barrassed； if not distrustful of his reception。
〃Uncle and niece make a family party；〃 said Pathfinder；
when near the two； 〃and a stranger may not prove a wel…
come companion？〃
〃You are no stranger； Master Pathfinder；〃 returned
Cap； 〃and no one can be more welcome than yourself。
We were talking of you but a moment ago； and when
friends speak of an absent man； he can guess what they
have said。〃
〃I ask no secrets。 Every man has his enemies； and I
have mine； though I count neither you； Master Cap； nor
pretty Mabel here among the number。 As for the Mingos；
I will say nothing； though they have no just cause to hate
me。〃
〃That I'll answer for； Pathfinder！ for you strike my
fancy as being well…disposed and upright。 There is a
method； however； of getting away from the enmity of even
these Mingos； and if you choose to take it； no one will
more willingly point it out than myself； without a charge
for my advice either。〃
〃I wish no enemies； Saltwater；〃 for so the Pathfinder
had begun to call Cap； having； insensibly to himself；
adopted the term； by translating the name given him by
the Indians in and about the fort； 〃I wish no enemies。
I'm as ready to bury the hatchet with the Mingos as with
the French； though you know that it depends on One
greater than either of us so to turn the heart as to leave a
man without enemies。〃
〃By lifting your anchor； and accompanying me down
to the coast； friend Pathfinder； when we get back from this
short cruise on which we are bound； you will find yourself
beyond the sound of the war…whoop； and safe enough from
any Indian bullet。〃
〃And what should I do on the salt water？ Hunt in
your towns？ Follow the trails of people going and com…
ing from market； and ambush dogs and poultry？ You
are no friend to my happiness； Master Cap； if you would
lead me out of the shades of the woods to put me in the
sun of the clearings。〃
〃I did not propose to leave you in the settlements；
Pathfinder； but to carry you out to sea； where a man can
only be said to breathe freely。 Mabel will tell you that
such was my intention； before a word was said on the
subject。〃
〃And what does Mabel think would come of such a
change？ She knows that a man has his gifts； and that it
is as useless to pretend to others as to withstand them that
come from Providence。 I am a hunter； and a scout； or a
guide； Saltwater； and it is not in me to fly so much in the
face of Heaven as to try to become anything else。 Am I
right； Mabel； or are you so much a woman as to wish to
see a natur' altered？〃
〃I would wish to see no change in you； Pathfinder；〃
Mabel answered； with a cordial sincerity and frankness
that went directly to the hunter's heart； 〃and much as
my uncle admires the sea； and great as is all the good that
he thinks may come of it； I could not wish to see the best
and noblest hunter of the woods transformed into an ad…
miral。 Remain what you are； my brave friend； and you
need fear nothing short of the anger of God。〃
〃Do you hear this； Saltwater？ do you hear what the
Sergeant's daughter is saying； and she is much too upright；
and fair…minded； and pretty； not to think what she says。
So long as she is satisfied with me as I am； I shall not fly
in the face of the gifts of Provideuce； by striving to become
anything else。 I may seem useless here in a garrison； but
when we get down among the Thousand Islands； there may
be an opportunity to prove that a sure rifle is sometimes a
Godsend。〃
〃You are then to be of our party？〃 said Mabel； smiling
so frankly and so sweetly on the guide that he would have
followed her to the end of the earth。 〃I shall be the only
female； with the exception of one soldier's wife； and shall
feel none the less secure； Pathfinder； because you will be
among our protectors。〃
〃The Sergeant would do that； Mabel； though you were
not of his kin。 No one will overlook you。 I should think
your uncle here would like an expedition of this sort；
where we shall go with sails； and have a look at an inland
sea？〃
〃Your inland sea is no great matter； Master Pathfinder；
and I expect nothing from it。 I confess； however； I should
like to know the object of the cruise； for one does not
wish to be idle； and my brother…in…law； the Sergeant； is as
close…mouthed as a freemason。 Do you know； Mabel； what
all this means？〃
〃Not in the least； uncle。 I dare not ask my father any
questions about his duty； for he thinks it is not a woman's
business； and all I can say is； that we are to sail as soon
as the wind will permit； and that we are to be absent a
month。〃
