sent to his being admitted to their interview。
〃You appear to think you know our situation pretty
well； June；〃 Mabel continued； 〃have you been on the
island before this visit？〃
〃Just come。〃
〃How then do you know that what you say is true？
my father； the Pathfinder； and Eau…douce may all be here
within sound of my voice； if I choose to call them。〃
〃All gone；〃 said June positively； smiling good…humoredly
at the same time。
〃Nay； this is more than you can say certainly； not hav…
ing been over the island to examine it。〃
〃Got good eyes； see boat with men go away see ship
with Eau…douce。〃
〃Then you have been some time watching us： I think；
however； you have not counted them that remain。〃
June laughed； held up her four fingers again； and then
pointed to her two thumbs； passing a finger over the first；
she repeated the words 〃red…coats；〃 and touching the last；
she added； 〃Saltwater；〃 〃Quartermaster。〃 All this was
being very accurate； and Mabel began to entertain serious
doubts as to the propriety of her permitting her visitor to
depart without her becoming more explicit。 Still it was
so repugnant to her feelings to abuse the confidence this
gentle and affectionate creature had evidently reposed in
her； that Mabel had no sooner admitted the thought of
summoning her uncle； than she rejected it as unworthy of
herself and unjust to her friend。 To aid this good reso…
lution； too； there was the certainty that June would reveal
nothing； but take refuge in a stubborn silence； if any at…
tempt were made to coerce her。
〃You think； then； June；〃 Mabel continued； as soon as
these thoughts had passed through her mind； 〃that I had
better live in the blockhouse？〃
〃Good place for woman。 Blockhouse got no scalp。
Logs t'ick。〃
〃You speak confidently； June； as if you had been in it；
and had measured its walls。〃
June laughed； and she looked knowing； though she
said nothing。
〃Does any one but yourself know how to find this
island？ have any of the Iroquois seen it？〃
June looked sad； and she cast her eyes warily about her；
as if distrusting a listener。
〃Tuscarora； everywhere Oswego； here； Frontenac； Mo…
hawk everywhere。 If he see June； kill her。〃
〃But we thought that no one knew of this island； and
that we had no reason to fear our encmies while on it。〃
〃Much eye； Iroquois。〃
〃Eyes will not always do； June； This spot is hid from
ordinary sight； and few of even our own people know how
to find it。〃
〃One man can tell； some Yengeese talk French。〃
Mabel felt a chill at her heart。 All the suspicions against
Jasper； which she had hitherto disdained entertaining；
crowded in a body on her thoughts； and the sensation that
they brought was so sickening； that for an instant she im…
agined she was about to faint。 Arousing herself； and re…
membering her promise to her father； she arose and walked
up and down the hut for a minute； fancying that Jasper's
delinquencies were naught to her； though her inmost heart
yearned with the desire to think him innocent。
〃I understand your meaning； June；〃 she then said；
〃you wish me to know that some one has treacherousy
told your people where and how to find the island？〃
June laughed； for in her eyes artifice in war was oftener
a merit than a crime； but she was too true to her tribe
herself to say more than the occasion required。 Her object
was to save Mabel； and Mabel only； and she saw no suffi…
cient reason for 〃travelling out of the record；〃 as the law
yers express it； in order to do anything else。
〃Pale…face know now；〃 she added。 〃Blockhouse good
for girl； no matter for men and warriors。〃
〃But it is much matter with me； June； for one of those
men is my uncle； whom I love； and the others are my
countrymen and friends。 I must tell them what has
passed。〃
〃Then June be kill；〃 returned the young Indian quietly；
though she evidently spoke with concern。
〃No； they shall not know that you have been here。
Still； they must be on their guard； and we can all go into
the blockhouse。〃
〃Arrowhead know； see everything； and June be kill。
June come to tell young pale…face friend； not to tell men。
Every warrior watch his own scalp。 June woman； and
tell woman； no tell men。〃
Mabel was greatly distressed at this declaration of her
wild friend； for it was now evident the young creature
understood that her communication was to go no further。
She was ignorant how far these people consider the point
of honor interested in her keeping the secret； and most
of all was she unable to say how far any indiscretion of her
own might actually commit June and endanger her life。
