Chapter 13 - Page 2

Quartermaster, the Sergeant, Cap, and Jasper;
the Pathfinder roaming through any part of the cutter he pleased,
the female apartment excepted. The corporals and common soldiers
occupied the space beneath the main hatch, which had a deck
for such a purpose, while the crew were berthed, as usual, in the
forecastle. Although the cutter did not measure quite fifty tons,
the draft of officers and men was so light, that there was ample
room for all on board, there being space enough to accommodate
treble the number, if necessary.

As soon as Mabel had taken possession of her own really comfortable
cabin, in doing which she could not abstain from indulging in the
pleasant reflection that some of Jasper's favor had been especially
manifested in her behalf, she went on deck again. Here all was
momentarily in motion; the men were roving to and fro, in quest
of their knapsacks and other effects; but method and habit soon
reduced things to order, when the stillness on board became even
imposing, for it was connected with the idea of future adventure
and ominous preparation.

Darkness was now beginning to render objects on shore indistinct,
the whole of the land forming one shapeless black outline of even
forest summits, to be distinguished from the impending heavens only
by the greater light of the sky. The stars, however, soon began to
appear in the latter, one after another, in their usual mild, placid
lustre, bringing with them that sense of quiet which ordinarily
accompanies night. There was something soothing, as well as exciting,
in such a scene; and Mabel, who was seated on the quarter-deck,
sensibly felt both influences. The Pathfinder was standing near
her, leaning, as usual, on his long rifle, and she fancied that,
through the growing darkness of the hour, she could trace even
stronger lines of thought than usual in his rugged countenance.

"To you, Pathfinder, expeditions like this can be no great novelty,"
said she; "though I am surprised to find how silent and thoughtful
the men appear to be."

"We learn this by making war ag'in Indians. Your militia are great
talkers and little doers in general; but the soldier who has often
met the Mingos learns to know the value of a prudent tongue. A
silent army, in the woods, is doubly strong; and a noisy one,
doubly weak. If tongues made soldiers, the, women of a camp would
generally carry the day."

"But we are neither an army, nor in the woods. There can be no
danger of Mingos in the _Scud_."

"No one is safe from a Mingo, who does not understand his very
natur'; and even then he must act up to his own knowledge, and that
closely. Ask Jasper how he got command of this very cutter."