service； which is no stranger to us； is likely enough to
please one accustomed to the water。〃
〃Ay； to salt…water if you will； but not to lake…water。 If
you have no person to handle that bit of a cutter for you；
I have no objection to ship for the v'y'ge； notwithstanding；
though I shall look on the whole affair as so much time
thrown away for I consider it an imposition to call sailing
about this pond going to sea。〃
〃Jasper is every way able to manage the _Scud_； brother
Cap； and in that light I cannot say that we have need of
your services； though we shall be glad of your company。
You cannot return to the settlement until a party is sent
in； and that is not likely to happen until after my return。
Well； Pathfinder； this is the first time I ever knew men on
the trail of the Mingos and you not at their head。〃
〃To be honest with you； Sergeant；〃 returned the guide；
not without a little awkwardness of manner； and a per…
ceptible difference in the hue of a face that had become so
uniformly red by exposure； 〃I have not felt that it was my
gift this morning。 In the first place； I very well know
that the soldiers of the 55th are not the lads to overtake
Iroquois in the woods； and the knaves did not wait to be
surrounded when they knew that Jasper had reached the
garrison。 Then a man may take a little rest after a sum…
mer of hard work； and no impeachment of his good…will。
Besides； the Sarpent is out with them； and if the mis…
creants are to be found at all； you may trust to his inmity
and sight： the first being stronger； and the last nearly； if
not quite as good as my own。 He loves the skulking
vagabonds as little as myself； and； for that matter； I may
say that my own feelings towards a Mingo are not much
more than the gifts of a Delaware grafted on a Christian
stock。 No； no； I thought I would leave the honor this
time； if honor there is to be； to the young ensign that
commands； who； if he don't lose his scalp； may boast of
his campaign in his letters to his mother when he gets in。
I thought I would play idler once in my life。〃
〃And no one has a better right； if long and faithful
service entitles a man to a furlough；〃 returned the Ser…
geant kindly。 〃Mabel will think none the worse of you
for preferring her company to the trail of the savages；
and； I daresay； will be happy to give you a part of her
breakfast if you are inclined to eat。 You must not think；
girl； however； that the Pathfinder is in the habit of letting
prowlers around the fort beat a retreat without hearing
the crack of his rifle。〃
〃If I thought she did； Sergeant； though not much given
to showy and parade evolutions； I would shoulder Killdeer
and quit the garrison before her pretty eyes had time to
frown。 No； no； Mabel knows me better； though we are
but new acquaintances； for there has been no want of
Mingos to enliven the short march we have already made
in company。〃
〃It would need a great deal of testimony； Pathfinder； to
make me think ill of you in any way； and more than all in
the way you mention；〃 returned Mabel； coloring with the
sincere earnestness with which she endeavored to remove
any suspicion to the contrary from his mind。 〃Both father
and daughter； I believe； owe you their lives； and believe
me； that neither will ever forget it。〃
〃Thank you； Mabel； thank you with all my heart。 But
I will not take advantage of your ignorance neither； girl；
and therefore shall say； I do not think the Mingos would
have hurt a hair of your head； had they succeeded by their
devilries and contrivances in getting you into their hands。
My scalp； and Jasper's； and Master Cap's there； and the
Sarpent's too； would sartainly have been smoked； but as
for the Sergeant's daughter； I do not think they would
have hurt a hair of her head。〃
〃And why should I suppose that enemies； known to
spare neither women nor children； would have shown more
mercy to me than to another？ I feel； Pathfinder； that I
owe you my life。〃
〃I say nay； Mabel； they wouldn't have had the heart to
hurt you。 No； not even a fiery Mingo devil would have
had the heart to hurt a hair of your head。 Bad as I sus…
pect the vampires to be； I do not suspect them of anything
so wicked as that。 They might have wished you； nay；
forced you to become the wife of one of their chiefs； and
that would be torment enough to a Christian young
woman； but beyond that I do not think even the Mingos
themselves would have gone。〃
〃Well； then； I shall owe my escape from this great mis…
fortue to you；〃 said Mabel； taking his hard hand into her
own frankly and cordially； and certainly in a way to de…
