the pathfinder-第93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！


should　burn　the　blockhouse；　the　preservation　of　which　was
necessary　to　the　success　of　his　future　plans。　　He　would
gladly　have　removed　all　the　arms　also；　but　this　he　found
impracticable；　the　warriors　clinging　to　their　knives　and
tomahawks　with　the　tenacity　of　men　who　regarded　a　point
of　honor　as　long　as　a　faculty　was　left；　and　to　carry　off　the
rifles；　and　leave　behind　him　the　very　weapons　that　were
generally　used　on　such　occasions；　would　have　been　an　idle
expedient。　　The　extinguishing　of　the　fire　proved　to　be　the
most　prudent　measure；　for　no　sooner　was　the　officer's　back
turned　than　one　of　the　warriors　in　fact　proposed　to　fire
the　blockhouse。　　Arrowhead　had　also　withdrawn　from　the
group　of　drunkards　as　soon　as　he　found　that　they　were
losing　their　senses；　and　had　taken　possession　of　a　hut；
where　he　had　thrown　himself　on　the　straw；　and　sought　the
rest　that　two　wakeful　and　watchful　nights　had　rendered
necessary。　　It　followed　that　no　one　was　left　among　the
Indians　to　care　for　Mabel；　if；　indeed；　any　knew　of　her　ex…
istence　at　all；　and　the　proposal　of　the　drunkard　was　re…
ceived　with　yells　of　delight　by　eight　or　ten　more　as　much
intoxicated　and　habitually　as　brutal　as　himself。

This　was　the　fearful　moment　for　Mabel。　　The　Indians；
in　their　present　condition；　were　reckless　of　any　rifles　that
the　blockhouse　might　hold；　though　they　did　retain　dim
recollections　of　its　containing　living　beings；　an　additional
incentive　to　their　enterprise；　and　they　approached　its
base　whooping　and　leaping　like　demons。　　As　yet　they
were　excited；　not　overcome　by　the　liquor　they　had　drunk。
The　first　attempt　was　made　at　the　door；　against　which
they　ran　in　a　body；　but　the　solid　structure；　which　was
built　entirely　of　logs；　defied　their　efforts。　　The　rush　of　a
hundred　men　with　the　same　object　would　have　been　use…
less。　　This　Mabel；　however；　did　not　know；　and　her　heart
seemed　to　leap　into　her　mouth　as　she　heard　the　heavy　shock
at　each　renewed　effort。　　At　length　when；　she　found　that
the　door　resisted　these　assaults　as　if　it　were　of　stone；
neither　trembling　nor　yielding；　and　only　betraying　its　not
being　a　part　of　the　wall　by　rattling　a　little　on　its　heavy
hinges；　her　courage　revived；　and　she　seized　the　first　mo…
ment　of　a　cessation　to　look　down　through　the　loop；　in
order；　if　possible；　to　learn　the　extent　of　her　danger。　　A
silence；　for　which　it　was　not　easy　to　account；　stimulated
her　curiosity；　for　nothing　is　so　alarming　to　those　who　are
conscious　of　the　presence　of　imminent　danger；　as　to　be
unable　to　trace　its　approach。

Mabel　found　that　two　or　three　of　the　Iroquois　had　been
raking　the　embers；　where　they　had　found　a　few　small　coals；
and　with　these　they　were　endeavoring　to　light　a　fire。　　The
interest　with　which　they　labored；　the　hope　of　destroying；
and　the　force　of　habit；　enabled　them　to　act　intelligently
and　in　unison；　so　long　as　their　fell　object　was　kept　in
view。　　A　white　man　would　have　abandoned　the　attempt
to　light　a　fire　in　despair；　with　coals　that　came　out　of　the
ashes　resembling　sparks；　but　these　children　of　the　forest
had　many　expedients　that　were　unknown　to　civilization。
By　the　aid　of　a　few　dry　leaves；　which　they　alone　knew
where　to　seek；　a　blaze　was　finally　kindled；　and　then　the
addition　of　a　few　light　sticks　made　sure　of　the　advantage
that　had　been　obtained。　　When　Mabel　stooped　down　over
the　loop；　the　Indians　were　making　a　pile　of　brush　against
the　door；　and　as　she　remained　gazing　at　their　proceedings；
she　saw　the　twigs　ignite；　the　flame　dart　from　branch　to
branch；　until　the　whole　pile　was　cracking　and　snapping
under　a　bright　blaze。　　The　Indians　now　gave　a　yell　of
triumph；　and　returned　to　their　companions；　well　assured
that　the　work　of　destruction　was　commenced。　　Mabel　re…
mained　looking　down；　scarcely　able　to　tear　herself　away
from　the　spot；　so　intense　and　engrossing　was　the　interest
she　felt　in　the　progress　of　the　fire。　　As　the　pile　kindled
throughout；　however；　the　flames　mounted；　until　they
flashed　so　near　her　eyes　as　to　compel　her　to　retreat。　　Just
as　she　reached　the　opposite　side　of　the　room；　to　which　she
had　retired　in　her　alarm；　a　forked　stream　shot　up　through
the　loophole；　the　lid　of　which　she　had　left　open；　and　illu…
minated　the　rude　apartment；　with　Mabel　and　her　desola…
tion。　　Our　heroine　now　naturally　enough　supposed　that　her
hour　was　come；　for　the　door；　the　only　means　of　retreat；
had　been　blocked　up　by　the　brush　aud　fire；　with　hellish　in…
genuity；　and　she　addressed　herself；　as　she　believed；　for　the
last　time　to　her　Maker　in　prayer。　　Her　eyes　were　closed；
and　for　more　than　a　minute　her　spirit　was　abstracted；　but
the　interests　of　the　world　too　strongly　divided　her　feelings
to　be　altogether　suppressed；　and　when　they　involuntarily
opened　again；　she　perceived　that　the　streak　of　flame　was
no　longer　flaring　in　the　room；　though　the　wood　around
the　little　aperture　had　kindled；　and　the　blaze　was　slowly
mounting　under　the　impulsion　of　a　current　of　air　that
sucked　inward。　　A　barrel　of　water　stood　in　a　corner；　and
Mabel；　acting　more　by　instinct　than　by　reason；　caught　up
a　vessel；　filled　it；　and；　pouring　it　on　the　wood　with　a
trembling　hand；　succeeded　in　extinguishing　the　fire　at　that
particular　spot。　　The　smoke　prevented　her　from　looking
down　again　for　a　couple　of　minutes；　but　when　she　did
her　heart　beat　high　with　delight　and　hope　at　finding　that
the　pile　of　blazing　brush　had　been　overturned　and　scat…
tered；　and　that　water　had　been　thrown　on　the　logs　of　the
door；　which　were　still　smoking　though　no　longer　burn…
ing。

