then be in charge of the cutter； and to insist on his return
below as soon as possible。 This precaution； however； was
uncalled for； Jasper and his assistant both throwing them…
selves silently on their pallets； which neither quitted again
that night。
〃And now； Sergeant；〃 said Cap； as soon as he found
himself master of the deck； 〃you will just have the good…
ness to give me the courses and distance； that I may see
the boat keeps her head the right way。〃
〃I know nothing of either； brother Cap；〃 returned Dun…
ham； not a little embarrassed at the question。 〃We must
make the best of our way to the station among the Thou…
sand Islands； where 'we shall land； relieve the party that is
already out； and get information for our future govern…
ment。' That's it； nearly word for word； as it stands in the
written orders。〃
〃But you can muster a chart something in the way of
bearings and distances； that I may see the road？〃
〃I do not think Jasper ever had anything of the sort to
go by。〃
〃No chart； Sergeant Dunham！〃
〃Not a scrap of a pen even。 Our sailors navigate this
lake without any aid from maps。〃
〃The devil they do！ They must be regular Yahoos。
And do you suppose； Sergeant Dunham； that I can find
one island out of a thousand without knowing its name or
its position； without even a course or a distance？〃
〃As for the _name_； brother Cap； you need not be particu…
lar； for not one of the whole thousand _has_ a name； and so
a mistake can never be made on that score。 As for the
position； never having been there myself； I can tell you
nothing about it； nor do I think its position of any par…
ticular consequence； provided we find the spot。 Perhaps
one of the hands on deck can tell us the way。〃
〃Hold on； Sergeant hold on a moment； if you please；
Sergeant Dunham。 If I am to command this craft； it
must be done； if you please； without holding any councils
of war with the cook and cabin…boy。 A ship…master is a
ship…master； and he must have an opinion of his own； even
if it be a wrong one。 I suppose you know service well
enough to understand that it is better in a commander to
go wrong than to go nowhere。 At all events； the Lord
High Admiral couldn't command a yawl with dignity； if
he consulted the cockswain every time he wished to go
ashore。 No sir； if I sink； I sink！ but； d… me； I'll go down
ship…shape and with dignity。〃
〃But； brother Cap； I have no wish to go down anywhere；
unless it be to the station among the Thousand Islands
whither we are bound。〃
〃Well； well； Sergeant； rather than ask advice that is；
direct； barefaced advice of a foremast hand； or any other
than a quarter…deck officer； I would go round to the whole
thousand； and examine tbem one by one until we got the
right haven。 But there is such a thing as coming at an
opinion without manifesting ignorance； and I will manage
to rouse all there is out of these hands； and make them
think all the while that I am cramming them with my own
experience！ We are sometimes obliged to use the glass at
sea when there is nothing in sight； or to heave the lead
long before we strike soundings。 When a youngster；
sailed two v'y'ges with a man who navigated his ship pretty
much by the latter sort of information； which sometimes
answers。〃
〃I know we are steering in the right direction at pres…
ent；〃 returned the Sergeant； 〃but in the course of a few
hours we shall be up with a headland； where we must feel
our way with more caution。〃
〃Leave me to pump the man at the wheel； brother； and
you shall see that I will make him suck in a very few
minutes。〃
Cap and the Sergeant now walked aft； until they stood
by the sailor who was at the helm； Cap maintaining an air
of security and tranquillity； like one who was entirely con…
fident of his own powers。
〃This is a wholesome air； my lad；〃 Cap observed； in the
manner that a superior on board a vessel sometimes conde…
scends to use to a favored inferior。 〃Of course you have
it in this fashion off the land every night？〃
〃At this season of the year； sir；〃 the man returned；
touching his hat； out of respect； to his new commander
and Sergeant Dunham's connection。
〃The same thing； I take it； among the Thousand Is…
lands？ The wind will stand； of course； though we shall
then have land on every side of us。〃
〃When we get farther east； sir； the wind will probably
shift； for there can then be no particular land…breeze。
〃Ay；ay； so much for your fresh water！ It has always
some trick that is opposed to nature。 Now； down among
the West India Islands； one is just as certain of having a