light the honest guide。 〃To me it would be a lighter evil
to be killed than to become the wife of an Indian。〃
〃That is her gift； Sergeant；〃 exclaimed Pathfinder；
turning to his old comrade with gratification writton on
every lineament of his honest countenance； 〃and it will
have its way。 I tell the Sarpent that no Christianizing
will ever make even a Delaware a white man； nor any
whooping and yelling convert a pale…face into a red…skin。
That is the gift of a young woman born of Christian
parents； and it ought to be maintained。〃
〃You are right； Pathfinder； and so far as Mabel Dun…
ham is concerned； it _shall_ be maintained。 But it is time
to break your fasts； and if you will follow me； brother
Cap； I will show you how we poor soldiers live here on a
distant frontier。〃
CHAPTER IX。
Now； my co…mates and partners in exile；
Hath not old custom made this life more sweet
Than that of painted pomp？ Are not these woods
More free from peril than the envious court？
Here feel we but the penalty of Adam。
_As You Like It。_
Sergeant Dunham made no empty vaunt when he
gave the promise conveyed in the closing words of the last
chapter。 Notwithstandrng the remote frontier postion
of the post they who lived at it enjoyed a table that； in
many respects； kings and princes might have envied。 At
the Period of our tale； and； indeed； for half a century later；
the whole of that vast region which has been called the
West； or the new countries since the war of the revolution；
lay a comparatively unpeoped desert； teeming with all the
living productions of nature that properly belonged to the
climate； man and the domestic animals excepted。 The few
Indians that roamed its forests then could produce no
visible effects on the abundance of the game； and the
scattered garrisons； or occasional hunters； that here and
there were to be met with on that vast surface； had no
other influence than the bee on the buckwheat field； or the
humming…bird on the flower。
The marvels that have descended to our own times； in
the way of tradition； concerning the quantities of beasts；
birds； and fishes that were then to be met with； on the
shores of the great lakes in particular； are known to be
sustained by the experience of living men； else might we
hesitate about relating them； but having been eye…
witnesses of some of these prodigies； our office shall be
discharged with the confidence that certainty can impart。
Oswego was particularly well placed to keep the larder of
an epicure amply supplied。 Fish of various sorts abounded
in its river； and the sportsman had only to cast his line to
haul in a bass or some other member of the finny tribe；
which then peopled the waters； as the air above the swamps
of this fruitful latitude are known to be filled with insects。
Among others was the salmon of the lakes； a variety of
that well…known species； that is scarcely inferior to the
delicious salmon of northern Europe。 Of the different
migratory birds that frequent forests and waters； there
was the same affluence； hundreds of acres of geese and
ducks being often seen at a time in the great bays that
indent the shores of the lake。 Deer； bears； rabbits； and
squirrels； with divers other quadrupeds； among which was
sometimes included the elk； or moose； helped to complete
the sum of the natural supplies on which all the posts de…
pended； more or less； to relieve the unavoidable privations
of their remote frontier positions。
In a place where viands that would elsewhere be deemed
great luxuries were so abundant； no one was excluded
from their enjoyment。 The meanest individual at Oswego
habitually feasted on game that would have formed the
boast of a Parisian table； and it was no more than a
healthful commentary on the caprices of taste； and of the
waywardness of human desires； that the very diet which
in other scenes would have been deemed the subject of
envy and repinings got to pall on the appetite。 The
coarse and regular food of the army； which it became
necessary to husband on account of the difficulty of trans…
portation； rose in the estimation of the common soldier；
and at any time he would cheerfully desert his venison；
and ducks； and pigeons； and salmon； to banquet on the
sweets of pickled pork； stringy turnips； and half…cooked
cabbage。
The table of Sergeant Dunham； as a matter of course；
partook of the abundance and luxuries of the frontier； as
well as of its privations。 A delicious broiled salmon
smoked on a homely platter； hot venison steaks sent up
their appetizing odors； and several dishes of