no command in this expedition； and therefore can have no
right to yield the blockhouse； and I remember； moreover；
to have heard my dear father say that a prisoner loses all
his authority for the time being。〃
〃Rank sophistry； pretty Mabel； and treason to the king；
as well as dishonoring his commission and discrediting
his name。 You'll no' be persevering in your intentions；
when your better judgment has had leisure to reflect and
to make conclusions on matters and circumstances。〃
〃Ay；〃 put in Cap； 〃this is a circumstance； and be dd
to it！〃
〃No mind what'e uncle say；〃 ejaculated June； who was
occupied in a far corner of the room。 〃Blockhouse good
… got no scalp。〃
〃I shall remain as I am； Mr。 Muir； until I get some tid…
ings of my father。 He will return in the course of the
next ten days。〃
〃Ah； Mabel； this artifice will no' deceive the enemy；
who； by means that would be unintelligible； did not our
suspicions rest on an unhappy young man with too much
plausibility； are familiar with all our doings and plans； and
well know that the sun will not set before the worthy Ser…
geant and his companions will be in their power。 Aweel！
Submission to Providence is truly a Christian virtue！〃
〃Mr。 Muir； you appear to be deceived in the strength
of this work； and to fancy it weaker than it is。 Do you
desire to see what I can do in the way of defence； if so
disposed？〃
〃I dinna mind if I do；〃 answered the Quartermaster；
who always grew Scotch as he grew interested。
〃What do you think of that； then？ Look at the loop
of the upper story？〃
As soon as Mabel had spoken； all eyes were turned up…
ward； and beheld the muzzle of a rifle cautiously thrust
through a hole； June having resorted again to a _ruse_ which
had already proved so successful。 The result did not dis…
appoint expectation。 No sooner did the Indians catch a
sight of the fatal weapon than they leaped aside； and in
less than a minute every man among them had sought a
cover。 The French officer kept his eye on the barrel of
the piece in order to ascertain that it was not pointed in
his particular direction； and he coolly took a pinch of
snuff。 As neither Muir nor Cap had anything to appre…
hend from the quarter in which the others were menaced；
they kept their ground。
〃Be wise； my pretty Mabel； be wise！〃 exclaimed the
former； 〃and no' be provoking useless contention。 In the
name of all the kings of Albin； who have ye closeted with
you in that wooden tower that seemeth so bloody…minded？
There is necromancy about this matter； and all our char…
acters may be involved in the explanation。〃
〃What do you think of the Pathfinder； Master Muir；
for a garrison to so strong a post？〃 cried Mabel； resorting
to an equivocation which the circumstances rendered very
excusable。 〃What will your French and Indian compan…
ions think of the aim of the Pathfinder's rifle？〃
〃Bear gently on the unfortunate； pretty Mabel； and do
not confound the king's servants may Heaven bless him
and all his royal lineage！ with the king's enemies。 If
Pathfinder be indeed in the blockhouse； let him speak； and
we will hold our negotiations directly with him。 He
knows us as friends； and we fear no evil at his hands； and
least of all to myself； for a generous mind is apt to render
rivalry in a certain interest a sure ground of respect and
amity； since admiration of the same woman proves a com…
munity of feeling and tastes。〃
The reliance on Pathfinder's friendship did not extend
beyond the Quartermaster and Cap； however； for even the
French officer； who had hitherto stood his ground so well；
shrank back at the sound of the terrible name。 So unwil…
ling； indeed； did this individual； a man of iron nerves； and
one long accustomed to the dangers of the peculiar war…
fare in which he was engaged； appear to remain exposed
to the assaults of Killdeer； whose reputation throughout
all that frontier was as well established as that of Marl…
borough in Europe； that he did not disdain to seek a cover；
insisting that his two prisoners should follow him。 Mabel
was too glad to be rid of her enemies to lament the depar…
ture of her friends； though she kissed her hand to Cap
through the loop； and called out to him in terms of affec…
tion as he moved slowly and unwillingly away。
The enemy now seemed disposed to abandon all attempts
on the blockhouse for the present； and June； who had
ascended to a trap in the roof； whence the best view was
to be obtained； reported that the whole party had assem…
bled to eat； on a distant and sheltered part of the island；
where Muir and Cap were quietly sharing in the good
