the pathfinder-第97章

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Pathfinder　be　indeed　in　the　blockhouse；　let　him　speak；　and
we　will　hold　our　negotiations　directly　with　him。　　He
knows　us　as　friends；　and　we　fear　no　evil　at　his　hands；　and
least　of　all　to　myself；　for　a　generous　mind　is　apt　to　render
rivalry　in　a　certain　interest　a　sure　ground　of　respect　and
amity；　since　admiration　of　the　same　woman　proves　a　com…
munity　of　feeling　and　tastes。〃

The　reliance　on　Pathfinder's　friendship　did　not　extend
beyond　the　Quartermaster　and　Cap；　however；　for　even　the
French　officer；　who　had　hitherto　stood　his　ground　so　well；
shrank　back　at　the　sound　of　the　terrible　name。　　So　unwil…
ling；　indeed；　did　this　individual；　a　man　of　iron　nerves；　and
one　long　accustomed　to　the　dangers　of　the　peculiar　war…
fare　in　which　he　was　engaged；　appear　to　remain　exposed
to　the　assaults　of　Killdeer；　whose　reputation　throughout
all　that　frontier　was　as　well　established　as　that　of　Marl…
borough　in　Europe；　that　he　did　not　disdain　to　seek　a　cover；
insisting　that　his　two　prisoners　should　follow　him。　　Mabel
was　too　glad　to　be　rid　of　her　enemies　to　lament　the　depar…
ture　of　her　friends；　though　she　kissed　her　hand　to　Cap
through　the　loop；　and　called　out　to　him　in　terms　of　affec…
tion　as　he　moved　slowly　and　unwillingly　away。

The　enemy　now　seemed　disposed　to　abandon　all　attempts
on　the　blockhouse　for　the　present；　and　June；　who　had
ascended　to　a　trap　in　the　roof；　whence　the　best　view　was
to　be　obtained；　reported　that　the　whole　party　had　assem…
bled　to　eat；　on　a　distant　and　sheltered　part　of　the　island；
where　Muir　and　Cap　were　quietly　sharing　in　the　good
things　which　were　going；　as　if　they　had　no　concern　on
their　minds。　　This　information　greatly　relieved　Mabel；
and　she　began　to　turn　her　thoughts　again　to　the　means　of
effecting　her　own　escape；　or　at　least　of　letting　her　father
know　of　the　danger　that　awaited　him。　　The　Sergeant　was
expected　to　return　that　afternoon；　and　she　knew　that　a
moment　gained　or　lost　might　decide　his　fate。

Three　or　four　hours　flew　by。　　The　island　was　again
buried　in　a　profound　quiet；　the　day　was　wearing　away；　and
yet　Mabel　had　decided　on　nothing。　　June　was　in　the　base…
ment；　preparing　their　frugal　meal；　and　Mabel　herself　had
ascended　to　the　roof；　which　was　provided　with　a　trap　that
allowed　her　to　go　out　on　the　top　of　the　building；　whence
she　commanded　the　best　view　of　surrounding　objects　that
the　island　possessed；　still　it　was　limited；　and　much　ob…
structed　by　the　tops　of　trees。　　The　anxious　girl　did　not
dare　to　trust　her　person　in　sight；　knowing　well　that　the
unrestrained　passions　of　some　savage　might　induce　him　to
send　a　bullet　through　her　brain。　　She　merely　kept　her
head　out　of　the　trap；　therefore；　whence；　in　the　course　of
the　afternoon；　she　made　as　many　surveys　of　the　different
channels　about　the　island　as　〃Anne；　sister　Anne；〃　took　of
the　environs　of　the　castle　of　Blue　Beard。

The　sun　had　actually　set；　no　intelligence　had　been　re…
ceived　from　the　boats；　and　Mabel　ascended　to　the　roof　to
take　a　last　look；　hoping　that　the　party　would　arrive　in　the
darkness；　which　would　at　least　prevent　the　Indians　from
rendering　their　ambuscade　so　fatal　as　it　might　otherwise
prove；　and　which　possibly　might　enable　her　to　give　some
more　intelligible　signal；　by　means　of　fire；　than　it　would
otherwise　be　in　her　power　to　do。　　Her　eye　had　turned
carefully　round　the　whole　horizon；　and　she　was　just　on　the
point　of　drawing　in　her　person；　when　an　object　that　struck
her　as　new　caught　her　attention。　　The　islands　lay　grouped
so　closely；　that　six　or　eight　different　channels　or　passages
between　them　were　in　view；　and　in　one　of　the　most　cov…
ered；　concealed　in　a　great　measure　by　the　bushes　of　the
shore；　lay　what　a　second　look　assured　her　was　a　bark
canoe。　　It　contained　a　human　being　beyond　a　question。
Confident　that　if　an　enemy　her　signal　could　do　no　harm；
and；　if　a　friend；　that　it　might　do　good；　the　eager　girl
waved　a　little　flag　towards　the　stranger；　which　she　had
prepared　for　her　father；　taking　care　that　it　should　not　be
seen　from　the　island。

