the pathfinder-第40章

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abandoned　themselves；　without　apprehension；　to　the　busi…
ness　of　the　morning。

The　spot　selected　for　the　sports　was　a　sort　of　esplanade；
a　little　west　of　the　fort；　and　on　the　immediate　bank　of　the
lake。　　It　had　been　cleared　of　its　trees　and　stumps；　that　it
might　answer　the　purpose　of　a　parade…ground；　as　it　pos…
sessed　the　advantages　of　having　its　rear　protected　by　the
water；　and　one　of　its　flanks　by　the　works。　　Men　drilling
on　it　could　be　attacked；　consequently；　on　two　sides　only；
and　as　the　cleared　space　beyond　it；　in　the　direction　of　the
west　and　south；　was　large；　any　assailants　would　be　com…
pelled　to　quit　the　cover　of　the　woods　before　they　could
make　an　approach　sufficiently　near　to　render　them　dan…
gerous。

Although　the　regular　arms　of　the　regiment　were　mus…
kets；　some　fifty　rifles　were　produced　on　the　present　occa…
sion。　　Every　officer　had　one　as　a　part　of　his　private　provi…
sion　for　amusement；　many　belonged　to　the　scouts　and
friendly　Indians；　of　whom　more　or　less　were　always　hang…
ing　about　the　fort；　and　there　was　a　public　provision　of
them　for　the　use　of　those　who　followed　the　game　with　the
express　object　of　obtaining　supplies。　　Among　those　who
carried　the　weapon　were　some　five　or　six；　who　had　reputa…
tion　for　knowing　how　to　use　it　particularly　well　　so　well；
indeed；　as　to　have　given　them　a　celebrity　on　the　frontier；
twice　that　number　who　were　believed　to　be　much　better
than　common；　and　many　who　would　have　been　thought　ex…
pert　in　almost　any　situation　but　the　precise　one　in　which
they　now　happened　to　be　placed。

The　distance　was　a　hundred　yards；　and　the　weapon　was
to　be　used　without　a　rest；　the　target；　a　board；　with　the
customary　circular　lines　in　white　paint；　having　the　bull's…
eye　in　the　centre。　　The　first　trials　in　skill　commenced
with　challenges　among　the　more　ignoble　of　the　competi…
tors　to　display　their　steadiness　and　dexterity　in　idle　com…
petition。　　None　but　the　common　men　engaged　in　this
strife；　which　had　little　to　interest　the　spectators；　among
whom　no　officer　had　yet　appeared。

Most　of　the　soldiers　were　Scotch；　the　regiment　having
been　raised　at　Stirling　and　its　vicinity　not　many　years
before；　though；　as　in　the　case　of　Sergeant　Dunham；　many
Americans　had　joined　it　since　its　arrival　in　the　colonies。
As　a　matter　of　course；　the　provincials　were　generally　the
most　expert　marksmen；　and　after　a　desultory　trial　of　half
an　hour　it　was　necessarily　conceded　that　a　youth　who　had
been　born　in　the　colony　of　New　York；　and　who　coming　of
Dutch　extraction；　was　the　most　expert　of　all　who　had　yet
tried　their　skill。　　It　was　just　as　this　opinion　prevailed
that　the　oldest　captain；　accompanied　by　most　of　the　gen…
tlemen　and　ladies　of　the　fort；　appeared　on　the　parade。　　A
train　of　some　twenty　females　of　humbler　condition　fol…
lowed；　among　whom　was　seen　the　well…turned　form；　in…
telligent；　blooming；　animated　countenance；　and　neat；　be…
coming　attire　of　Mabel　Dunham。

Of　females　who　were　officially　recognized　as　belonging
to　the　class　of　ladies；　there　were　but　three　in　the　fort；　all
of　whom　were　officers'　wives；　Mabel　being　strictly；　as　had
been　stated　by　the　Quartermaster；　the　only　real　candidate
for　matrimony　among　her　sex。

Some　little　preparation　had　been　made　for　the　proper
reception　of　the　females；　who　were　placed　on　a　low　staging
of　planks　near　the　immediate　bank　of　the　lake。　　In　this
vicinity　the　prizes　were　suspended　from　a　post。　　Great
care　was　taken　to　reserve　the　front　seat　of　the　stage　for
the　three　ladies　and　their　children；　while　Mabel　and　those
who　belouged　to　the　non…commissioned　officers　of　the　regi…
ment；　occupied　the　second。　　The　wives　and　daughters　of
the　privates　were　huddled　together　in　the　rear；　some　stand…
ing　and　some　sitting；　as　they　could　find　room。　　Mabel；
who　had　already　been　admitted　to　the　society　of　the
officers'　wives；　on　the　footing　of　a　humble　companion；　was
a　good　deal　noticed　by　the　ladies　in　front；　who　had　a
proper　appreciation　of　modest　self…respect　and　gentle　re…
finement；　though　they　were　all　fully　aware　of　the　value　of
rank；　more　particularly　in　a　garrison。

