第 95 节
作者:泰达魔王      更新:2021-02-24 23:21      字数:9322
  make a manful warfare: you; as a seaman; to keep up the
  intercourse with the cutter; Jasper; as a laker who knows
  all that is necessary to be done on the water; and I; with
  gifts that are as good as any among the Mingos; let me be
  what I may in other particulars。  I say we ought to make
  a manful fight in Mabel's behalf。〃
  〃That we ought; and that we will;〃 answered Cap hear…
  tily; for he began to have more confidence in the security
  of his scalp now that he saw the sun again。  〃I set down
  the arival of the _Scud_ as one circumstance; and the chances
  of Oh…deuce's honesty as another。  This Jasper is a young
  man of prudence; you find; for he keeps a good offing; and
  seems determined to know how matters stand on the island
  before he ventures to bring up。〃
  〃I have it!  I have it!〃 exclaimed Pathfinder; with ex…
  ultation。  〃There lies the canoe of the Sarpent on the cut…
  ter's deck; and the chief has got on board; and no doubt
  has given a true account of our condition; for; unlike a
  Mingo; a Delaware is sartain to get a story right; or to
  hold his tongue。〃
  〃That canoe may not belong to the cutter;〃 said the
  captious seaman。  〃Oh…deuce had one on board when he
  sailed。〃
  〃Very true; friend Cap; but if you know your sails and
  masts by your gores and fishes; I know my canoes and my
  paths by frontier knowledge。  If you can see new cloth in
  a sail; I can see new bark in a canoe。  That is the boat of
  the Sarpent; and the noble fellow has struck off for the
  garrison as soon as he found the block beseiged; has fallen
  in with the _Scud_; and; after telling his story; has brought
  the cutter down here to see what can be done。  The Lord
  grant that Jasper Western be still on board her!〃
  〃Yes; yes; it might not be amiss; for; traitor or loyal;
  the lad has a handy way with him in a gale; it must be
  owned。〃
  〃And in coming over waterfalls!〃 said Pathfinder; nudg…
  ing the ribs of his companion with an elbow; and laughing
  in his silent but hearty manner。  〃We will give the boy
  his due; though he scalps us all with his own hand。〃
  The _Scud_ was now so near; that Cap made no reply。
  The scene; just at that instant; was so peculiar; that it
  merits a particular description; which may also aid the
  reader in forming a more accurate nature of the picture
  we wish to draw。
  The gale was still blowing violently。  Many of the smaller
  trees bowed their tops; as if ready to descend to the earth;
  while the rushing of the wind through the branches of the
  groves resembled the roar of distant chariots。
  The air was filled with leaves; which; at that late season;
  were readily driven from their stems; and flew from island
  to island like flights of birds。  With this exception; the spot
  seemed silent as the grave。  That the savages still remained;
  was to be inferred from the fact that their canoes; together
  with the boats of the 55th; lay in a group in the little cove
  that had been selected as a harbor。  Otherwise; not a sign
  of their presence was to be detected。  Though taken en…
  tirely by surprise by the cutter; the sudden return of which
  was altogether unlooked…for; so uniform aud inbred were
  their habits of caution while on the war…path; that the in…
  stant an alarm was given every man had taken to his cover
  with the instinct and cunning of a fox seeking his hole。
  The same stillness reigned in the blockhouse; for though
  Pathfinder and Cap could command a view of the chan…
  nel; they took the precaution necessary to lie concealed。
  The unusual absence of anything like animal life on board
  the _Scud_; too; was still more remarkable。  As the Indians
  witnessed her apparently undirected movements; a feeling
  of awe gained a footing among them; and some of the bold…
  est of their party began to distrust the issue of an expedi…
  tion that had commenced so prosperotisly。  Even Arrow…
  head; accustomed as he was to intercourse with the whites
  on both sides of the lakes; fancied there was something
  ominous in the appearance of this unmanned vessel; and
  he would gladly at that moment have been landed again
  on the main。
  In the meantime the progress of the cutter was steady
  and rapid。  She held her way mid…channel; now inclining
  to the gusts; and now rising again; like the philosopher
  that bends to the calamities of life to resume his erect at…
  titude as they pass away; but always piling the water be…
  neath her bows in foam。  Although she was under so very
  short canvas; her velocity was great; and there could not
  have elapsed ten minutes between the time when her sails
  were first seen glancing past the trees and bushes in the
