The Lost Hunter Part 18

"I know of nothing you cannot do," said her brother.

"Come here, Andrew," cried Pownal, to a boy standing opposite in the circle, and holding a pair of skates in his hand. "Come here and lend me your skates. Here, Miss Bernard," said he, presenting them to her, "here is a fine pair. Allow me to buckle them on. And then like a winged Mercury to fly."

"Please to compare me to no heathen G.o.ds, Mr. Pownal, or you may make these old Puritans burn me for a witch. Let me see if they fit. No, they are too large, I could never do myself justice on them. Here, my little fellow is a ninepence for you; away with you."

The boy took the little piece of silver with a grin, tied the rejected skates upon his feet, and was soon lost among his companions.

"I say," said an urchin, who was looking on with admiring eyes, "I say, Bill, that beats all natur. Did you ever see such shindys?"

"They ain't so bad," returned Bill; "but I guess I can do some of 'em myself."

"Which ones?" inquired the other.

"Why," answered Bill, "when he throws himself right about face, and then goes sculling backwards."

"I'll bet you can't do it the first time."

"What will you bet?" cried Bill.

"I don't care; say a stick o' candy."

"Agreed!" cried Bill. "You see I've done it afore."

"You ought to told us that," said his companion.

"A bet's a bet," said Bill. "You don't want to back out, do ye?"

"Go ahead," cried the other, with some spirit. "I'll risk it. Let's see what you can do."

Thus exhorted and defied, Bill commenced preparations. He first stooped down on one knee and then on the other, and tightened the straps of the skates; next he took a handkerchief from his pocket, and fastened it tightly around his waist, and lastly, moved slowly about as if to determine whether all things were as they should be.

The spectators who had overheard the conversation between the boys, and were ready for any kind of fun, now began to express interest in the trial, and various were the words of encouragement addressed to Bill, as well as the mutterings of doubt over the result. The skater who, until now, had attracted the most attention, ceased his diagrams and approached Bill, in order to give him instructions, notwithstanding the remonstrances of his companion, who loudly vociferated it wasn't fair.

"Hold your yaup," cried another boy, standing by; "if you don't like your bet, Hen Billings, I'll take it off your hands."

But little Billings seemed to think he had made a good bet, and although loth to concede to Bill any advantage that did not of strict right belong to him, was far from being disposed to relinquish it. "Go your length, Bill," he said, "I ain't afeard of the expense."

The s.p.a.ce being now cleared, Bill began to circle round preparatory to the trial. It was evident he was not very skillful, and the opinion of the bystanders, who amused themselves with criticising his preliminary performances, was about equally divided respecting his ability to perform the undertaking. After a few turns Bill cried out:

"Now, Hen, look out." With that he darted forward, until he supposed he had attained the required momentum, when suddenly making a twisting motion with his feet, he threw himself round. But unfortunately he had made some miscalculation or slip, for instead of alighting square upon the skates, his heels flew up, and with a tremendous thump, down came poor Bill upon his back.

"Hurrah!" cried Hen Billings; "there you go, candy and all. I hope you ain't hurt you," he said, good naturedly. "I'd rather lose my bet than have you hurt."

"No," whined Bill, squirming round his body, and rubbing the back of his head, "not much. What are you grinning at, you monkey? Did you never see a man fall before?" cried he, shaking his fist at another boy, whose face it seems did not wear an expression of condolence to suit him. "I vow if I don't try that again," he added, after having recovered a little from the effects of his fall.

Thereupon s.p.a.ce being again allowed, Bill, with genuine pluck, tried the experiment once more, and this time with better fortune.

His success was greeted with shouts of congratulation, and with expressions of "true grit," "stuffy little fellow," &c., and he presently disappeared with his friend, Hen, in search of the candy-merchant.

Faith and Anne, with the two young men, had witnessed the whole scene with some interest, and the different manner in which the girls were affected was characteristic. Faith betrayed a lively sensibility when the boy fell, and was hardly restrained from condoling with him; while Anne took but little notice of it, but exhibited exquisite delight at his courage and final success. But something else now attracted their attention. A shout was raised, and exclamations were heard of "There comes the ice-boat; there comes Grant's ice-boat."

Turning round, they beheld what had the appearance of a boat under sail, flying round the promontory of Okommakemisit. A slight breeze was drawing up the stream, and before its favoring breath, the little vessel, or whatever else it might be called, advanced with great rapidity. In a few moments it had reached them, and with a sharp grating sound as of iron cutting into ice, came suddenly to a stop, and the persons gathering round had an opportunity to examine it. It was the work of a village genius, and consisted of some boards, cut in an elliptical form (as, perhaps, the most convenient), supported by two pieces of iron, parallel to each other, to which the boards were fastened, and running the whole length from bow to stern. In the forward part was rigged a mast, to which was attached a sail, like the mainsail of a sloop, and the whole was controlled by a piece of sharp iron, fixed on the stern in such a manner as to turn like a rudder, and to cut with any required degree of pressure, by means of a lever, into the ice. With this simple regulator it was made perfectly safe, being stopped as readily, and on the same principle, as a skater arrests his course.