All these considerations flashed on her mind； and reflection
only rendered their influence more painful。 June； too；
manifestly viewed the matter gravely； for she began to
gather up the different little articles she had dropped in
taking Mabel's hand； and was preparing to depart。 To
attempt detaining her was out of the question； and to part
from her； after all she had hazarded to serve her； was re…
pugnant to all the just and kind feelings of our heroine's
nature。
〃June；〃 said she eagerly； folding her arms round the
gentle but uneducated being； 〃we are friends。 From me
you have nothing to fear； for no one shall know of your
visit。 If you could give me some signal just before the
danger comes； some sign by which to know when to go
into the blockhouse； how to take care of myself。〃
June paused； for she had been in earnest in her intention
to depart； and then she said quietly； 〃Bring June pigeon。〃
〃A pigeon！ Where shall I find a pigeon to bring you？〃
〃Next hut； bring old one； June go to canoe。〃
〃I think I understand you； June； but had I not better
lead you back to the bushes； lest you meet some of the
men？〃
〃Go out first； count men； one； two； t'ree； four； five； six〃
… here June held up her fingers； and laughed 〃all out of
the way good； all but one； call him one side。 Then sing；
and fetch pigeon。〃
Mabel smiled at the readiness and ingenuity of the girl；
and prepared to execute her requests。 At the door； how…
ever； she stopped； and looked back entreatingly at the In…
dian woman。 〃Is there no hope of your telling me more；
June？〃 she said。
〃Know all now； blockhouse good； pigeon tell； Arrow…
head kill。〃
The last words sufficed； for Mabel could not urge further
communications； when her companion herself told her that
the penalty of her revelations might be death by the hand
of her husband。 Throwing open the door； she made a sign
of adieu to June； and went out of the hut。 Mabel resorted
to the simple expedient of the young Indian girl to ascer…
tain the situation of the different individuals on the island。
Instead of looking about her with the intention of recog…
nizing faces and dresses； she merely counted them； and
found that three still remained at the fire； while two had
gone to the boat； one of whom was Mr。 Muir。 The sixth
man was her uncle； and he was coolly arranging some fish…
ing…tackle at no great distance from the fire。 The woman
was just entering her own hut； and this accounted for the
whole party。 Mabel now； affecting to have dropped some…
thing； returned nearly to the hut she had left； warbling an
air； stooped as if to pick up some object from the ground；
and hurried towards the hut June had mentioned。 This
was a dilapidated structure； and it had been converted by
the soldiers of the last detachment into a sort of store…
house for their live stock。 Among other things； it con…
tained a few dozen pigeons； which were regaling on a pile
of wheat that had been brought off from one of the farms
plundered on the Canada shore。 Mabel had not much
difficulty in catching one of these pigeons； although they
fluttered and flew about the hut with a noise like that of
drums； and； concealing it in her dress； she stole back
towards her own hut with the prize。 It was empty； and；
without doing more than cast a glance in at the door； the
eager girl hurried down to the shore。 She had no diffi…
culty in escaping observation； for the trees and bushes made
a complete cover to her person。 At the canoe she found
June； who took the pigeon； placed it in a basket of her
own manufacturing； and； repeating the words； 〃blockhouse
good；〃 she glided out of the bushes and across the narrow
passage； as noiselessly as she had come。 Mabel waited some
time to catch a signal of leave…taking or amity after her
friend had landed； but none was given。 The adjacent
islands； without exception； were as quiet as if no one had
ever disturbed the sublime repose of nature； and nowhere
could any sign or symptom be discovered； as Mabel then
thought； that might denote the proximity of the sort of
danger of which June had given notice。
On returning； however； from the shore； Mabel was struck
with a little circumstance； that； in an ordinary situation；
would have attracted no attention； but which； now that
her suspicions had been aroused； did not pass before her
uneasy eye unnoticed。 A small piece of red bunting； such
as is used in the ensigns of ships； was fluttering at the
lower branch of a small tree； fastened in a way to permit
it to blow out； or to droop like a vessel's pennan