smoked on a homely platter； hot venison steaks sent up
their appetizing odors； and several dishes of cold meats；
all of which were composed of game； had been set before
the guests； in honor of the newly arrived visitors； and in
vindication of the old soldier's hospitality。
〃You do not seem to be on short allowance in this
quarter of the world； Sergeant；〃 said Cap； after he had got
fairly initiated into the mysteries of the different dishes；
〃your salmon might satisfy a Scotsman。〃
〃It fails to do it； notwithstanding； brother Cap； for
among two or three hundred of the fellows that we have
in this garrison there are not half a dozen who will not
swear that the fish is unfit to be eaten。 Even some of the
lads； who never tasted venison except as poachers at home；
turn up their noses at the fattest haunches that we get
here。〃
〃Ay； that is Christian natur'；〃 put in Pathfinder； 〃and
I must say it is none to its credit。 Now； a red…skin never
repines； but is always thankful for the food he gets；
whether it be fat or lean； venison or bear； wild turkey's
breast or wild goose's wing。 To the shame of us white
men be it said； that we look upon blessings without satis…
faction； and consider trifling evils as matters of great ac…
count。〃
〃It is so with the 55th； as I can answer； though I cannot
say as much for their Christianity；〃 returned the Sergeant。
〃Even the major himself； old Duncan of Lundie； will
sometimes swear that an oatmeal cake is better fare than
the Oswego bass； and sigh for a swallow of Highland water；
when； if so minded； he has the whole of Ontario to quench
his thirst in。〃
〃Has Major Duncan a wife and children？〃 asked Mabel；
whose thoughts naturally turned towards her own sex in
her new situation。
〃Not he； girl； though they do say that he has a be…
trothed at home。 The lady； it seems； is willing to wait；
rather than suffer the hardships of service in this wild
region； all of which； brother Cap； is not according to my
notions of a woman's duties。 Your sister thought differ…
ently。〃
〃I hope； Sergeant； you do not think of Mabel for a sol…
dier's wife；〃 returned Cap gravely。 〃Our family has done
its share in that way already； and it's high time that the
sea was again remembered。〃
〃I do not think of finding a husband for the girl in the
55th； or any other regiment； I can promise you； brother；
though I do think it getting to be time that the child were
respectably married。〃
〃Father！〃
〃'Tis not their gifts； Sergeant； to talk of these matters
in so open a manner；〃 said the guide； 〃for I've seen it
verified by experience； that he who would follow the trail
of a virgin's good…will must not go shouting out his
thoughts behind her。 So； if you please； we will talk of
something else。〃
〃Well； then； brother Cap； I hope that bit of a cold
roasted pig is to your mind； you seem to fancy the food。〃
〃Ay； ay； give me civilized grub if I must eat；〃 returned
the pertinacious seaman。 〃Venison is well enough for
your inland sailors； but we of the ocean like a little of that
which we understand。〃
Here Pathfinder laid down his knife and fork； and in…
dulged in a hearty laugh； though in his always silent man…
ner； then he asked； with a little curiosity in his manner；
〃Don't； you miss the skin； Master Cap？ don't you miss
the skin？
〃It would have been better for its jacket； I think my…
self； Pathfinder； but I suppose it is a fashion of the woods
to serve up shoats in this style。〃
〃Well； well； a man may go round the 'arth and not
know everything。 If you had had the skinning of that
pig； Master Cap； it would have left you sore hands。 The
cratur' is a hedgehog！〃
〃Blast me； if I thought it wholesome natural pork
either！〃 returned Cap。 〃But then I believed even a pig
might lose some of its good qualities up hereaway in the
woods。〃
〃If the skinning of it； brother； does not fall to my
duty。 Pathfinder； I hope you didn't find Mabel disobedi…
ent on the march？〃
〃Not she； not she。 If Mabel is only half as well satisfied
with Jasper and Pathfinder as the Pathfinder and Jasper
are satisfied with her； Sergeant； we shall be friends for the
remainder of our days。〃
As the guide spoke； he turned his eyes towards the
blushing girl； with a sort of innocent desire to know her
opinion； and then； with an inborn delicacy； which proved
he was far superior to the vulgar desire to invade the
sanctity of feminine feeling； he looked at his plate； and
seemed to regret his own boldness。
〃Well； well； we must remember that women are not
men； my friend；〃 resumed the Sergeant； 〃and make proper