Grant, to whom Pownal and Bernard were both known, invited the little party to take a sail with him, a.s.suring them there was no danger. The invitation was at once accepted by Miss Bernard, though the more timid Faith hesitated, and the four took their seats. The group of persons, as before observed, were at the head of the Severn, and the wind was drawing up the river, it was, therefore, necessary, to beat against the wind at starting. To the surprise, in particular of the ladies, this was done with the most perfect ease, the vessel, on her sharp runners, making but little lee-way, and obeying her helm more readily than any boat in water. Indeed, obedience was instantaneous. She whirled round as quickly as one could turn one's hand, requiring promptness and presence of mind in the steersman. Thus, like a bird, with smooth and equable motion, she flew with her delighted pa.s.sengers, in many a zig-zag, down the Severn, until they had gone as far as desired, when round she spun, and before the breeze, houses, and men, and trees, gliding by as in a race, dashed up to the starting point.

Upon leaving the ice-boat, the eyes of Pownal discovered the tall form of Holden, in the midst of a group of persons whom he appeared to be addressing; and upon his mentioning the circ.u.mstance to the others, it was proposed to join him. Accordingly, they added themselves to his audience. Several large baskets were lying near him on the ice, and so engaged was he in his subject that he took no notice of the approach of his four young friends. The address was not without a burst or two of eloquence, springing out of the intense conviction of the speaker, and was listened to respectfully enough. Not that a convert was made; not that there was a person present who did not regard his notions as the hallucinations of a disturbed intellect, but a part of the bystanders esteemed and respected him as a man of n.o.ble and generous disposition, lavish of his small means towards those whom he considered poorer than himself, and never faltering in any act of kindness on account of hardship or privation; while the rest, as already intimated, felt a sort of awe in his presence from the mystery that surrounded him. Among the spectators was our old friend, Tom Gladding, leisurely engaged in whittling out a chain from a pine block, some twelve inches in length, from which he had succeeded in obtaining three or four links that dangled at its end, and listening with a comical expression, as if he were antic.i.p.ating some fun.

The Enthusiast had hardly concluded his exhortation before Ba.s.set, who stood on the outside of the ring during its delivery, stepped forward, and placing his hand on Holden's shoulder, informed him he was his prisoner. Holden made no resistance, but drawing himself up to his full height, and fastening his eyes sternly on the constable, he demanded:

"What art thou?"

"My name is Barnabas Ba.s.set," answered the constable, a little embarra.s.sed.

"I care not for thy name," said Holden, "but by what authority darest thou to lay thy hand on a free man?"

"By authority of the State of Connecticut," replied the constable, recovering from his momentary confusion, and feeling quite safe in the crowd. "It's true, I hain't got my staff, but everybody's bound, according to law, to know the constable."

"And, therefore, is an innocent man to be treated as a malefactor?"

"I don't know about the innocence," said Ba.s.set, "and it's none of my business. You must talk to the justice about that. All I've got to do is to execute my warrant according to law."

"It is written, resist not evil," said Holden, musingly. "Behold, I am in thy hands; do with me what thou willest."

But some of the spectators appeared indisposed to be so pa.s.sive.

Pownal and Bernard walked up to the constable, and demanded to know the meaning of the outrage.

"You may just call it what you please, Mr. Pownal," answered Ba.s.set, indignant at being interfered with, as he called it, in the discharge of his duty, "and I advise you not to git your fingers catched in the law; but if you must know, the justice, I guess, will tell you."

"Keep your advice until it is asked for," said Pownal; "but before what justice are you taking him?"

"If you come with us, you'll find out," answered Ba.s.set, whose ill nature seemed to increase.

"That I certainly will. I must leave you," said Pownal, turning to the ladies, "to see that this brutal fellow behaves himself."

"Do," cried Faith; "do not let them insult him."

"Let us go with him," said the impulsive Anne.

"You would make a fine appearance in a justice court," said her brother "No, I will see you home, and afterwards join Pownal."

But an occurrence now happened which made any such arrangement unnecessary. Tom Gladding, who all this while had been quietly whittling out his chain and listening to the conversation, here interposed:

"Ba.s.set," he said, "you hain't showed your warrant."

"It's all safe enough," cried the constable, striking his hand on his pocket.

"Well, if that's the case you're safe enough, too," said Tom, as if not disposed to press an inquiry.

But the hint had answered its purpose, and several voices demanded the exhibition of the warrant, to which the constable replied, that it was none of their business; he knew what he was about.