woods or in front of the enemy。〃
〃Garrison or tent； it all passes for part of the same cam…
paign； you know； Pathfinder； and then my duty keeps me
much within sight of the storehouses； greatly contrary to
my inclinations； as ye may well suppose； having yourself
the ardor of battle in your temperament。 But had ye heard
what Mabel had just been saying of you； ye'd no think
another minute of making yourself agreeable to the saucy
and uncompromising hussy。〃
Pathfinder looked earnestly at the lieutenant； for it was
impossible he should not feel an interest in what might be
Mabel's opinion； but he had too much of the innate and
true feeling of a gentleman to ask to hear what another had
said of him。 Muir； however； was not to be foiled by this
self…denial and self…respect； for； believing he had a man
of great truth and simplicity to deal with； he determined
to practise on his credulity； as one means of getting rid of
his rivalry。 He therefore pursued the subject； as soon as
he perceived that his companion's self…denial was stronger
than his curiosity。
〃You ought to know her opinion； Pathfinder；〃 he con…
tinued； 〃and I think every man ought to hear what his
friends and acquaintances say of him： and so； by way of
proving my own regard for your character and feelings；
I'll just tell you in as few words as possible。 You know
that Mabel has a wicked； malicious way with them eyes of
her own； when she has a mind to be hard upon one's feel…
ings。〃
〃To me her eyes； Lieutenant Muir； have always seemed
winning and soft； though I will acknowledge that they
sometimes laugh； yes； I have known them to laugh； and
that right heartily； and with downright goodwill。〃
〃Well； it was just that then； her eyes were laughing
with all their might； as it were； and in the midst of all
her fun； she broke out with an exclamation to this effect：
… I hope 'twill no' hurt your sensibility； Pathfinder？〃
〃I will not say Quartermaster； I will not say。 Mabel's
opinion of me is of no more account than that of most others。〃
〃Then I'll no' tell ye； but just keep discretion on the
subject； and why should a man be telling another what
his friends say of him； especially when they happen to say
that which may not be pleasant to hear？ I'll not add an…
other word to this present communication。〃
〃I cannot make you speak； Quartermaster； if you are
not so minded； and perhaps it is better for me not to know
Mabel's opinion； as you seem to think it is not in my favor。
Ah's me！ if we could be what we wish to be； instead of
being only what we are； there would be a great difference
in our characters and knowledge and appearance。 One
may be rude and coarse and ignorant； and yet happy； if he
does not know it； but it is hard to see our own failings in
the strongest light； just as we wish to hear the least about
them。〃
〃That's just the _rationale_； as the French say； of the
matter； and so I was telling Mabel； when she ran away
and left me。 You noticed the manner in which she
skipped off as you approached？〃
〃It was very observable；〃 answered Pathfinder； drawing
a long breath and clenching the barrel of his rifle as if the
fingers would bury themselves in the iron。
〃It was more than observable it was flagrant； that's
just the word； and the dictionary wouldn't supply a bet…
ter； after an hour's search。 Well； you must know； Path…
finder； for I cannot reasonably deny you the gratification
of hearing this； so you must know the minx bounded off
in that manner in preference to hearing what I had to say
in your justification。〃
〃And what could you find to say in my behalf； Quarter…
master？〃
〃Why； d'ye understand； my friend； I was ruled by cir…
cumstances； and no' ventured indiscreetly into generalities；
but was preparing to meet particulars； as it might be； with
particulars。 If you were thought wild； half…savage； or of
a frontier formation； I could tell her； ye know； that it came
of the frontier； wild and half…savage life ye'd led； and all
her objections must cease at once； or there would be a sort
of a misunderstanding with Providence。〃
〃And did you tell her this； Quartermaster？〃
〃I'll no' swear to the exact words； but the idea was prev…
alent in my mind； ye'll understand。 The girl was impa…
tient； and would not hear the half I had to say； but away
she skipped； as ye saw with your own eyes； Pathfinder； as
if her opinion were fully made up； and she cared to listen
no longer。 I fear her mind may be said to have come to
its conclusion？〃
〃I fear it has indeed； Quartermaster； and her father；
after all； is mistaken。 Yes； yes； the Sergeant has fallen