Mabel　had　repeated　her　signal　eight　or　ten　times　in
vain；　and　she　began　to　despair　of　its　being　noticed；　when　a
sign　was　given　in　return　by　the　wave　of　a　paddle；　and　the
man　so　far　discovered　himself　as　to　let　her　see　it　was
Chingachgook。　　Here；　then；　at　last；　was　a　friend；　one；　too；
who　was　able；　and　she　doubted　not　would　be　willing　to　aid
her。　　From　that　instant　her　courage　and　her　spirits　re…
vived。　　The　Mohican　had　seen　her；　must　have　recognized
her；　as　he　knew　that　she　was　of　the　party；　and　no　doubt；
as　soon　as　it　was　sufficiently　dark；　he　would　take　the　steps
necessary　to　release　her。　　That　he　was　aware　of　the　pres…
ence　of　the　enemy　was　apparent　by　the　great　caution　he
observed；　and　she　had　every　reliance　on　his　prudence　and
address。　　The　principal　difficulty　now　existed　with　June；
for　Mabel　had　seen　too　much　of　her　fidelity　to　her　own
people；　relieved　as　it　was　by　sympathy　for　herself；　to　believe
she　would　consent　to　a　hostile　Indian's　entering　the
blockhouse；　or　indeed　to　her　leaving　it；　with　a　view　to
defeat　Arrowhead's　plans。　　The　half…hour　which　succeeded
the　discovery　of　the　presence　of　the　Great　Serpent　was　the
most　painful　of　Mabel　Dunham's　life。　　She　saw　the　means
of　effecting　all　she　wished；　as　it　might　be　within　reach　of
her　hand；　and　yet　it　eluded　her　grasp。　　She　knew　June's
decision　and　coolness；　notwithstanding　all　her　gentleness
and　womanly　feeling；　and　at　last　she　came　reluctantly　to
the　conclusion　that　there　was　no　other　way　of　attaining
her　end　than　by　deceiving　her　tried　companion　and　pro…
tector。　　It　was　revolting　to　one　so　sincere　and　natural；　so
pure　of　heart；　and　so　much　disposed　to　ingenuousness　as
Mabel　Dunham；　to　practise　deception　on　a　friend　like
June；　but　her　own　father's　life　was　at　stake；　her　compan…
ion　would　receive　no　positive　injury；　and　she　had　feelings
and　interests　directly　touching　herself　which　would　have
removed　greater　scruples。

As　soon　as　it　was　dark；　Mabel's　heart　began　to　beat　with
increased　violence；　and　she　adopted　and　changed　her　plan
of　proceeding　at　least　a　dozen　times　in　a　single　hour。
June　was　always　the　source　of　her　greatest　embarrassment；
for　she　did　not　well　see；　first；　how　she　was　to　ascertain
when　Chingachgook　was　at　the　door；　where　she　doubted
not　he　would　soon　appear；　and；　secondly；　how　she　was　to
admit　him；　without　giving　the　alarm　to　her　watchful　com…
panion。　　Time　pressed；　however；　for　the　Mohican　might
come　and　go　away　again；　unless　she　was　ready　to　receive
him。　　It　would　be　too　hazardous　to　the　Delaware　to　re…
main　long　on　the　island；　and　it　became　absolutely　neces…
sary　to　determine　on　some　course；　even　at　the　risk　of
choosing　one　that　was　indiscreet。　　After　running　over
various　projects　in　her　mind；　therefore；　Mabel　came　to　her
companion；　and　said；　with　as　much　calmness　as　she　could
assume；　

〃Are　you　not　afraid；　June；　now　your　people　believe
Pathfinder　is　in　the　blockhouse；　that　they　will　come　and
try　to　set　it　on　fire？〃

〃No　t'ink　such　t'ing。　　No　burn　blockhouse。　　Block…
house　good；　got　no　scalp。〃

〃June；　we　cannot　know。　　They　hid　because　they　be…
lieved　what　I　told　them　of　Pathfinder's　being　with　us。〃

〃Believe　fear。　　Fear　come　quick；　go　quick。　　Fear　make
run　away；　wit　make　come　back。　　Fear　make　warrior　fool；
as　well　as　young　girl。〃

Here　June　laughed；　as　her　sex　is　apt　to　laugh　when　any…
thing　particularly　ludicrous　crosses　their　youthful　fancies。

〃I　feel　uneasy；　June；　and　wish　you　yourself　would　go
up　again　to　the　roof　and　look　out　upon　the　island；　to
make　certain　that　nothing　is　plotting　against　us；　you
know　the　signs　of　what　your　people　intend　to　do　better
than　I。〃

〃June　go；　Lily　wish；　but　very　well　know　that　Indian
sleep；　wait　for　'e　fader。　　Warrior　eat；　drink；　sleep；　all
time；　when　don't　fight　and　go　on　war…trail。　　Den　never
sleep；　eat；　drink　　never　feel。　　Warrior　sleep　now。〃

〃God　send　it　may　be　so！　but　go　up；　dear　June；　and　look
well　about　you。　　Danger　may　come　when　we　least　expect
it。〃

June　arose；　and　prepared　to　ascend　to　the　roof；　but　she
paused；　with　her　foot　on　the　first　round　of　the　ladder。
Mabel's　heart　beat　so　violently　that　she　was　fearful　its
throbs　would