the pathfinder-第3章

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ing；　Magnet；　for　the　chief　has　sensible　notions　of　things
in　his　own　way。　　How　far；　now；　Arrowhead；　do　you　make
us；　by　your　calculation；　from　the　bit　of　a　pond　that　you
call　the　Great　Lake；　and　towards　which　we　have　been　so
many　days　shaping　our　course？〃

The　Tuscarora　looked　at　the　seaman　with　quiet　superi…
ority　as　he　answered；　〃Ontario；　like　heaven；　one　sun；　and
the　great　traveller　will　know　it。〃

〃Well；　I　have　been　a　great　traveller；　I　cannot　deny；
but　of　all　my　v'y'ges　this　has　been　the　longest；　the　least
profitable；　and　the　farthest　inland。　　If　this　body　of　fresh
water　is　so　nigh；　Arrowhead；　and　so　large；　one　might　think
a　pair　of　good　eyes　would　find　it　out；　for　apparently　every…
thing　within　thirty　miles　is　to　be　seen　from　this　look…
out。〃

〃Look；〃　said　Arrowhead；　stretching　an　arm　before　him
with　quiet　grace；　〃Ontario！〃

〃Uncle；　you　are　accustomed　to　cry　'Land　ho！'　but　not
'Water　ho！'　and　you　do　not　see　it；〃　cried　the　niece；　laugh…
ing；　as　girls　will　laugh　at　their　own　idle　conceits。

〃How　now；　Magnet！　dost　suppose　that　I　shouldn't　know
my　native　element　if　it　were　in　sight？〃

〃But　Ontario　is　not　your　native　element；　dear　uncle；
for　you　come　from　the　salt　water；　while　this　is　fresh。〃

〃That　might　make　some　difference　to　your　young　mar…
iner；　but　none　to　the　old　one。　　I　should　know　water；　child；
were　I　to　see　it　in　China。〃

〃Ontario；〃　repeated　Arrowhead；　with　emphasis；　again
stretching　his　hand　towards　the　north…west。

Cap　looked　at　the　Tuscarora；　for　the　first　time　since
their　acquaintance；　with　something　like　an　air　of　contempt；
though　he　did　not　fail　to　follow　the　direction　of　the　chief's
eye　and　arm；　both　of　which　were　directed　towards　a　vacant
point　in　the　heavens；　a　short　distance　above　the　plain　of
leaves。

〃Ay；　ay；　this　is　much　as　I　expected；　when　I　left　the
coast　in　search　of　a　fresh…water　pond；〃　resumed　Cap；
shrugging　his　shoulders　like　one　whose　mind　was　made　up；
and　who　thought　no　more　need　be　said。　　〃Ontario　may　be
there；　or；　for　that　matter；　it　may　be　in　my　pocket。　　Well；
I　suppose　there　will　be　room　enough；　when　we　reach　it；
to　work　our　canoe。　　But　Arrowhead；　if　there　be　pale…faces
in　our　neighborhood；　I　confess　I　should　like　to　get　within
hail　of　them。〃

The　Tuscarora　now　gave　a　quiet　inclination　of　his　head；
and　the　whole　party　descended　from　the　roots　of　the　up…
torn　tree　in　silence。　　When　they　reached　the　ground；
Arrowhead　intimated　his　intention　to　go　towards　the　fire；
and　ascertain　who　had　lighted　it；　while　he　advised　his
wife　and　the　two　others　to　return　to　a　canoe；　which　they
had　left　in　the　adjacent　stream；　and　await　his　return。

〃Why；　chief；　this　might　do　on　soundings；　and　in　an
offing　where　one　knew　the　channel；〃　returned　old　Cap；
〃but　in　an　unknown　region　like　this　I　think　it　unsafe　to
trust　the　pilot　alone　too　far　from　the　ship：　so；　with　your
leave；　we　will　not　part　company。〃

〃What　my　brother　want？〃　asked　the　Indian　gravely；
though　without　taking　offence　at　a　distrust　that　was　suffi…
ciently　plain。

〃Your　company；　Master　Arrowhead；　and　no　more。　　I　will
go　with　you　and　speak　these　strangers。〃

The　Tuscarora　assented　without　difficulty；　and　again
he　directed　his　patient　and　submissive　little　wife；　who
seldom　turned　her　full　rich　black　eye　on　him　but　to　ex…
press　equally　her　respect；　her　dread；　and　her　love；　to　pro…
ceed　to　the　boat。　　But　here　Magnet　raised　a　difficulty。
Although　spirited；　and　of　unusual　energy　under　circum…
stances　of　trial；　she　was　but　woman；　and　the　idea　of　being
entirely　deserted　by　her　two　male　protectors；　in　the　midst
of　a　wilderness　that　her　senses　had　just　told　her　was　seem…
ingly　illimitable；　became　so　keenly　painful；　that　she　ex…
pressed　a　wish　to　accompany　her　uncle。

〃The　exercise　will　be　a　relief；　dear　sir；　after　sitting　so
long　in　the　canoe；〃　she　added；　as　the　rich　blood　slowly　re…
turned　to　a　cheek　that　had　paled　in　spite　of　her　efforts　to
be　calm；　〃and　there　may　be　females　with　the　strangers。〃

〃Come；　then；　child；　it　is　but　a　cable's　length；　and　we
shall　return　an　hour　before　the　sun　sets。〃

