with great care to avoid making any noise。 The conversa…
tion gradually ceased； and as the dreaded rift was ap…
proached； all became impressed with the gravity of the
moment。 That their enemies would endeavor to reach
this point before them was almost certain； and it seemed
so little probable any one should attempt to pass it； in the
profound obscurity which reigned； that Pathfinder was
confident parties were on both sides of the river； in the
hope of intercepting them when they might land。 He
would not have made the proposal he did had he not felr
sure of his own ability to convert this very anticipation of
success into a means of defeating the plans of the Iroquois。
As the arrangement now stood； however； everything de…
pended on the skill of those who guided the canoes； for
should either hit a rock； if not split asunder； it would
almost certainly be upset； and then would come not only
all the hazards of the river itself； but； for Mabel； the cer…
tainty of falling into the hands of her persuers。 The
utmost circumspection consequently became necessary；
and each one was too much engrossed with his own
thoughts to feel a disposition to utter more than was called
for by the exigencies of the case。
At the canoes stole silently along； the roar of the rift
became audible； and it required all the fortitude of Cap to
keep his seat； while these boding sounds were approached；
amid a darkness which scarcely permitted a view of the
outlines of the wooded shore and of the gloomy vault
above his head。 He retained a vivid impression of the
falls； and his imagination was not now idle in swelling the
dangers of the rift to a level with those of the headlong
descent he had that day made； and even to increase them；
under the influence of doubt and uncertainty。 In this；
however； the old mariner was mistaken； for the Oswego
Rift and the Oswego Falls are very different in their char…
acters and violence； the former being no more than a
rapid； that glances among shallows and rocks； while the
latter really deserved the name it bore； as has been already
shown。
Mabel certainly felt distrust and apprehension； but her
entire situation was so novel； and her reliance on her guide
so great； that she retained a self…command which might
not have existed had she clearer perceptions of the truth；
or been better acquainted with the helplessness of men
when placed in opposition to the power and majesty of
Nature。
〃Is that the spot you have mentioned？〃 she said to
Jasper； when the roar of the rift first came distinctly on
her ears。
〃It is； and I beg you to have confidence in me。 We are
not old acquaintances； Mabel； but we live many days in
one； in this wilderness。 I think； already； that I have
known you years！〃
〃And I do not feel as if you were a stranger to me；
Jasper。 I have every reliance on your skill； as well as on
your disposition to serve me。〃
〃We shall see； we shall see。 Pathfinder is striking the
rapids too near the centre of the river； the bed of the water
is closer to the eastern shore； but I cannot make him hear
me now。 Hold firmly to the canoe； Mabel； and fear
nothing。〃
At the next moment the swift current had sucked them
into the rift； and for three or four minutes the awe…struck；
rather than the alarmed； girl saw nothing around her but
sheets of glancing foam； heard nothing but the roar of
waters。 Twenty times did the canoe appear about to dash
against some curling and bright wave that showed itself
even amid that obscurity； and as often did it glide away
again unharmed； impelled by the vigorous arm of him
who governed its movements。 Once； and once only； did
Jasper seem to lose command of his frail bark； during
which brief space it fairly whirled entirely round； but by
a desperate effort he brought it again under control； re…
covered the lost channel； and was soon rewarded for all
his anxiety by finding himself floating quietly in the deep
water below the rapids； secure from every danger； and
without having taken in enough of the element to serve
for a draught。
〃All is over； Mabel；〃 the young man cried cheerfully。
〃The danger is past； and you may now indeed hope to
meet your father this very night。〃
〃God be praised！ Jasper； we shall owe this great hap…
piness to you。〃
〃The Pathfinder may claim a full share in the merit；
but what has become of the other canoe？〃
〃I see something near us on the water； is it not the
boat of our friends？〃
A few strokes of the paddle brought Jasper to the side
of the object in question： it was the other canoe； empty
and bottom upwards。 No sooner did the young man as…
certain this fact； than he began to search for the swimmers；
and； to his great joy； Cap was soon discovered drifting down
with the current； the old seaman preferring the chances
of drowning to those of landing among savages。 He was
hauled into the canoe； though not without difficulty； and
then the search ended； for Jasper was persuaded that the
Pathfinder； would wade to the shore； the water being shal…
low in preference to abandoning his beloved rifle。
The remainder of the passage was short； though made
amid darkness and doubt。 After a short pause； a dull
roaring sound was heard； which at times resembled the
mutterings of distant thunder； and then again brought
with it the washing of waters。 Jasper announced to his
companions that they now heard the surf of the lake。
Low curved spits of land lay before them； into the bay
formed by one of which the canoe glided； and then it shot
up noiselessly upon a gravelly beach。 The transition that
followed was so hurried and great； that Mabel scarcely
knew what passed。 In the course of a few minutes； how…
ever sentinels had been passed； a gate was opened； and
the agitated girl found herself in the arms of a parent
who was almost a stranger to her。
CHAPTER VIII。
A land of love； and a land of light；
Withouten sun； or moon； or night：
Where the river swa'd a living stream；
And the light a pure celestial beam：
The land of vision； it would seem
A still； an everlasting dream。
_Queen's Wake。_
The rest that succeeds fatigue； and which attends a
newly awakened sense of security； is generally sweet and
deep。 Such was the fact with Mabel； who did not rise
from her humble pallet such a bed as a sergeant's
daughter might claim in a remote frontier post until
long after the garrison had obeyed the usual summons of
the drums； and had assembled at the morning parade。
Sergeant Dunham； on whose shoulders fell the task of
attending to these ordinary and daily duties； had got
through all his morning avocations； and was beginning to
think of his breakfast； before his child left her room； and
came into the fresh air； equally bewildered； delighted； and
grateful； at the novelty and security of her new situation。
At the time of which we are writing； Oswego was one of
the extreme frontier posts of the British possessions on this
continent。 It had not been long occupied； and was garri…
soned by a battalion of a regiment which had been origin…
ally Scotch； but into which many Americans had been re…
ceived since its arrival in this country； all innovation that
had led the way to Mabel's father filling the humble but
responsible situation of the oldest sergeant。 A few young
officers also； who were natives of the colonies； were to be
found in the corps。 The fort itself； like most works of
that character； was better adapted to resist an attack of
savages than to withstand a regular siege； but the great
difficulty of transporting heavy artillery and other neces…
saries rendered the occurrence of the latter a probability
so remote as scarcely to enter into the estimate of the en…
gineers who had planned the defences。 There were bas…
tions of earth and logs； a dry ditch； a stockade； a parade
of considerable extent； and barracks of logs； that answered
the double purpose of dwellings and fortifications。 A few
light fleld…pieces stood in the area of the fort； ready to be
conveyed to any point where they might be wanted； and
one or two heavy iron guns looked out from the summits
of the advanced angles； as so many admonitions to the
audacious to respect their power。
When Mabel； quitting the convenient； but compara…
tively retired hut where her father had been permitted to
place her； issued into the pure air of the morning； she
found herself at the foot of a bastion； which lay invitingly
before her； with a promise of giving a _coup d'oeil_ of all
that had been concealed in the darkness of the preceding
night。 Tripping up the grassy ascent； the light…hearted
as well as light…footed girl found herself at once on a point
where the sight； at a few varying glances； could take in all
the external novelties of her new situation。
To the southward lay the forest； through which she had
been journeying so many weary days； and which had proved
so full of dangers。 It was separated from the stockade by
a belt of open land； that had been principally cleared of
its woods to form the martial constructions around her。
This glacis； for such in fact was its military uses； might
have covered a hundred acres； but with it every sign of
civilization ceased