  distance and the moment when she was abreast of the
  blockhouse。  Cap and Pathfinder leaned forward; as the cut…
  ter came beneath their eyrie; eager to get a better view of
  her deck; when; to the delight of both; Jasper Eau…douce
  sprang upon his feet and gave three hearty cheers。  Re…
  gardless of all risk; Cap leaped upon the rampart of logs
  and returned the greeting; cheer for cheer。  Happily; the
  policy of the enemy saved the latter; for they still lay
  quiet; not a rifle being discharged。  On the other hand;
  Pathfinder kept in view the useful; utterly disregarding
  the mere dramatic part of warfare。  The moment he be…
  held his friend Jasper; he called out to him with stentorian
  lungs;
  〃Stand by us; lad; and the day's our own!  Give 'em a
  grist in yonder bushes; and you'll put 'em up like part…
  ridges。〃
  Part of this reached Jasper's ears; but most was borne
  off to leeward on the wings of the wind。  By the time
  this was said; the _Scud_ had driven past; and in the next
  moment she was hid from view by the grove in which the
  blockhouse was partially concealed。
  Two anxious minutes succeeded; but; at the expiration
  of that brief space; the sails were again gleaming through
  the trees; Jasper having wore; jibed; and hauled up under
  the lee of the island on the other tack。  The wind was
  free enough; as has been already explained; to admit of
  this manoeuvre; and the cutter; catching the current under
  her lee bow; was breasted up to her course in a way that
  showed she would come out to windward of the island
  again without any difficulty。  This whole evolution was
  made with the greatest facility; not a sheet being touched;
  the sails trimming themselves; the rudder alone controlling
  the admirable machine。  The object appeared to be a re…
  connoissance。  When; however; the _Scud_ had made the cir…
  cuit of the entire island; and had again got her weatherly
  position in the channel by which she had first approached;
  her helm was put down; and she tacked。  The noise of the
  mainsail flapping when it filled; lose…reefed as it was;
  sounded like the report of a gun; and Cap trembled lest
  the seams should open。
  〃His Majesty gives good canvas; it must be owned;〃
  muttered the old seaman; 〃and it must be owned; too;
  that boy handles his boat as if he were thoroughly bred!
  D… me; Master Pathfinder; if I believe; after all that has
  been reported in the matter; that this Mister Oh…deuce got
  his trade on this bit of fresh water。〃
  〃He did; yes; he did。  He never saw the ocean; and has
  come by his calling altogether up here on Ontario。  I have
  often thought he has a nat'ral gift in the way of schooners
  and sloops; and have respected him accordingly。  As for
  treason and lying and black…hearted vices; friend Cap;
  Jasper Western is as free as the most virtuousest of the
  Delaware warriors; and if you crave to see a truly honest
  man; you must go among that tribe to discover him。〃
  〃There he comes round!〃 exclaimed the delighted Cap;
  the _Scud_ at this moment filling on her original tack; 〃and
  now we shall see what the boy would be at; he cannot mean
  to keep running up and down these passages; like a girl
  footing it through a country…dance。〃
  The _Scud_ now kept so much away; that for a moment
  the two observers on the blockhouse feared Jasper meant
  to come…to; and the savages; in their lairs; gleamed out
  upon her with the sort of exultation that the crouching
  tiger may be supposed to feel as he sees his unconscious
  victim approach his bed。  But Jasper had no such inten…
  tion: familiar with the shore; and acquainted with the
  depth of water on every part of the island; he well knew
  that the _Scud_ might be run against the bank with impu…
  nity; and he ventured fearlessly so near; that; as he passed
  through the little cove; he swept the two boats of the sol…
  diers from their fastenings and forced them out into the
  channel; towing them with the cutter。  As all the canoes
  were fastened to the two Dunham boats; by this bold and
  successful attempt the savages were at once deprived of
  the means of quitting the island; unless by swimming; and
  they appeared to be instantly aware of the very important
  fact。  Rising in a body; they filled the air with yells; and
  poured in a harmless fire。  While up in this unguarded
  manner; two rifles were discharged by their adversaries。
  One came from the summit of the block; and an Iroquois
  fell dead in his tracks; shot through the brain。  The other
  came from the _Scud_。  The last was the piece of the Dela…
  ware; but; less true than that of his friend; it only maimed
  an enemy for life。  The people of t