land…breeze as he is of having a sea…breeze。 In that respect
there is no difference； though it's quite in rule it should
be different up here on this bit of fresh water。 Of course；
my lad； you know all about these said Thousand Islands？〃
〃Lord bless you； Master Cap； nobody knows all about
them or anything about them。 They are a puzzle to the
oldest sailor on the lake； and we don't pretend to know
even their names。 For that matter； most of them have
no more names than a child that dies before it is chris…
tened。〃
〃Are you a Roman Catholic？〃 demanded the Sergeant
sharply。
〃No； sir； nor anything else。 I'm a generalizer about
religion； never troubling that which don't trouble me。〃
〃Hum！ a generalizer； that is； no doubt； one of the new
sects that afflict the country；〃 muttered Mr。 Dunham；
whose grandfather had been a New Jersey Quaker； his
father a Presbyterian； and who had joined the Church of
England himself after he entered the army。
〃I take it； John 〃 resumed Cap。 〃Your name is Jack；
I believe？〃
〃No； sir； I am called Robert。〃
〃Ay； Robert； it's very much the same thing； Jack or
Bob； we use the two indifferently。 I say； Bob； it's good
holding ground； is it； down at this same station for which
we are bound？〃
〃Bless you； sir！ I know no more about it than one of the
Mohawks； or a soldier of the 55th。〃
〃Did you never anchor there？〃
〃Never； sir。 Master Eau…douce always makes fast to
the shore。〃
〃But in running in for the town； you kept the lead
going； out of question； and must have tallowed as usual。〃
〃Tallow！ and town； too！ Bless your heart； Master
Cap！ there is no more town than there is on your chin；
and not half as much tallow！〃
The Sergeant smiled grimly； but his brother…in…law did
not detect this proof of humor。
〃No church tower； nor light； nor fort； ha？ There is a
garrison； as you call it hereaway； at least？〃
〃Ask Sergeant Dunham； sir； if you wish to know that。
All the garrison is on board the _Scud_。〃
〃But in running in； Bob； which of the channels do you
think the best？ the one you went last； or or or ay； or
the other？〃
〃I can't say； sir； I know nothing of either。〃
〃You didn't go to sleep； fellow； at the wheel； did you？〃
〃Not at the wheel； sir； but down in the fore…peak in my
berth。 Eau…douce sent us below； soldiers and all； with the
exception of the pilot； and we know no more of the road
than if we had never been over it。 This he has always
done in going in and coming out； and； for the life of me；
I could tell you nothing of the channel； or the course； after
we are once fairly up with the islands。 No one knows
anything of either but Jasper and the pilot。〃
〃Here is a circumstance for you； Sergeant；〃 said Cap；
leading his brother…in…law a little aside； 〃there is no one
on board to pump； for they all suck from ignorance at the
first stroke of the brake。 How the devil am I to find the
way to this station for which we are bound？〃
〃Sure enough； brother Cap； your question is more easily
put than answered。 Is there no such thing as figuring it
out by navigation？ I thought you salt…water mariners
were able to do as small a thing as that。 I have often
read of their discovering islands； surely。〃
〃That you have； brother； that you have； and this dis…
covery would be the greatest of them all； for it would not
only be discovering one island； but one island out of a
thousand。〃
〃Still； the sailors of the lake have a method of finding
the places they wish to go to。〃
〃If I have understood you； Sergeant； this station or
block…house is particularly private。〃
〃It is； indeed； the utmost care having been taken to
prevent a knowledge of its position from reaching the
enemy。〃
〃And you expect me； a stranger on your lake； to find
this place without chart； course； distance； latitude； longi…
tude； or soundings； ay； d… me； or tallow！ Allow me to
ask if you think a mariner runs by his nose； like one of
Pathfinder's hounds？〃
〃Well； brother； you may yet learn something by ques…
tioning the young man at the helm； I can hardly think
that he is as ignorant as he pretends to be。〃
〃Hum！ this looks like another circumstance。 For
that matter； the case is getting to be so full of circum…
stances that one hardly knows how to foot up the evidence。
But we will soon see how much the lad knows。〃
Cap and the Sergeant now returned to their station near
the helm； and the former renewed his inquiries。
〃Do you happen to know what may be the latitude and
longitude of this said island； my lad？〃 he asked。
〃The what； sir？〃
〃Why； the latitude or lon