allowances for nature and education。 A recruit is not a
veteran。 Any man knows that it takes longer to make
a good soldier than it takes to make anything else。〃
〃This is new doctrine； Sergeant；〃 said Cap with some
spirit。 〃We old seamen are apt to think that six soldiers；
ay； and capital soldiers too； might be made while one sailor
is getting his education。〃
〃Ay； brother Cap； I've seen something of the opinions
which seafaring men have of themselves；〃 returned the
brother…in…law； with a smile as bland as comported with
his saturnine features； 〃for I was many years one of the
garrison in a seaport。 You and I have conversed on the
subject before and I'm afraid we shall never agree。 But
if you wish to know what the difference is between a real
soldier and man in what I should call a state of nature；
you have only to look at a battalion of the 55th on parade
this afternoon； and then； when you get back to York； ex…
amine one of the militia regiments making its greatest
efforts。〃
〃Well； to my eye； Sergeant； there is very little difference；
not more than you'll find between a brig and a snow。 To
me they seem alike： all scarlet； and feathers； and powder；
and pipeclay。〃
〃So much； sir； for the judgment of a sailor；〃 returned
the Sergeant with dignity； 〃but perhaps you are not aware
that it requires a year to teach a true soldier how to eat？〃
〃So much the worse for him。 The militia know how
to eat at starting； for I have often heard that； on their
marches； they commonly eat all before them； even if they
do nothing else。〃
〃They have their gifts； I suppose； like other men；〃 ob…
served Pathfinder； with a view to preserve the peace； which
was evidently in some danger of being broken by the ob…
stinate predilection of each of the disputants in favor of
his own calling； 〃and when a man has his gift from
Providence； it is commonly idle to endeavor to bear up
against it。 The 55th； Sergeant； is a judicous regiment in
the way of eating； as I know from having been so long in
its company though I daeesay militia corps could be found
that would outdo them in feats of that natur' too。〃
〃Uncle；〃 said Mabel； 〃if you have breakfasted； I will
thank you to go out upon the bastion with me again。
We have neither of us half seen the lake； and it would be
hardly seemly for a young woman to be walking about the
fort； the first day of her arrival； quite alone。〃
Cap understood the motive of Mabel； and having； at
the bottom； a hearty friendship for his brother…in…law； he
was willing enough to defer the argument until they had
been longer together； for the idea of abandoning it alto…
gether never crossed the mind of one so dogmatical and
obstinate。 He accordingly accompanied his niece； leaving
Sergeant Dunham and his friend； the Pathfinder； alone
together。 As soon as his adversary had beat a retreat； the
Sergeant； who did not quite so well understand the
manoeuvre of his daughter； turned to his companion；
and； with a smile which was not without triumph； he re…
marked；
〃The army； Pathfinder； has never yet done itself justice
in the way of asserting its rights； and though modesty
becomes a man； whether he is in a red coat or a black one；
or； for that matter； in his shirt…sleeves； I don't like to let
a good opportunity slip of saying a word in its behalf。
Well； my friend；〃 laying his own hand on one of the Path…
finder's； and giving it a hearty squeeze； 〃how do you like
the girl？〃
〃You have reason to be proud of her； Sergeant。 I have
seen many of her sex； and some that were great and beau…
tiful； but never before did I meet with one in whom I
thought Providence had so well balanced the different
gifts。〃
〃And the good opinion； I can tell you； Pathfinder； is
mutual。 She told me last night all about your coolness；
and spirit； and kindness； particularly the last； for kind…
ness counts for more than half with females； my friend；
and the first inspection seems to give satisfaction on both
sides。 Brush up the uniform； and pay a little more atten…
tion to the outside； Pathfinder； and you will have the girl
heart and hand。〃
〃Nay； nay； Sergeant； I've forgotten nothing that you
have told me； and grudge no reasonable pains to make
myself as pleasant in the eyes of Mabel as she is getting to
be in mine。 I cleaned and brightened up Killdeer this
morning as soon as the sun rose； and； in my judgment；
the piece never looked better than it does at this very
moment。〃
〃That is according to your hunting notions； Pathfinder；
but firearms should sparkle and glitter in the sun； and I
never yet could see