第91章

"That will do, that will do.You'll bring about a shift of wind if you go on in this manner.I see very plainly, Sergeant," walking away again, and dropping his voice, "we've nothing to hope for from that chap.I'll stand on two hours longer on this tack, when we'll heave-to and get the soundings, after which we will be governed by circumstances."To this the Sergeant made no objections; and as the wind grew lighter, as usual with the advance of night, and there were no immediate obstacles to the navigation, he made a bed of a sail on deck, and was soon lost in the sound sleep of a soldier.Cap continued to walk the deck, for he was one whose iron frame set fatigue at defiance, and not once that night did he close his eyes.

It was broad daylight when Sergeant Dunham awoke, and the exclamation of surprise that escaped him, as he rose to his feet and began to look about him, was stronger than it was usual for one so drilled to suffer to be heard.

He found the weather entirely changed, the view bounded by driving mist that limited the visible horizon to a circle of about a mile in diameter, the lake raging and covered with foam, and the _Scud_ lying-to.A brief conversation with his brother-in-law let him into the secrets of all these sudden changes.

According to the account of Master Cap, the wind had died away to a calm about midnight, or just as he was thinking of heaving-to, to sound, for islands ahead were beginning to be seen.At one A.M.it began to blow from the north-east, accompanied by a drizzle, and he stood off to the northward and westward, knowing that the coast of New York lay in the opposite direction.At half-past one he stowed the flying-jib, reefed the mainsail, and took the bonnet off the jib.At two he was compelled to get a second reef aft; and by half-past two he had put a bal-ance-reef in the sail, and was lying-to.

"I can't say but the boat behaves well, Sergeant," the old sailor added, "but it blows forty-two pounders.I had no idea there were any such currents of air up here on this bit of fresh water, though I care not the knotting of a yarn for it, as your lake has now somewhat of a natural look; and if this d----d water had a savor of salt about it, one might be comfortable.""How long have you been heading in this direction, brother Cap?" inquired the prudent soldier; "and at what rate may we be going through the water?""Why, two or three hours, mayhap, and she went like a horse for the first pair of them.Oh, we've a fine offing now! for, to own the truth, little relishing the neighbor-hood of them said islands, although they are to windward, I took the helm myself, and run her off free for some league or two.We are well to leeward of them, I'll engage - I say to leeward; for though one might wish to be well to windward of one island, or even half a dozen, when it comes to a thousand, the better way is to give it up at once, and to slide down under their lee as fast as possible.

No, no; there they are up yonder in the dingle; and there they may stay, for anything Charles Cap cares.""As the north shore lies only some five or six leagues from us, brother, and I know there is a large bay in that quarter, might it not be well to consult some of the crew concerning our position, if, indeed, we do not call up Jas-per Eau-douce, and tell him to carry us back to Oswego?

For it is quite impossible we should ever reach the station with this wind directly in our teeth.""There are several serious professional reasons, Sergeant, against all your propositions.In the first place, an ad-mission of ignorance on the part of a commander would destroy discipline.No matter, brother; I understand your shake of the head, but nothing capsizes discipline so much as to confess ignorance.I once knew a master of a vessel who went a week on a wrong course rather than allow he had made a mistake; and it was surprising how much he rose in the opinions of his people, just because they could not understand him.""That may do on salt water, brother Cap, but it will hardly do on fresh.Rather than wreck my command on the Canada shore, I shall feel it a duty to take Jasper out of arrest.""And make a haven in Frontenac.No, Sergeant; the _Scud_ is in good hands, and will now learn something of seamanship.We have a fine offing, and no one but a mad-man would think of going upon a coast in a gale like this.

I shall ware every watch, and then we shall be safe against all dangers but those of the drift, which, in a light low craft like this, without top-hamper, will be next to noth-ing.Leave it all to me, Sergeant, and I pledge you the character of Charles Cap that all will go well."Sergeant Dunham was fain to yield.He had great con-fidence in his connection's professional skill, and hoped that he would take such care of the cutter as would amply justify his opinion of him.On the other hand, as dis-trust, like care, grows by what it feeds on, he entertained so much apprehension of treachery, that he was quite will-ing any one but Jasper should just then have the control of the fate of the whole party.Truth, moreover, compels us to admit another motive.The particular duty on which he was now sent of right should have been confided to a commissioned officer; and Major Duncan had excited a good deal of discontent among the subalterns of the gar-rison, by having confided it to one of the Sergeant's hum-ble station.To return without having even reached the point of destination, therefore, the latter felt would be a failure from which he was not likely soon to recover, and the measure would at once be the means of placing a supe-rior in his shoes.