not have been thought handsome； that at once assured
Magnet she was in no danger。 Still she paused。
〃Fear nothing； young woman；〃 said the hunter； for
such his attire would indicate him to be； 〃you have met
Christian men in the wilderness； and such as know how to
treat all kindly who are disposed to peace and justice。 I
am a man well known in all these parts； and perhaps one
of my names may have reached your ears。 By the
Frenchers and the red…skins on the other side of the Big
Lakes； I am called La Longue Carabine； by the Mohicans；
a just…minded and upright tribe； what is left of them；
Hawk Eye； while the troops and rangers along this side of
the water call me Pathfinder； inasmuch as I have never
been known to miss one end of the trail； when there was a
Mingo； or a friend who stood in need of me； at the other。〃
This was not uttered boastfully； but with the honest
confidence of one who well knew that by whatever name
others might have heard of him； ho had no reason to blush
at the reports。 The effect on Mabel was instantaneous。
The moment she heard the last _sobriquet_ she clasped her
hands eagerly and repeated the word 〃Pathfinder！〃
〃So they call me； young woman； and many a great lord
has got a title that he did not half so well merit； though；
if truth be said； I rather pride myself in finding my way
where there is no path； than in finding it where there is。
But the regular troops are by no means particular； and
half the time they don't know the difference between a
trail and a path； though one is a matter for the eye； while
the other is little more than scent。〃
〃Then you are the friend my father promised to send
to meet us？〃
〃If you are Sergeant Dunham's daughter； the great
Prophet of the Delawares never uttered more truth。〃
〃I am Mabel； and yonder； hid by the trees； are my
uncle； whose name is Cap； and a Tuscarora called Arrow…
head。 We did not hope to meet you until we had nearly
reached the shores of the lake。〃
〃I wish a juster…minded Indian had been your guide；〃
said Pathfinder； 〃for I am no lover of the Tuscaroras； who
have travelled too far from the graves of their fathers
always to remember the Great Spirit； and Arrowhead is
an ambitious chief。 Is the Dew…of…June with him？〃
〃His wife accompanies us； and a humble and mild crea…
ture she is。〃
〃Ay； and true…hearted； which is more than any who
know him will say of Arrowhead。 Well； we must take
the fare that Providence bestows； while we follow the trail
of life。 I suppose worse guides might have been found
than the Tuscarora； though he has too much Mingo blood
for one who consorts altogether with the Delawares。〃
〃It is； then； perhaps； fortunate we have met；〃 said
Mabel。
〃It is not misfortunate； at any rate； for I promised the
Sergeant I would see his child safe to the garrison； though
I died for it。 We expected to meet you before you reached
the Falls； where we have left our own canoe； while we
thought it might do no harm to come up a few miles； in
order to be of service if wanted。 It is lucky we did； for I
doubt if Arrowhead be the man to shoot the current。〃
〃Here come my uncle and the Tuscarora； and our parties
can now join。〃 As Mabel concluded； Cap and Arrowhead；
who saw that the conference was amicable； drew nigh； and
a few words sufficed to let them know as much as the girl
herself had learned from the strangers。 As soon as this
was done； the party proceeded towards the two who still
remained near the fire。
CHAPTER II。
Yea！ long as Nature's humblest child
Hath kept her temple undefiled
By simple sacrifice；
Earth's fairest scenes are all his own；
He is a monarch and his throne
Is built amid the skies！
WILSON。
The Mohican continued to eat； though the second white
man rose； and courteously took off his cap to Mabel Dun…
ham。 He was young； healthful； and manly in appearance；
and he wore a dress which； while it was less rigidly pro…
fessional than that of the uncle； also denoted one accus…
tomed to the water。 In that age； real seamen were a class
entirely apart from the rest of mankind； their ideas； or…
dinary language； and attire being as strongly indicative of
their calling as the opinions； speech； and dress of a Turk
denote a Mussulman。 Although the Pathfinder was
scarcely in the prime of life； Mabel had met him with a
steadiness that may have been the consequence of having
braced her nerves for the interview； but when her eyes
encountered those of the young man at the fire； they fell
before the gaze of admiration with which she saw； or
fancied she saw； he greeted her。 Each； in truth； felt that