things which were going； as if they had no concern on
their minds。 This information greatly relieved Mabel；
and she began to turn her thoughts again to the means of
effecting her own escape； or at least of letting her father
know of the danger that awaited him。 The Sergeant was
expected to return that afternoon； and she knew that a
moment gained or lost might decide his fate。
Three or four hours flew by。 The island was again
buried in a profound quiet； the day was wearing away； and
yet Mabel had decided on nothing。 June was in the base…
ment； preparing their frugal meal； and Mabel herself had
ascended to the roof； which was provided with a trap that
allowed her to go out on the top of the building； whence
she commanded the best view of surrounding objects that
the island possessed； still it was limited； and much ob…
structed by the tops of trees。 The anxious girl did not
dare to trust her person in sight； knowing well that the
unrestrained passions of some savage might induce him to
send a bullet through her brain。 She merely kept her
head out of the trap； therefore； whence； in the course of
the afternoon； she made as many surveys of the different
channels about the island as 〃Anne； sister Anne；〃 took of
the environs of the castle of Blue Beard。
The sun had actually set； no intelligence had been re…
ceived from the boats； and Mabel ascended to the roof to
take a last look； hoping that the party would arrive in the
darkness； which would at least prevent the Indians from
rendering their ambuscade so fatal as it might otherwise
prove； and which possibly might enable her to give some
more intelligible signal； by means of fire； than it would
otherwise be in her power to do。 Her eye had turned
carefully round the whole horizon； and she was just on the
point of drawing in her person； when an object that struck
her as new caught her attention。 The islands lay grouped
so closely； that six or eight different channels or passages
between them were in view； and in one of the most cov…
ered； concealed in a great measure by the bushes of the
shore； lay what a second look assured her was a bark
canoe。 It contained a human being beyond a question。
Confident that if an enemy her signal could do no harm；
and； if a friend； that it might do good； the eager girl
waved a little flag towards the stranger； which she had
prepared for her father； taking care that it should not be
seen from the island。
Mabel had repeated her signal eight or ten times in
vain； and she began to despair of its being noticed； when a
sign was given in return by the wave of a paddle； and the
man so far discovered himself as to let her see it was
Chingachgook。 Here； then； at last； was a friend； one； too；
who was able； and she doubted not would be willing to aid
her。 From that instant her courage and her spirits re…
vived。 The Mohican had seen her； must have recognized
her； as he knew that she was of the party； and no doubt；
as soon as it was sufficiently dark； he would take the steps
necessary to release her。 That he was aware of the pres…
ence of the enemy was apparent by the great caution he
observed； and she had every reliance on his prudence and
address。 The principal difficulty now existed with June；
for Mabel had seen too much of her fidelity to her own
people； relieved as it was by sympathy for herself； to believe
she would consent to a hostile Indian's entering the
blockhouse； or indeed to her leaving it； with a view to
defeat Arrowhead's plans。 The half…hour which succeeded
the discovery of the presence of the Great Serpent was the
most painful of Mabel Dunham's life。 She saw the means
of effecting all she wished； as it might be within reach of
her hand； and yet it eluded her grasp。 She knew June's
decision and coolness； notwithstanding all her gentleness
and womanly feeling； and at last she came reluctantly to
the conclusion that there was no other way of attaining
her end than by deceiving her tried companion and pro…
tector。 It was revolting to one so sincere and natural； so
pure of heart； and so much disposed to ingenuousness as
Mabel Dunham； to practise deception on a friend like
June； but her own father's life was at stake； her compan…
ion would receive no positive injury； and she had feelings
and interests directly touching herself which would have
removed greater scruples。
As soon as it was dark； Mabel's heart began to beat with
increased violence； and she adopted and changed her plan
of proceeding at least a dozen times in a single hour。
June was always the source o