With　this　permission；　the　girl；　whose　real　name　was
Mabel　Dunham；　prepared　to　be　of　the　party；　while　the
Dew…of…June；　as　the　wife　of　Arrowhead　was　called；　pas…
sively　went　her　way　towards　thie　canoe；　too　much　accus…
tomed　to　obedience；　solitude；　and　the　gloom　of　the　forest
to　feel　apprehension。

The　three　who　remained　in　the　wind…row　now　picked
their　way　around　its　tangled　maze；　and　gained　the　margin
of　the　woods。　　A　few　glances　of　the　eye　sufficed　for　Arrow…
head；　but　old　Cap　deliberately　set　the　smoke　by　a　pocket…
compass；　before　he　trusted　himself　within　the　shadows　of
the　trees。

〃This　steering　by　the　nose；　Magnet；　may　do　well　enough
for　an　Indian；　but　your　thoroughbred　knows　the　virtue　of
the　needle；〃　said　the　uncle；　as　he　trudged　at　the　heels　of
the　light…stepping　Tuscarora。　　〃America　would　never　have
been　discovered；　take　my　word　for　it；　if　Columbus　had
been　nothing　but　nostrils。　　Friend　Arrowhead；　didst　ever
see　a　machine　like　this？〃

The　Indian　turned；　cast　at　glance　at　the　compass；　which
Cap　held　in　a　way　to　direct　his　course；　and　gravely　an…
swered；　〃A　pale…face　eye。　　The　Tuscarora　see　in　his　head。
The　Salt…water　（for　so　the　Indian　styled　his　companion）
all　eye　now；　no　tongue。〃

〃He　means；　uncle；　that　we　had　needs　be　silent；　perhaps
he　distrusts　the　persons　we　are　about　to　meet。〃

〃Ay；　'tis　an　Indian's　fashion　of　going　to　quarters。　　You
perceive　he　has　examined　the　priming　of　his　rifle；　and　it
may　be　as　well　if　I　look　to　that　of　my　own　pistols。〃

Without　betraying　alarm　at　these　preparations；　to　which
she　had　become　accustomed　by　her　long　journey　in　the
wilderness；　Mabel　followed　with　a　step　as　elastic　as　that　of
the　Indian；　keeping　close　in　the　rear　of　her　companions。
For　the　first　half　mile　no　other　caution　beyond　a　rigid
silence　was　observed；　but　as　the　party　drew　nearer　to　the
spot　where　the　fire　was　known　to　be；　much　greater　care
became　necessary。

The　forest；　as　usual；　had　little　to　intercept　the　view
below　the　branches　but　the　tall　straight　trunks　of　trees。
Everything　belonging　to　vegetation　had　struggled　towards
the　light；　and　beneath　the　leafy　canopy　one　walked；　as　it
might　be；　through　a　vast　natural　vault；　upheld　by　myriads
of　rustic　columns。　　These　columns　or　trees；　however；　often
served　to　conceal　the　adventurer；　the　hunter；　or　the　foe；
and；　as　Arrowhead　swiftly　approached　the　spot　where　his
practised　and　unerrimig　senses　told　him　the　strangers　ought
to　be；　his　footstep　gradually　became　lighter；　his　eye　more
vigilant；　and　his　person　was　more　carefully　concealed。

〃See；　Saltwater；〃　said　he　exulting；　pointing　through
the　vista　of　trees；　〃pale…face　fire！〃

〃By　the　Lord；　the　fellow　is　right！〃　muttered　Cap；
〃there　they　are；　sure　enough；　and　eating　their　grub　as
quietly　as　if　they　were　in　the　cabin　of　a　three…decker。〃

〃Arrowhead　is　but　half　right！〃　whispered　Mabel；　〃for
there　are　two　Indians　and　only　one　white　man。〃

〃Pale…faces；〃　said　the　Tuscarora；　holding　up　two　fingers；
〃red　man；〃　holding　up　one。

〃Well；〃　rejoined　Cap；　〃it　is　hard　to　say　which　is　right
and　which　is　wrong。　　One　is　entirely　white；　and　a　fine
comely　lad　he　is；　with　an　air　of　respectability　about　him；
one　is　a　red…skin　as　plain　as　paint　and　nature　can　make
him；　but　the　third　chap　is　half…rigged；　being　neither　brig
nor　schooner。〃

〃Pale…faces；〃　repeated　Arrowhead；　again　raising　two
fingers；　〃red　man；〃　showing　but　one。

〃He　must　be　right；　uncle；　for　his　eye　seems　never　to
fail。　　But　it　is　now　urgent　to　know　whether　we　meet　as
friends　or　foes。　　They　may　be　French。〃

〃One　hail　will　soon　satisfy　us　on　that　head；〃　returned
Cap。　　〃Stand　you　behind　the　tree；　Magnet；　lest　the　knaves
take　it　into　their　heads　to　fire　a　broadside　without　a　parley；
and　I　will　soon　learn　what　colors　they　sail　under。〃

The　uncle　had　placed　his　two　hands　to　his　mouth　to
form　a　trumpet；　and　was　about　to　give　the　promised　hail；
when　a　rapid　movement　from　the　hand　of　Arrowhead　de…
feated　the　intention　by　deranging　the　instrument。

〃Red　man；　Mohican；〃　said　the　Tuscarora；　〃good；　pale…
faces；　Yengeese。〃

〃These　are　heavenly　tidings；〃　murmured　Mabe