the campaigns you mention； moreover； you are my sworn
and tried comrade。〃
〃All this sounds well； so far as you and I are consarned；
but they do not touch the case of your pretty daughter。
She may think these very campaigns have destroyed the
little comeliness I may once have had； and I am not quite
sartain that being an old friend of her father would lead
any young maiden's mind into a particular affection for a
suitor。 Like loves like； I tell you； Sergeant； and my gifts
are not altogether the gifts of Mabel Dunham。〃
〃These are some of your old modest qualms； Pathfinder；
and will do you no credit with the girl。 Women distrust
men who distrust themselves； and take to men who dis…
trust nothing。 Modesty is a capital thing in a recruit； I
grant you； or in a young subaltern who has just joined；
for it prevents his railing at the non…commissioned officers
before he knows what to rail at； I'm not sure it is out of
place in a commissary or a parson； but it's the devil and
all when it gets possession of a real soldier or a lover。
Have as little to do with it as possible； if you would win a
woman's heart。 As for your doctrine that like loves like；
it is as wrong as possible in matters of this sort。 If like
loved like； women would love one another； and men also。
No； no； like loves dislike；〃 the Sergeant was merely a
scholar of the camp； 〃and you have nothing to fear from
Mabel on that score。 Look at Lieutenant Muir； the man
has had five wives already； they tell me； and there is no
more modesty in him than there is in a cat…o'…nine…tails。〃
〃Lieutenant Muir will never be the husband of Mabel
Dunham； let him ruffle his feathers as much as he may。〃
〃That is a sensible remark of yours； Pathfinder； for my
mind is made up that you shall be my son…in…law。 If I
were an officer myself； Mr。 Muir might have some chance；
but time has placed one door between my child and myself；
and I don't intend there shall be that of a marquee also。〃
〃Sergeant； we must let Mabel follow her own fancy； she
is young and light of heart； and God forbid that any wish
of mine should lay the weight of a feather on a mind that
is all gaiety now； or take one note of happiness from her
laughter！〃
〃Have you conversed freely with the girl？〃 the Sergeant
demanded quickly； and with some asperity of manner。
Pathfinder was too honest to deny a truth plain as that
which the answer required； and yet too honorable to betray
Mabel； and expose her to the resentment of one whom he
well knew to be stern in his anger。
〃We have laid open our minds；〃 he said； 〃and though
Mabel's is one that any man might love to look at； I find
little there； Sergeant； to make me think any better of my…
self。〃
〃The girl has not dared to refuse you to refuse her
father's best friend？〃
Pathfinder turned his face away to conceal the look of
anguish that consciousness told him was passing athwart
it； but he continued the discourse in his own quiet； manly
tones。
〃Mabel is too kind to refuse anything； or to utter harsh
words to a dog。 I have not put the question in a way to
be downright refused； Sergeant。〃
〃And did you expect my daughter to jump into your
arms before you asked her？ She would not have been her
mother's child had she done any such thing； nor do I think
she would have been mine。 The Dunhams like plain
dealing as well as the king's majesty； but they are no
jumpers。 Leave me to manage this matter for you； Path…
finder； and there shall be no unnecessary delay。 I'll speak
to Mabel myself this very evening； using your name as
principal in the affair。〃
〃I'd rather not； I'd rather not； Sergeant。 Leave the
matter to Mabel and me； and I think all will come right in
the ind。 Young girls are like timorsome birds； they do
not over…relish being hurried or spoken harshly to nither。
Leave the matter to Mabel and me。〃
〃On one condition I will； my friend； and that is； that
you will promise me； on the honor of a scout； that you will
put the matter plainly to Mabel the first suitable oppor…
tunity； and no mincing of words。〃
〃I will ask her； Sergeant； on condition that you promise
not to meddle in the affair yes； I will promise to ask
Mabel whether she will marry me； even though she laugh
in my face at my doing so； on that condition。〃
Sergeant Dunham gave the desired promise very cheer…
fully； for he had completely wrought himself up into the
belief that the man he so much esteemed himself must be
acceptable to his daughter。 He had married a woman
much younger than himself； and he saw no unfitness in the
