the pathfinder-第84章

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viceable　in　retarding　the　march　of　the　enemy；　and　these
different　huts；　if　properly　piqueted　and　ditched；　would　be
converted　into　very　eligible　positions　for　that　object。〃

〃Whe…e…e…w…；　Quartermaster！　　And　who　the　d…l
is　to　find　all　the　men　to　carry　out　such　a　plan？〃

〃The　king；　out　of　all　question；　Master　Cap。　　It　is　his
quarrel；　and　it's　just　he　should　bear　the　burthen　o'　it。〃

〃And　we　are　only　six！　　This　is　fine　talking；　with　a
vengeance。　　You　could　be　sent　down　to　the　shore　to　op…
pose　the　landing；　Mabel　might　skirmish　with　her　tongue
at　least；　the　soldier's　wife　might　act　chevaux…de…frise　to
entangle　the　cavalry；　the　corporal　should　command　the
entrenched　camp；　his　three　men　could　occupy　the　five
huts；　and　I　would　take　the　blockhouse。　　Whe…e…e…w！
you　describe　well；　Lieutenant；　and　should　have　been　a
limner　instead　of　a　soldier。〃

〃Na；　I've　been　very　literal　and　upright　in　my　exposition
of　matters。　　That　there　is　no　greater　force　here　to　carry
out　the　plan　is　a　fault　of　his　Majesty's　ministers；　and　none
of　mine。〃

〃But　should　our　enemy　really　appear；〃　asked　Mabel；
with　more　interest　than　she　might　have　shown；　had　she
not　remembered　the　guest　in　the　hut；　〃what　course　ought
we　to　pursue？〃

〃My　advice　would　be　to　attempt　to　achieve　that；　pretty
Mabel；　which　rendered　Xenophon　so　justly　celebrated。〃

〃I　think　you　mean　a　retreat；　though　I　half　guess　at　your
allusion。〃

〃You've　imagined　my　meaning　from　the　possession　of
a　strong　native　sense；　young　lady。　　I　am　aware　that　your
worthy　father　has　pointed　out　to　the　Corporal　certain
modes　and　methods　by　which　he　fancies　this　island　could
be　held；　in　case　the　French　should　discover　its　position；
but　the　excellent　Sergeant；　though　your　father；　and　as　good
a　man　in　his　duties　as　ever　wielded　a　spontoon；　is　not　the
great　Lord　Stair；　or　even　the　Duke　of　Marlborough。　　I'll
not　deny　the　Sergeant's　merits　in　his　particular　sphere；
though　I　cannot　exaggerate　qualities；　however　excellent；
into　those　of　men　who　may　be　in　some　trifling　degree　his
superiors。　　Sergeant　Dunham　has　taken　counsel　of　his
heart；　instead　of　his　head；　in　resolving　to　issue　such　orders；
but；　if　the　fort　fall；　the　blame　will　lie　on　him　that　ordered
it　to　be　occupied；　and　not　on　him　whose　duty　it　was　to
defend　it。　　Whatever　may　be　the　determination　of　the
latter；　should　the　French　and　their　allies　land；　a　good
commander　never　neglects　the　preparations　necessary　to
effect　a　retreat；　and　I　would　advise　Master　Cap；　who　is
the　admiral　of　our　navy；　to　have　a　boat　in　readiness　to
evacuate　the　island；　if　need　comes　to　need。　　The　largest
boat　that　we　have　left　carries　a　very　ample　sail；　and　by
hauling　it　round　here；　and　mooring　it　under　those　bushes；
there　will　be　a　convenient　place　for　a　hurried　embarka…
tion；　and　then　you'll　perceive；　pretty　Mabel；　that　it　is
scarcely　fifty　yards　before　we　shall　be　in　a　channel　between
two　other　islands；　and　hid　from　the　sight　of　those　who
may　happen　to　be　on　this。〃

〃All　that　you　say　is　very　true；　Mr。　Muir；　but　may　not
the　French　come　from　that　quarter　themselves？　　If　it　is
so　good　for　a　retreat；　it　is　equally　good　for　an　advance。〃

〃They'll　no'　have　the　sense　to　do　so　discreet　a　thing；〃
returned　Muir；　looking　furtively　and　a　little　uneasily
around　him；　〃they'll　no'　have　sufficient　discretion。　　Your
French　are　a　head…over…heels　nation；　and　usually　come
forward　in　a　random　way；　so　we　may　look　for　them；　if
they　come　at　all；　on　the　other　side　of　the　island。〃

The　discourse　now　became　exceedingly　desultory；　touch…
ing　principally；　however；　on　the　probabilities　of　an　inva…
sion；　and　the　best　means　of　meeting　it。

To　most　of　this　Mabel　paid　but　little　attention；　though
she　felt　some　surprise　that　Lieutenant　Muir；　an　officer
whose　character　for　courage　stood　well；　should　openly
recommend　an　abandonment　of　what　appeared　to　her　to
be　doubly　a　duty；　her　father's　character　being　connected
with　the　defence　of　the　island。　　Her　mind；　however；　was
so　much　occupied　with　her　guest；　that；　seizing　the　first
favorable　moment；　she　left　the　table；　and　was　soon　in　her
own　hut　again。　　Carefully　fastening　the　door；　and　seeing
that　the　simple　curtain　was　drawn　before　the　single　little
window；　Mabel　next　led　the　Dew…of…June；　or　June；　as　she
was　familiarly　termed　by　those　who　spoke　to　her　in　Eng…
lish；　into　the　outer　room；　making　signs　of　affection　and
confidence。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　you；　June；〃　said　Mabel；　with　one　of
her　sweetest　smiles；　and　in　her　own　winning　voice；　　〃very
glad　to　see　you。　　What　has　brought　you　hither；　and　how
did　you　discover　the　island？〃