As　soon　as　this　important　portion　of　the　spectators　had
got　into　their　places；　Lundie　gave　orders　for　the　trial　of　skill
to　proceed　in　the　manner　that　had　been　prescribed　in　his
previous　orders。　　Some　eight　or　ten　of　the　best　marksmen
of　the　garrison　now　took　possession　of　the　stand；　and　began
to　fire　in　succession。　　Among　them　were　officers　and　men
indiscriminately　placed；　nor　were　the　casual　visitors　in　the
fort　excluded　from　the　competition。

As　might　have　been　expected　of　men　whose　amusements
and　comfortable　subsistence　equally　depended　on　skill　in
the　use　of　their　weapons；　it　was　soon　found　that　they　were
all　sufficiently　expert　to　hit　the　bull's…eye；　or　the　white
spot　in　the　centre　of　the　target。　　Others　who　succeeded
them；　it　is　true；　were　less　sure；　their　bullets　striking　in　the
different　circles　that　surrounded　the　centre　of　the　target
without　touching　it。

According　to　the　rules　of　the　day；　none　could　proceed
to　the　second　trial　who　had　failed　in　the　first；　and　the　ad…
jutant　of　the　place；　who　acted　as　master　of　the　ceremonies；
or　marshal　of　the　day；　called　upon　the　successful　adven…
turers　by　name　to　get　ready　for　the　next　effort；　while　he
gave　notice　that　those　who　failed　to　present　themselves　for
the　shot　at　the　bull's…eye　would　necessarily　be　excluded
from　all　the　higher　trials。　　Just　at　this　moment　Lundie；
the　Quartermaster；　and　Jasper　Eau…douce　appeared　in　the
group　at　the　stand；　while　the　Pathfinder　walked　leisurely
on　the　ground　without　his　beloved　rifle；　for　him　a　measure
so　unusual；　as　to　be　understood　by　all　present　as　a　proof
that　he　did　not　consider　himself　a　competitor　for　the
honors　of　the　day。　　All　made　way　for　Major　Duncan；　who；
as　he　approached　the　stand　in　a　good…humored　way；　took
his　station；　levelled　his　rifle　carelessly；　and　fired。　　The
bullet　missed　the　required　mark　by　several　inches。

〃Major　Duncan　is　excluded　from　the　other　trials！〃
proclaimed　the　Adjutant；　in　a　voice　so　stroug　and　confi…
dent　that　all　the　elder　officers　and　the　sergeants　well　un…
derstood　that　this　failure　was　preconcerted；　while　all　the
younger　gentlemen　and　the　privates　felt　new　encourage…
ment　to　proceed　on　account　of　the　evident　impartiality
with　which　the　laws　of　the　sports　were　administered。

〃Now；　Master　Eau…douce；　comes　your　turn；〃　said　Muir；
〃and　if　you　do　not　beat　the　Major；　I　shall　say　that　your
hand　is　better　skilled　with　the　oar　than　with　the　rifle。〃

Jasper's　handsome　face　flushed；　he　stepped　upon　the
stand；　cast　a　hasty　glance　at　Mabel；　whose　pretty　form　he
ascertained　was　bending　eagerly　forward　as　if　to　note　the
result；　dropped　the　barrel　of　his　rifle　with　but　little　ap…
parent　care　into　the　palm　of　his　left　hand；　raised　the　muzzle
for　a　single　instant　with　exceeding　steadiness；　and　fired。
The　bullet　passed　directly　through　the　centre　of　the　bull's…
eye；　much　the　best　shot　of　the　morning；　since　the　others
had　merely　touched　the　paint。

〃Well　performed；　Master　Jasper；〃　said　Muir；　as　soon　as
the　result　was　declared；　〃and　a　shot　that　might　have
done　credit　to　an　older　head　and　a　more　experienced　eye。
I'm　thinking；　notwithstanding；　there　was　some　of　a　young…
ster's　luck　in　it；　for　ye　were　no'　partic'lar　in　the　aim　ye
took。　　Ye　may　be　quick；　Eau…douce；　in　the　movement；
but　yer　not　philosophic　nor　scientific　in　yer　management
of　the　weepon。　　Now；　Sergeant　Dunham；　I'll　thank　you
to　request　the　ladies　to　give　a　closer　attention　than　com…
mon；　for　I'm　about　to　make　that　use　of　the　rifle　which
may　be　called　the　intellectual。　　Jasper　would　have　killed；
I　allow；　but　then　there　would　not　have　been　half　the　sat…
isfaction　in　receiving　such　a　shot　as　in　receiving　one　that
is　discharged　scientifically。〃

All　this　time　the　Quartermaster　was　preparing　himself
for　the　scientific　trial；　but　he　delayed　his　aim　until　he　saw
that　the　eye　of　Mabel；　in　common　with　those　of　her　com…
panions；　was　fastened　on　him　in　curiosity。　　As　the　others
left　him　room；　out　of　respect　to　his　rank；　no　one　stood
near　the　competitor　but　his　commanding　officer；　to　whom
he　now　said　in　his　familiar　manner；　

〃Ye　se