〃Who　is　there？〃　said　Mabel；　with　her　mouth　at　the
loop。　　〃What　friendly　hand　has　a　merciful　Providence
sent　to　my　succor？〃

A　light　footstep　was　audible　below；　and　one　of　those
gentle　pushes　at　the　door　was　heard；　which　just　moved　the
massive　beams　on　the　hinges。

〃Who　wishes　to　enter？　　Is　it　you；　dear；　dear　uncle？〃

〃Saltwater　no　here。　　St。　Lawrence　sweet　water；〃　was
the　answer。　　〃Open　quick；　want　to　come　in。〃

The　step　of　Mabel　was　never　lighter；　or　her　movements
more　quick　and　natural；　than　while　she　was　descending
the　ladder　and　turniug　the　bars；　for　all　her　motions　were
earnest　and　active。　　This　time　she　thought　only　of　her
escape；　and　she　opened　the　door　with　a　rapidity　which　did
not　admit　of　caution。　　Her　first　impulse　was　to　rush　into
the　open　air；　in　the　blind　hope　of　quitting　the　blockhouse；
but　June　repulsed　the　attempt；　and　entering；　she　coolly
barred　the　door　again　before　she　would　notice　Mabel's
eager　efforts　to　embrace　her。

〃Bless　you！　bless　you；　June！〃　cried　our　heroine　most
fervently；　〃you　are　sent　by　Providence　to　be　my　guardian
angel！〃

〃No　hug　so　tight；〃　answered　the　Tuscarora　woman。
〃Paleface　woman　all　cry；　or　all　laugh。　　Let　June　fasten
door。〃

Mabel　became　more　rational；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the
two　were　again　in　the　upper　room；　seated　as　before；　hand　in
hand；　all　feeling　of　distrust　between　them　being　banished。

〃Now　tell　me；　June；〃　Mabel　commenced　as　soon　as　she
had　given　and　received　one　warm　embrace；　〃have　you　seen
or　heard　aught　of　my　poor　uncle？〃

〃Don't　know。　　No　one　see　him；　no　one　hear　him；　no
one　know　anyt'ing。　　Saltwater　run　into　river；　I　t'ink；　for
I　no　find　him。　　Quartermaster　gone　too。　　I　look；　and
look；　and　look；　but　no　see'　em；　one；　t'other；　nowhere。〃

〃Blessed　be　God！　　They　must　have　escaped；　though　the
means　are　not　known　to　us。　　I　thought　I　saw　a　French…
man　on　the　island；　June。〃

〃Yes：　French　captain　come；　but　he　go　away　too。
Plenty　of　Indian　on　island。〃

〃Oh；　June；　June；　are　there　no　means　to　prevent　my　be…
loved　father　from　falling　into　the　hands　of　his　enemies？〃

〃Don't　know；　t'ink　dat　warriors　wait　in　ambush；　and
Yengeese　must　lose　scalp。〃

〃Surely；　surely；　June；　you；　who　have　done　so　much　for
the　daughter；　will　not　refuse　to　help　the　father？〃

〃Don't　know　fader；　don't　love　fader。　　June　help　her
own　people　help　Arrowhead　　husband　love　scalp。〃

〃June；　this　is　not　yourself。　　I　cannot；　will　not　believe
that　you　wish　to　see　our　men　murdered！〃

June　turned　her　dark　eyes　quietly　on　Mabel；　and　for　a
moment　her　look　was　stern；　though　it　was　soon　changed
into　one　of　melancholy　compassion。

〃Lily；　Yengeese　girl？〃　she　said；　as　one　asks　a　question。