〃Speak　slow；〃　said　June；　returning　smile　for　smile；　and
pressing　the　little　hand　she　held　with　one　of　her　own　that
was　scarcely　larger；　though　it　had　been　hardened　by　labor；
〃more　slow　　too　quick。〃

Mabel　repeated　her　questions；　endeavoring　to　repress　the
impetuosity　of　her　feelings；　and　she　succeeded　in　speak…
ing　so　distinctly　as　to　be　understood。

〃June；　friend；〃　returned　the　Indian　woman。

〃I　believe　you；　June　　from　my　soul　I　believe　you；　what
has　this　to　do　with　your　visit？〃

〃Friend　come　to　see　friend；〃　answered　June；　again
smiling　openly　in　the　other's　face。

〃There　is　some　other　reason；　June；　else　would　you　never
run　this　risk；　and　alone。　　You　are　alone；　June？〃

〃June　wid　you；　no　one　else。　　June　come　alone；　paddle
canoe。〃

〃I　hope　so；　I　think　so　　nay；　I　know　so。　　You　would　not
be　treacherous　with　me；　June？〃

〃What　treacherous？〃

〃You　would　not　betray　me；　would　not　give　me　to　the
French；　to　the　Iroquois；　to　Arrowhead？〃

June　shook　her　head　earnestly。

〃You　would　not　sell　my　scalp？〃

Here　June　passed　her　arm　fondly　around　the　slender
waist　of　Mabel　and　pressed　her　to　her　heart　with　a　tender…
ness　and　affection　that　brought　tears　into　the　eyes　of　our
heroine。　　It　was　done　in　the　fond　caressing　manner　of　a
woman；　and　it　was　scarcely　possible　that　it　should　not　ob…
tain　credit　for　sincerity　with　a　young　and　ingenuous　per…
son　of　the　same　sex。　　Mabel　returned　the　pressure；　and
then　held　the　other　off　at　the　length　of　her　arm；　looked
her　steadily　in　the　face；　and　continued　her　inquiries。

〃If　June　has　something　to　tell　her　friend；　let　her　speak
plainly；〃　she　said。　　〃My　ears　are　open。〃

〃June　'fraid　Arrowhead　kill　her。〃

〃But　Arrowhead　will　never　know　it。〃　　Mabel's　blood
mounted　to　her　temples　as　she　said　this；　for　she　felt　that
she　was　urging　a　wife　to　be　treacherous　to　her　husband。
〃That　is；　Mabel　will　not　tell　him。〃

〃He　bury　tomahawk　in　June's　head。〃

〃That　must　never　be；　dear　June；　I　would　rather　you
should　say　no　more　than　run　this　risk。〃

〃Blockhouse　good　place　to　sleep；　good　place　to　stay。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　I　may　save　my　life　by　keeping　in　the
blockhouse；　June？　　Surely；　surely；　Arrowhead　will　not
hurt　you　for　telling　me　that。　　He　cannot　wish　me　any
great　harm；　for　I　never　injured　him。〃

〃Arrowhead　wish　no　harm　to　handsome　pale…face；〃　re…
turned　June；　averting　her　face；　and；　though　she　always
spoke　ih　the　soft；　gentle　voice　of　an　Indian　girl；　now　per…
mitting　its　notes　to　fall　so　low　as　to　cause　them　to　sound
melancholy　and　timid。　　〃Arrowhead　love　pale…face　girl。〃

Mabel　blushed；　she　knew　not　why；　and　for　a　moment
her　questions　were　repressed　by　a　feeling　of　inherent　deli…
cacy。　　But　it　was　necessary　to　know　more；　for　her　appre…
hensions　had　been　keenly　awakened；　and　she　resumed　her
inquiries。

〃Arrowhead　can　have　no　reason　to　love　or　to　hate　_me_；〃
she　said。　　〃Is　he　near　you？〃

〃Husband　always　near　wife；　here；〃　said　June；　laying　her
hand　on　her　heart。

〃Excellent　creature！　　But　tell　me；　June；　ought　I　to
keep　in　the　blockhouse　to…day　　this　morning　　now？〃

〃Blockhouse　very　good；　good　for　women。　　Blockhouse
got　no　scalp。〃

〃I　fear　I　understand　you　only　too　well；　June。　　Do　you
wish　to　see　my　father？〃

〃No　here；　gone　away。〃

〃You　cannot　know　that；　June；　you　see　the　island　is　full
of　his　soldiers。〃

〃No　full；　gone　away；〃　　here　June　held　up　four　of　her
fingers；　　〃so　many　red…coats。〃

〃And　Pathfinder？　would　you　not　like　to　see　the　Path…
finder？　　He　can　talk　to　you　in　the　Iroquois　tongue。〃

〃Tongue　gone　wid　him；〃　said　June；　laughing；　〃keep
tongue　in　his　mout'。〃

There　wa