even　any　compass！〃

〃Stand　by　to　haul　down　the　jib；〃　called　out　Jasper；
who　merely　smiled　at　the　remarks　of　his　companion。
〃Haul　down　　starboard　your　helm　　starboard　hard　　so
…　meet　her　　gently　there　with　the　helm　　touch　her　lightly
…　now　jump　ashore　with　the　fast；　lad　　no；　heave；　there
are　some　of　our　people　ready　to　take　it。〃

All　this　passed　so　quickly　as　barely　to　allow　the　spectator
time　to　note　the　different　evolutions；　ere　the　_Scud_　had　been
thrown　into　the　wind　until　her　mainsail　shivered；　next
cast　a　little　by　the　use　of　the　rudder　only；　and　then　she　set
bodily　alongside　of　a　natural　rocky　quay；　where　she　was
immediately　secured　by　good　fasts　run　to　the　shore。　　In
a　word；　the　station　was　reached；　and　the　men　of　the　55th
were　greeted　by　their　expecting　comrades；　with　the　satis…
faction　which　a　relief　usually　brings。

Mabel　sprang　up　on　the　shore　with　a　delight　which　she
did　not　care　to　express；　and　her　father　led　his　men　after
her　with　an　alacrity　which　proved　how　wearied　he　had　be…
come　of　the　cutter。　　The　station；　as　the　place　was　fami…
liarly　termed　by　the　soldiers　of　the　55th；　was　indeed　a　spot
to　raise　expectations　of　enjoyment　among　those　who　had
been　cooped　up　so　long　in　a　vessel　of　the　dimensions　of
the　_Scud_。　　None　of　the　islands　were　high；　though　all　lay
at　a　sufficient　elevation　above　the　water　to　render　them
perfectly　healthy　and　secure。　　Each　had　more　or　less　of
wood；　and　the　greater　number　at　that　distant　day　were
clothed　with　the　virgin　forest。　　The　one　selected　by　the
troops　for　their　purpose　was　small；　containing　about　twenty
acres　of　land；　and　by　some　of　the　accidents　of　the　wilder…
ness　it　had　been　partly　stripped　of　its　trees；　probably　cen…
turies　before　the　period　of　which　we　are　writing；　and　a
little　grassy　glade　covered　nearly　half　its　surface。

The　shores　of　Station　Island　were　completely　fringed
with　bushes；　and　great　care　had　been　taken　to　preserve
them；　as　they　answered　as　a　screen　to　conceal　the　persons
and　things　collected　within　their　circle。　　Favored　by　this
shelter；　as　well　as　by　that　of　several　thickets　of　trees　and
different　copses；　some　six　or　eight　low　huts　bad　been　erected
to　be　used　as　quarters　for　the　officer　and　his　men；　to　con…
tain　stores；　and　to　serve　the　purposes　of　kitchen；　hospital；
etc。　　These　huts　were　built　of　logs　in　the　usual　manner；
had　been　roofed　by　bark　brought　from　a　distance；　lest　the
signs　of　labor　should　attract　attention；　and；　as　they　had
now　been　inhabited　some　months；　were　as　comfortable　as
dwellings　of　that　description　usually　ever　get　to　be。

At　the　eastern　extremity　of　the　island；　however；　was　a
small；　densely…wooded　peninsula；　with　a　thicket　of　under…
brush　so　closely　matted　as　nearly　to　prevent　the　possibility
of　seeing　across　it；　so　long　as　the　leaves　remained　on　the
branches。　　Near　the　narrow　neck　that　connected　this　acre
with　the　rest　of　the　island；　a　small　blockhouse　had　been
erected；　with　some　attention　to　its　means　of　resistance。
The　logs　were　bullet…proof；　squared