The last was the most serious danger; for, though exceedingly weatherly under her canvas, and totally without top-hamper, the Scud was so light, that the combing of the swells would seem at times to wash her down to leeward with a velocity as great as that of the surges themselves.
During this night Cap slept soundly, and for several hours. The day was just dawning when he felt himself shaken by the shoulder; and arousing himself, he found the Pathfinder standing at his side.
During the gale the guide had appeared little on deck, for his natural modesty told him that seamen alone should interfere with the management of the vessel; and he was willing to show the same reliance on those who had charge of the Scud, as he expected those who followed through the forest to manifest in his own skill; but he now thought himself justified in interfering, which he did in his own unsophisticated and peculiar manner.
"Sleep is sweet, Master Cap," said he, as soon as the eyes of the latter were fairly open, and his consciousness had sufficiently returned, -- "sleep is sweet, as I know from experience, but life is sweeter still.
Look about you, and say if this is exactly the moment for a commander to be off his feet."
"How now? how now, Master Pathfinder?" growled Cap, in the first moments of his awakened faculties.
"Are you, too, getting on the side of the grumblers?
When ashore I admired your sagacity in running through the worst shoals without a compass; and since we have been afloat, your meekness and submission have been as pleasant as your confidence on your own ground.
I little expected such a summons from you."
"As for myself, Master Cap, I feel I have my gifts, and I believe they'll interfere with those of no other man; but the case may be different with Mabel Dunham.
She has her gifts, too, it is true; but they are not rude like ours, but gentle and womanish, as they ought to be.
It's on her account that I speak, and not on my own."
"Ay, ay, I begin to understand. The girl is a good girl, my worthy friend; but she is a soldier's daughter and a sailor's niece, and ought not to be too tame or too tender in a gale.
Does she show any fear?"
"Not she! not she!
Mabel is a woman, but she is reasonable and silent.
Not a word have I heard from her concerning our doings; though I do think, Master Cap, she would like it better if Jasper Eau-douce were put into his proper place, and things were restored to their old situation, like.
This is human natur'."
"I'll warrant it -- girl-like, and Dunham-like, too.
Anything is better than an old uncle, and everybody knows more than an old seaman.
This is human natur', Master Pathfinder, and d--- me if I'm the man to sheer a fathom, starboard or port, for all the human natur' that can be found in a minx of twenty -- ay, or" (lowering his voice a little) "for all that can be paraded in his Majesty's 55th regiment of foot.
I've not been at sea forty years, to come up on this bit of fresh water to be taught human natur'.
How this gale holds out!
It blows as hard at this moment as if Boreas had just clapped his hand upon the bellows. And what is all this to leeward?" (rubbing his eyes) -- "land! as sure as my name is Cap -- and high land, too."
The Pathfinder made no immediate answer; but, shaking his head, he watched the expression of his companion's face, with a look of strong anxiety in his own.
"Land, as certain as this is the Scud!" repeated Cap; "a lee shore, and that, too, within a league of us, with as pretty a line of breakers as one could find on the beach of all Long Island!"
"And is that encouraging? or is it disheartening?" inquired the Pathfinder.
"Ha! encouraging -- disheartening! -- why, neither.
No, no, there is nothing encouraging about it; and as for disheartening, nothing ought to dishearten a seaman.
You never get disheartened or afraid in the woods, my friend?"
"I'll not say that, I'll not say that.
When the danger is great, it is my gift to see it, and know it, and to try to avoid it; else would my scalp long since have been drying in a Mingo wigwam.
On this lake, however, I can see no trail, and I feel it my duty to submit; though I think we ought to remember there is such a person as Mabel Dunham on board.
But here comes her father, and he will naturally feel for his own child."
"We are seriously situated, I believe, brother Cap," said the Sergeant, when he had reached the spot, "by what I can gather from the two hands on the forecastle? They tell me the cutter cannot carry any more sail, and her drift is so great we shall go ashore in an hour or two.
I hope their fears have deceived them?"
Cap made no reply; but he gazed at the land with a rueful face, and then looked to windward with an expression of ferocity, as if he would gladly have quarrelled with the weather.
"It may be well, brother," the Sergeant continued, "to send for Jasper and consult him as to what is to be done.
There are no French here to dread; and, under all circumstances, the boy will save us from drowning if possible."
"Ay, ay, 'tis these cursed circumstances that have done all the mischief.
But let the fellow come; let him come; a few well-managed questions will bring the truth out of him, I'll warrant you."
This acquiescence on the part of the dogmatical Cap was no sooner obtained, than Jasper was sent for.
The young man instantly made his appearance, his whole air, countenance, and mien expressive of mortification, humility, and, as his observers fancied, rebuked deception.
When he first stepped on deck, Jasper cast one hurried, anxious glance around, as if curious to know the situation of the cutter; and that glance sufficed, it would seem, to let him into the secret of all her perils.
At first he looked to windward, as is usual with every seaman; then he turned round the horizon, until his eye caught a view of the high lands to leeward, when the whole truth burst upon him at once.
"I've sent for you, Master Jasper," said Cap, folding his arms, and balancing his body with the dignity of the forecastle, "in order to learn something about the haven to leeward.
We take it for granted you do not bear malice so hard as to wish to drown us all, especially the women; and I suppose you will be man enough to help us run the cutter into some safe berth until this bit of a gale has done blowing!"
"I would die myself rather than harm should come to Mabel Dunham," the young man earnestly answered.
"I knew it! I knew it!" cried the Pathfinder, clapping his hand kindly on Jasper's shoulder.
"The lad is as true as the best compass that ever ran a boundary, or brought a man off from a blind trail.