respective years of the intended couple。 Mabel was edu…
cated so much above him； too； that he was not aware of
the difference which actually existed between the parent
and child in this respect。 It followed that Sergeant Dun…
ham was not altogether qualified to appreciate his daugh…
ter's tastes； or to form a very probable conjecture what
would be the direction taken by those feelings which
oftener depend on impulses and passion than on reason。
Still； the worthy soldier was not so wrong in his estimate
of the Pathfinder's chances as might at first appear。 Know…
ing all the sterling qualities of the man； his truth； integ…
rity of purpose； courage； self…devotion； disinterestedness；
it was far from unreasonable to suppose that qualities like
these would produce a deep impression on any female heart；
and the father erred principally in fancying that the
daughter might know as it might be by intuition what he
himself had acquired by years of intercourse and adventure。
As Pathfinder and his military friend descended the hill
to the shore of the lake； the discourse did not flag。 The
latter continued to persuade the former that his diffidence
alone prevented complete success with Mabel； and that he
had only to persevere in order to prevail。 Pathfinder was
much too modest by nature； and had been too plainly；
though so delicately； discouraged in the recent interview
to believe all he heard； still the father used so many argu…
inents which seemed plausible； and it was so grateful to
fancy that the daughter might yet be his； that the reader
is not to be surprised when he is told that this unsophis…
ticated being did not view Mabel's recent conduct in pre…
cisely the light in which he may be inclined to view it
himself。 He did not credit all that the Sergeant told him；
it is true； but he began to think virgin coyness and igno…
rance of her own feelings might have induced Mabel to
use the language she had。
〃The Quartermaster is no favorite；〃 said Pathfinder in
answer to one of his companion's remarks。 〃Mabel will
never look on him as more than one who has had four or
five wives already。〃
〃Which is more than his share。 A man may marry
twice without offence to good morals and decency； I allow！
but four times is an aggravation。〃
〃I should think even marrying once what Master Cap
calls a circumstance；〃 put in Pathfinder； laughing in his
quiet way； for by this time his spirits had recovered some
of their buoyancy。
〃It is； indeed； my friend； and a most solemn circum…
stance too。 If it were not that Mabel is to be your wife；
I would advise you to remain single。 But here is the girl
herself； and discretion is the word。〃
〃Ah's me； Sergeant； I fear you are mistaken！〃
CHAPTER XIX。
Thus was this place
A happy rural seat of various view。
MILTON。
Mabel was in waiting on the beach； and the canoe was
soon launched。 Pathfinder carried the party out through
the surf in the same skillful manner that he had brought
it in； and though Mabel's color heightened with excite…
ment； and her heart seemed often ready to leap out of her
mouth again； they reached the side of the _Scud_ without
having received even a drop of spray。
Ontario is like a quick…tempered man； sudden to be an…
gered； and as soon appeased。 The sea had already fallen；
and though the breakers bounded the shore； far as the eye
could reach； it was merely in lines of brightness； that ap…
peared and vanished like the returning waves produced by
a stone which had been dropped into a pool。 The cable
of the _Scud_ was scarcely seen above the water； and Jasper
had already hoisted his sails； in readiness to depart as soon
as the expected breeze from the shore should fill the can…
vas。
It was just sunset as the cutter's mainsail flapped and
its stem began to sever the water。 The air was light and
southerly； and the head of the vessel was kept looking up
along the south shore； it being the intention to get to the
eastward again as fast as possible。 The night that suc…
ceeded was quiet； and the rest of those who slept deep and
tranquil。
Some difficulty occurred concerning the command of
the vessel； but the matter had been finally settled by an
amicable compromise。 As the distrust of Jasper was far
from being appeased； Cap retained a supervisory power；
while the young man was allowed to work the craft； sub…
ject； at all times； to the control and interference of the old
seaman。 To this Jasper consented； in preference to ex…
posing Mabel any longer to tbe dangers of their present
situation； for； now that the violence of the elements had
ceased； he well k