that she had detected some
signs, in walking about the island, that induced her to apprehend that the enemy
had more knowledge of its position, than had been previously believed, and that
they two, at least, would do well to be in readiness to seek a refuge at the
shortest notice. It was not difficult to arouse the apprehension of this person,
who, though a stout-hearted Scotch woman, was ready enough to listen to any
thing that confirmed her dread of Indian cruelties. As soon as Mabel believed
that her companion was sufficiently frightened to render her wary, she threw out
some hints touching the inexpediency of letting the soldiers know the extent of
their own fears. This was done, with a view to prevent discussions and inquiries
that might embarrass our heroine, she determining to render her uncle, the
corporal and his men more cautious by adopting a different course.
Unfortunately, the British army could not have furnished a worse person, for the
particular duty that he was now required to discharge, than Corporal McNab, the
individual who had been left in command, during the absence of Serjeant Dunham.
On the one hand he was resolute, prompt, familiar with all the details of a
soldier's life, and used to war; on the other, he was supercilious as regards
the provincials, opinionated on every subject connected with the narrow limits
of his professional practice, and much disposed to fancy the British empire the
centre of all that is excellent in the world, and Scotland the focus of at least
all moral excellence in that empire. In short, he was an epitome, though on a
scale suited to his rank, of those very qualities, which were so peculiar to the
servants of the crown, that were sent into the colonies, as these servants
estimated themselves in comparison with the natives of the country, or, in other
words he considered the American as an animal inferior to the parent stock, and
viewed all his notions of military service in particular as undigested and
absurd. Braddock, himself, was not less disposed to take advice from a
provincial, than his humble imitator, and he had been known, on more than one
occasion, to demur to the directions and orders of two or three commissioned
officers of the corps, who happened to be born in America, simply for that
reason; taking care, at the same time, with true Scotch wariness, to protect
himself from the pains and penalties of positive disobedience. A more
impracticable subject, therefore, could not well have offered for the purposes
of Mabel, and yet she felt obliged to lose