"Order up the light companies," he muttered, "and let the grenadiers charge! Do they dare to attack us in our fort? Why does not the artillery open on them?"At that instant the heavy report of a gun burst on the night; and the crashing of rending wood was heard, as a heavy shot tore the logs in the room above, and the whole block shook with the force of a shell that lodged in the work.The Pathfinder narrowly escaped the passage of this formidable missile as it entered; but when it exploded, Mabel could not suppress a shriek, for she supposed all over her head, whether animate or inanimate, destroyed.
To increase her horror, her father shouted in a frantic voice to "charge!""Mabel," said Pathfinder, with his head at the trap, "this is true Mingo work -- more noise than injury.The vagabonds have got the howitzer we took from the French, and have discharged it ag'in the block; but fortunately they have fired off the only shell we had, and there is an ind of its use for the present.There is some confusion among the stores up in this loft, but no one is hurt.Your uncle is still on the roof; and, as for myself, I've run the gauntlet of too many rifles to be skeary about such a thing as a howitzer, and that in Indian hands."Mabel murmured her thanks, and tried to give all her attention to her father, whose efforts to rise were only counteracted by his debility.During the fearful minutes that succeeded, she was so much occupied with the care of the invalid that she scarcely heeded the clamor that reigned around her.Indeed, the uproar was so great, that, had not her thoughts been otherwise employed, con-fusion of faculties rather than alarm would probably have been the consequence.
Cap preserved his coolness admirably.He had a pro-found and increasing respect for the power of the savages, and even for the majesty of fresh water, it is true; but his apprehensions of the former proceeded more from his dread of being scalped and tortured than from any un-manly fear of death; and, as he was now on the deck of a house, if not on the deck of a ship, and knew that there was little danger of boarders, he moved about with a fear-lessness and a rash exposure of his person that Pathfinder, had he been aware of the fact, would have been the first to condemn.Instead of keeping his body covered, agreeably to the usages of Indian warfare, he was seen on every part of the roof, dashing the water right and left, with the ap-parent steadiness and unconcern he would have manifested had he been a sail trimmer exercising his art in a battle afloat.His appearance was one of the causes of the ex-traordinary clamor among the assailants; who, unused to see their enemies so reckless, opened upon him with their tongues, like a pack that has the fox in view.Still he ap-peared to possess a charmed life; for, though the bullets whistled around him on every side, and his clothes were several times torn, nothing cut his skin.When the shell passed through the logs below, the old sailor dropped his bucket, waved his hat, and gave three cheers; in which heroic act he was employed as the dangerous missile ex-ploded.This characteristic feat probably saved his life;for from that instant the Indians ceased to fire at him, and even to shoot their flaming arrows at the block, hav-ing taken up the notion simultaneously, and by common consent, that the "Saltwater" was mad; and it was a singular effect of their magnanimity never to lift a hand against those whom they imagined devoid of reason.
The conduct of Pathfinder was very different.Every-thing he did was regulated by the most exact calculation, the result of long experience and habitual thoughtfulness.
His person was kept carefully out of a line with the loops, and the spot that he selected for his look-out was one quite removed from danger.This celebrated guide had often been known to lead forlorn hopes: he had once stood at the stake, suffering under the cruelties and taunts of savage ingenuity and savage ferocity without quailing; and legends of his exploits, coolness, and daring were to be heard all along that extensive frontier, or wherever men dwelt and men contended.But on this occasion, one who did not know his history and character might have thought his exceeding care and studied attention to self-preservation proceeded from an unworthy motive.But such a judge would not have understood his subject; the Pathfinder bethought him of Mabel, and of what might possibly be the consequences to that poor girl should any casualty befall himself.But the recollection rather quickened his intel-lect than changed his customary prudence.He was, in fact, one of those who was so unaccustomed to fear, that he never bethought him of the constructions others might put upon his conduct.But while in moments of danger he acted with the wisdom of the serpent, it was also with the simplicity of a child.