interest in the other which similarity of age； condition；
mutual comeliness； and their novel situation would be
likely to inspire in the young and ingenuous。
〃Here；〃 said Pathfinder； with an honest smile bestowed
on Mabel； 〃are the friends your worthy father has sent to
meet you。 This is a great Delaware； and one who has had
honors as well as troubles in his day。 He has an Indian
name fit for a chief； but； as the language is not always easy
for the inexperienced to pronounce we naturally turn it
into English； and call him the Big Sarpent。 You are not
to suppose； however； that by this name we wish to say that
he is treacherous； beyond what is lawful in a red…skin； but
that he is wise； and has the cunning which becomes a war…
nor。 Arrowhead； there； knows what I mean。〃
While the Pathfinder was delivering this address； the
two Indians gazed on each other steadily； and the Tus…
carora advanced and spoke to the other in an apparently
friendly manner。
〃I like to see this；〃 continued Pathfinder； 〃the salutes
of two red…skins in the woods； Master Cap； are like the
hailing of friendly vessels on the ocean。 But speaking of
water； it reminds me of my young friend； Jasper Western
here； who can claim to know something of these matters；
seeing that he has passed his days on Ontario。〃
〃I am glad to see you； friend；〃 said Cap； giving the
young fresh…water sailor a cordial grip； 〃though you must
have something still to learn； considering the school to
which you have been sent。 This is my niece Mabel； I call
her Magnet； for a reason she never dreams of； though you
may possibly have education enough to guess at it； having
some pretentions to understand the compass； I suppose。〃
〃The reason is easily comprehended；〃 said the young
man； involuntarily fastening his keen dark eye； at the
same time； on the suffused face of the girl； 〃and I feel
sure that the sailor who steers by your Magnet will never
make a bad land…fall。〃
〃Ha！ you do make use of some of the terms； I find； and
that with propriety； though； on the whole； I fear you have
seen more green than blue water。〃
〃It is not surprising that we should get some of the
phrases which belong to the land； for we are seldom out
of sight of it twenty…four hours at a time。〃
〃More's the pity； boy； more's the pity！ A very little
land ought to go a great way with a seafaring man。 Now；
if the truth were known； Master Western； I suppose there
is more or less land all round your lake。〃
〃And； uncle； is there not more or less land around the
ocean？〃 said Magnet quickly； for she dreaded a prema…
ture display of the old seaman's peculiar dogmatism； not
to say pedantry。
〃No； child； there is more or less ocean all round the
land； that's what I tell the people ashore； youngster。
They are living； as it might be； in the midst of the sea；
without knowihg it； by sufferance； as it were； the water
being so much the more powerful and the largest。 But
there is no end to conceit in this world： for a fellow who
never saw salt water often fancies he knows more than
one who has gone round the Horn。 No； no； this earth is
pretty much an island； and all that can be truly said not
to be so is water。〃
Young Western had a profound deference for a mariner
of the ocean； oh which he had often pined to sail； but he
had also a natural regard for the broad sheet on which he
had passed his life； and which was not without its beauties
in his eyes。
〃What you say； sir；〃 he answered modestly； 〃may be
true as to the Atlantic； but we have a respect for the land
up here on Ontario。〃
〃That is because you are always land…locked；〃 returned
Cap； laughing heartily； 〃but yonder is the the Pathfinder； as
they call him； with some smoking platters； inviting us to
share in his mess； and I will confess that one gets no
venison at sea。 Master Western； civility to girls； at your
time of life； comes as easy as taking in the slack of the
ensign halyards； and if you will just keep an eye to her
kid and can； while I join the mess of the Pathfinder and
our Indian friends； I make no doubt she will remember it。〃
Master Cap uttered more than he was aware of at the
time。 Jasper Western did attend to the wants of Mabel；
and she long remembered the kind； manly attention of the
young sailor at this their first interview。 He placed the
end of a log for a seat； obtained for her a delicious morsel
of the venison； gave her a draught of pure water from the
spring； and as he sat near her； fast won his way to her
esteem by his gentle but frank manner of manifesting his
care； homag