into a grievous error。〃
〃Well； man； why need ye lament； and undo all the grand
reputation ye've been so many weary years making？
Shoulder the rifle that ye use so well； and off into the
woods with ye； for there's not the female breathing that is
worth a heavy heart for a minute； as I know from experi…
ence。 Tak' the word of one who knows the sax； and has
had two wives； that women； after all； are very much the
sort of creatures we do not imagine them to be。 Now； if
you would really mortify Mabel； here is as glorious an
occasion as any rejected lover could desire。〃
〃The last wish I have； Lieutenant； would be to mortify
Mabel。〃
〃Well； ye'll come to that in the end； notwithstanding；
for it's human nature to desire to give unpleasant feelings
to them that give unpleasant feelings to us。 But a better
occasion never offered to make your friends love you； than
is to be had at this very moment； and that is the certain
means of causing one's enemies to envy us。〃
〃Quartermaster； Mabel is not my inimy； and if she was；
the last thing I could desire would be to give her an uneasy
moment。〃
〃Ye say so； Pathfinder； ye say so； and I daresay ye think
so； but reason and nature are both against you； as ye'll
find in the end。 Ye've heard the saying 'love me； love
my dog：' well； now； that means； read backwards； 'don't
love me； don't love my dog。' Now； listen to what is in
your power to do。 You know we occupy an exceedingly
precarious and uncertain postion here； almost in the jaws
of the lion； as it were？〃
〃Do you mean the Frenchers by the lion； and this island
as his jaws； Lieutenant？〃
〃Metaphorically only； my friend； for the French are no
lions； and this island is not a jaw unless； indeed； it may
prove to be； what I greatly fear may come true； the jaw…
bone of an ass。〃
Here the Quartermaster indulged in a sneering laugh；
that proclaimed anything but respect and admiration for
his friend Lundie's sagacity in selecting that particular
spot for his operations。
〃The post is as well chosen as any I ever put foot in；〃
said Pathfinder； looking around him as one surveys a pic…
ture。
〃I'll no' deny it； I'll no' deny it。 Lundie is a great sol…
dier； in a small way； and his father was a great laird； with
the same qualification。 I was born on the estate； and have
followed the Major so long that I've got to reverence all
he says and does： that's just my weakness； ye'll know；
Pathfinder。 Well； this post may be the post of an ass； or
of a Solomon； as men fancy； but it's most critically placed；
as is apparent by all Lundie's precautions and injunctions。
There are savages out scouting through these Thousand
Islands and over the forest； searching for this very spot； as
is known to Lundie himself； on certain information； and
the greatest service you can render the 55th is to discover
their trails and lead them off on a false scent。 Unhappily
Sergeant Dunham has taken up the notion that the danger
is to be apprehended from up…stream； because Frontenac
lies above us； whereas all experience tells us that Indians
come on the side which is most contrary to reason； and；
consequently； are to be expected from below。 Take your
canoe； therefore； and go down…stream among the islands；
that we may have notice if any danger approaches from
that quarter。〃
〃The Big Sarpent is on the look…out in that quarter；
and as he knows the station well； no doubt he will give us
timely notice； should any wish to sarcumvent us in that
direction。〃
〃He is but an Indian； after all； Pathfinder； and this is
an affair that calls for the knowledge of a white man。
Lundie will be eternally grateful to the man who shall
help this little enterprise to come off with flying colors。
To tell you the truth； my friend； he is conscious it should
never have been attempted； but he has too much of the
old laird's obstinacy about him to own an error； though it
be as manifest as the morning star。〃
The Quartermaster then continued to reason with his
companion； in order to induce him to quit the island with…
out delay； using such arguments as first suggested them…
selves； sometimes contradicting himself； and not unfre…
quently urging at one moment a motive that at the next
was directly opposed by another。 The Pathfinder； simple
as he was； detected these flaws in the Lieutenant's philos…
ophy； though he was far from suspecting that they pro…
ceeded from a desire to clear the coast of Mabel's suitor。
He did not exactly suspect the secret objects of Muir； but
he was far from being blind to his sophistry。 The resul