第17章

She witnessed the descent of the falls with a degree of terror which had rendered her mute; but her fright had not been so great as to prevent admiration of the steadi-ness of the youth who directed the movement from blend-ing with the passing terror.In truth, one much less sensitive might have had her feelings awakened by the cool and gallant air with which Eau-douce had accom-plished this clever exploit.He had stood firmly erect, notwithstanding the plunge; and to those on the shore it was evident that, by a timely application of his skill and strength, the canoe had received a sheer which alone car-ried it clear of a rock over which the boiling water was leaping in _jets d'eau_, -- now leaving the brown stone visi-tie, and now covering it with a limpid sheet, as if ma-chinery controlled the play of the element.The tongue cannot always express what the eyes view; but Mabel saw enough, even in that moment of fear, to blend for ever in her mind the pictures presented by the plunging canoe and the unmoved steersman.She admitted that insidious feeling which binds woman so strongly to man, by feeling additional security in finding herself under his care; and, for the first time since leaving Fort Stanwix, she was en-tirely at her ease in the frail bark in which she travelled.

As the other canoe kept quite near her own, however, and the Pathfinder, by floating at her side, was most in view, the conversation was principally maintained with that person; Jasper seldom speaking unless addressed, and constantly exhibiting a weariness in the management of his own boat, which might have been remarked by one accustomed to his ordinarily confident, careless manner.

"We know too well a woman's gifts to think of carrying the Sergeant's daughter over the falls," said Pathfinder, looking at Mabel, while he addressed her uncle; "though I've been acquainted with some of her sex that would think but little of doing the thing.""Mabel is faint-hearted, like her mother," returned Cap; "and you did well, friend, to humor her weakness.

You will remember the child has never been at sea.""No, no, it was easy to discover that; by your own fear-lessness, any one might have seen how little you cared about the matter.I went over once with a raw hand, and he jumped out of the canoe just as it tipped, and you many judge what a time he had of it.""What became of the poor fellow?" asked Cap, scarcely knowing how to take the other's manner, which was so dry, while it was so simple, that a less obtuse subject than the old sailor might well have suspected its sincerity.

"One who has passed the place knows how to feel for him.""He was a _poor_ fellow, as you say; and a poor frontier man too, though he came out to show his skill among us ignoranters.What became of him? Why, he went down the falls topsy-turvey like, as would have happened to a court-house or a fort.""If it should jump out of at canoe," interrupted Jasper, smiling, thought he was evidently more disposed than his friend to let the passage of the falls be forgotten.

"The boy is right," rejoined Pathfinder, laughing in Mabel's face, the canoes being now so near that they almost touched; "he is sartainly right.But you have not told us what you think of the leap we took?""It was perilous and bold," said Mabel; "while looking at it, I could have wished that it had not been attempted, though, now it is over, I can admire its boldness and the steadiness with which it was made.""Now, do not think that we did this thing to set our selves off in female eyes.It may be pleasant to the young to win each other's good opinions by doing things which may seem praiseworthy and bold; but neither Eau-douce nor myself is of that race.My natur' has few turns in it, and is a straight natur'; nor would it be likely to lead me into a vanity of this sort while out on duty.As for Jasper, he would sooner go over the Oswego Falls, without a looker-on, than do it before a hundred pair of eyes.I know the lad well from much consorting, and I am sure he is not boastful or vain-glorious."Mabel rewarded the scout with a smile, which served to keep the canoes together for some time longer; for the sight of youth and beauty was so rare on that remote frontier, that even the rebuked and self-mortified feelings of this wanderer of the forest were sensibly touched by the blooming loveliness of the girl.

"We did it for the best," Pathfinder continued; "'twas all for the best.Had we waited to carry the canoe across the portage, time would have been lost, and nothinig is so precious as time when you are mistrustful of Mingos.""But we have little to fear now.The canoes move swiftly, and two hours, you have said, will carry us down to the fort.""It shall be a cunning Iroquois who hurts a hair of your head, pretty one; for all here are bound to the Sergeant, and most, I think, to yourself, to see you safe from harm.

Ha, Eau-douce! what is that in the river, at the lower turn, yonder, beneath the bushes, -- I mean standing on the rock?""'Tis the Big Serpent, Pathfinder; he is making signs to us in a way I don't understand.""'Tis the Sarpent, as sure as I'm a white man, and he wishes us to drop in nearer to his shore.Mischief is brewing, or one of his deliberation and steadiness would never take this trouble.Courage, all! we are men, and must meet devilry as becomes our color and our callings.

Ah, I never knew good come of boasting! and here, just as I was vaunting of our safety, comes danger to give me the lie."