〃Perhaps Master Pathfinder can give me a useful hint；
for a v'y'ge without an object is never pleasant to an old
sailor。〃
〃There is no great secret； Saltwater； concerning our
port and object； though it is forbidden to talk much about
either in the garrison。 I am no soldier； however； and can
use my tongue as I please； though as little given as another
to idle conversation； I hope； still； as we sail so soon； and
you are both to be of the party； you may as well be told
where you are to be carried。 You know that there are
such things as the Thousand Islands； I suppose； Master
Cap？〃
〃Ay； what are so called hereaway； though I take it for
granted that they are not real islauds； such as we fall in
with on the ocean； and that the thousand means some
such matter as two or three。〃
〃My eyes are good； and yet have I often been foiled in
trying to count them very islands。〃
〃Ay； ay； I've known people who couldn't count beyond
a certain number。 Your real land…birds never know their
own roosts； even in a land…fall at sea。 How many times
have I seen the beach； and houses； and churches； when the
passengers have not been able to see anything but water！
I have no idea that a man can get fairly out of sight of
land on fresh water。 The thing appears to me to be irra…
tional and impossible。〃
〃You don't know the lakes； Master Cap； or you would
not say that。 Before we get to the Thousand Islands； you
will have other notions of what natur' has done in this
wilderness。〃
〃I have my doubts whether you have such a thing as a
real island in all this region。〃
〃We'll show you hundreds of them； not exactly a thou…
sand； perhaps； but so many that eye cannot see them all；
nor tongue count them。〃
〃I'll engage； when the truth comes to be known； they'll
turn out to be nothing but peninsulas； or promontories； or
continents； though these are matters； I daresay； of which
you know little or nothing。 But； islands or no islands；
what is the object of the cruise； Master Pathfinder？〃
〃There can be no harm in giving you some idea of what
we are going to do。 Being so old a sailor； Master Cap；
you've heard； no doubt； of such a port as Frontenac？〃
〃Who hasn't？ I will not say I've ever been inside the
harbor； but I've frequently been off the place。〃
〃Then you are about to go upon ground with which
you are acquainted。 These great lakes； you must know；
make a chain； the water passing out of one into the other；
until it reaches Erie； which is a sheet off here to the west…
ward； as large as Ontario itself。 Well； out of Erie the water
comes； until it reaches a low mountain like； over the edge
of which it passes。〃
〃I should like to know how the devil it can do that？〃
〃Why； easy enough； Master Cap；〃 returned Pathfinder；
laughing； 〃seeing that it has only to fall down hill。 Had
I said the water went _up_ the mountain； there would have
been natur' ag'in it； but we hold it no great matter for
water to run down hill that is； _fresh_ water。〃
〃Ay； ay； but you speak of the water of a lake's coming
down the side of a mountain； it's in the teeth of reason；
if reason has any teeth。〃
〃Well； well； we will not dispute the point； but what
I've seen I've seen。 After getting into Ontario； all the
water of _all_ the lakes passes down into the sea by a river；
and in the narrow part of the sheet； where it is neither
river nor lake； lie the islands spoken of。 Now Frontenac
is a post of the Frenchers above these same islands； and；
as they hold the garrison below； their stores and ammuni…
tion are sent up the river to Frontenac； to be forwarded
along the shores of this and the other lakes； in order to
enable the enemy to play his devilries among the savages；
and to take Christian scalps。〃
〃And will our presence prevent these horrible acts？〃
demanded Mabel； with interest。
〃It may or it may not； as Providence wills。 Lundie； as
they call him； he who commands this garrison； sent a party
down to take a station among the islands； to cut off some
of the French boats； and this expedition of ours will be
the second relief。 As yet they've not done much； though
two bateaux loaded with Indian goods have been taken；
but a runner came in last week； and brought such tidings
that the Major is about to make a last effort to circumvent
the knaves。 Jasper knows the way； and we shall be in
good hands； for the Sergeant is prudent； and of the first
quality at an ambushment； yes； he is both prudent and
alert。〃
〃Is this all？〃 said Cap contemptuously； 〃by the prep…
arations and equipments； I had thought there was a forced
trade in the wind； and that