not　have　been　thought　handsome；　that　at　once　assured
  Magnet　she　was　in　no　danger。　　Still　she　paused。
  〃Fear　nothing；　young　woman；〃　said　the　hunter；　for
  such　his　attire　would　indicate　him　to　be；　〃you　have　met
  Christian　men　in　the　wilderness；　and　such　as　know　how　to
  treat　all　kindly　who　are　disposed　to　peace　and　justice。　　I
  am　a　man　well　known　in　all　these　parts；　and　perhaps　one
  of　my　names　may　have　reached　your　ears。　　By　the
  Frenchers　and　the　red…skins　on　the　other　side　of　the　Big
  Lakes；　I　am　called　La　Longue　Carabine；　by　the　Mohicans；
  a　just…minded　and　upright　tribe；　what　is　left　of　them；
  Hawk　Eye；　while　the　troops　and　rangers　along　this　side　of
  the　water　call　me　Pathfinder；　inasmuch　as　I　have　never
  been　known　to　miss　one　end　of　the　trail；　when　there　was　a
  Mingo；　or　a　friend　who　stood　in　need　of　me；　at　the　other。〃
  This　was　not　uttered　boastfully；　but　with　the　honest
  confidence　of　one　who　well　knew　that　by　whatever　name
  others　might　have　heard　of　him；　ho　had　no　reason　to　blush
  at　the　reports。　　The　effect　on　Mabel　was　instantaneous。
  The　moment　she　heard　the　last　_sobriquet_　she　clasped　her
  hands　eagerly　and　repeated　the　word　〃Pathfinder！〃
  〃So　they　call　me；　young　woman；　and　many　a　great　lord
  has　got　a　title　that　he　did　not　half　so　well　merit；　though；
  if　truth　be　said；　I　rather　pride　myself　in　finding　my　way
  where　there　is　no　path；　than　in　finding　it　where　there　is。
  But　the　regular　troops　are　by　no　means　particular；　and
  half　the　time　they　don't　know　the　difference　between　a
  trail　and　a　path；　though　one　is　a　matter　for　the　eye；　while
  the　other　is　little　more　than　scent。〃
  〃Then　you　are　the　friend　my　father　promised　to　send
  to　meet　us？〃
  〃If　you　are　Sergeant　Dunham's　daughter；　the　great
  Prophet　of　the　Delawares　never　uttered　more　truth。〃
  〃I　am　Mabel；　and　yonder；　hid　by　the　trees；　are　my
  uncle；　whose　name　is　Cap；　and　a　Tuscarora　called　Arrow…
  head。　　We　did　not　hope　to　meet　you　until　we　had　nearly
  reached　the　shores　of　the　lake。〃
  〃I　wish　a　juster…minded　Indian　had　been　your　guide；〃
  said　Pathfinder；　〃for　I　am　no　lover　of　the　Tuscaroras；　who
  have　travelled　too　far　from　the　graves　of　their　fathers
  always　to　remember　the　Great　Spirit；　and　Arrowhead　is
  an　ambitious　chief。　　Is　the　Dew…of…June　with　him？〃
  〃His　wife　accompanies　us；　and　a　humble　and　mild　crea…
  ture　she　is。〃
  〃Ay；　and　true…hearted；　which　is　more　than　any　who
  know　him　will　say　of　Arrowhead。　　Well；　we　must　take
  the　fare　that　Providence　bestows；　while　we　follow　the　trail
  of　life。　　I　suppose　worse　guides　might　have　been　found
  than　the　Tuscarora；　though　he　has　too　much　Mingo　blood
  for　one　who　consorts　altogether　with　the　Delawares。〃
  〃It　is；　then；　perhaps；　fortunate　we　have　met；〃　said
  Mabel。
  〃It　is　not　misfortunate；　at　any　rate；　for　I　promised　the
  Sergeant　I　would　see　his　child　safe　to　the　garrison；　though
  I　died　for　it。　　We　expected　to　meet　you　before　you　reached
  the　Falls；　where　we　have　left　our　own　canoe；　while　we
  thought　it　might　do　no　harm　to　come　up　a　few　miles；　in
  order　to　be　of　service　if　wanted。　　It　is　lucky　we　did；　for　I
  doubt　if　Arrowhead　be　the　man　to　shoot　the　current。〃
  〃Here　come　my　uncle　and　the　Tuscarora；　and　our　parties
  can　now　join。〃　　As　Mabel　concluded；　Cap　and　Arrowhead；
  who　saw　that　the　conference　was　amicable；　drew　nigh；　and
  a　few　words　sufficed　to　let　them　know　as　much　as　the　girl
  herself　had　learned　from　the　strangers。　　As　soon　as　this
  was　done；　the　party　proceeded　towards　the　two　who　still
  remained　near　the　fire。
  CHAPTER　II。
  Yea！　long　as　Nature's　humblest　child
  Hath　kept　her　temple　undefiled
  By　simple　sacrifice；
  Earth's　fairest　scenes　are　all　his　own；
  He　is　a　monarch　and　his　throne
  Is　built　amid　the　skies！
  WILSON。
  The　Mohican　continued　to　eat；　though　the　second　white
  man　rose；　and　courteously　took　off　his　cap　to　Mabel　Dun…
  ham。　　He　was　young；　healthful；　and　manly　in　appearance；
  and　he　wore　a　dress　which；　while　it　was　less　rigidly　pro…
  fessional　than　that　of　the　uncle；　also　denoted　one　accus…
  tomed　to　the　water。　　In　that　age；　real　seamen　were　a　class
  entirely　apart　from　the　rest　of　mankind；　their　ideas；　or…
  dinary　language；　and　attire　being　as　strongly　indicative　of
  their　calling　as　the　opinions；　speech；　and　dress　of　a　Turk
  denote　a　Mussulman。　　Although　the　Pathfinder　was
  scarcely　in　the　prime　of　life；　Mabel　had　met　him　with　a
  steadiness　that　may　have　been　the　consequence　of　having
  braced　her　nerves　for　the　interview；　but　when　her　eyes
  encountered　those　of　the　young　man　at　the　fire；　they　fell
  before　the　gaze　of　admiration　with　which　she　saw；　or
  fancied　she　saw；　he　greeted　her。　　Each；　in　truth；　felt　that
  interest　in　the　other　which　similarity　of　age；　condition；
  mutual　comeliness；　and　their　novel　situation　would　be
  likely　to　inspire　in　the　young　and　ingenuous。
  〃Here；〃　said　Pathfinder；　with　an　honest　smile　bestowed
  on　Mabel；　〃are　the　friends　your　worthy　father　has　sent　to
  meet　you。　　This　is　a　great　Delaware；　and　one　who　has　had
  honors　as　well　as　troubles　in　his　day。　　He　has　an　Indian
  name　fit　for　a　chief；　but；　as　the　language　is　not　always　easy
  for　the　inexperienced　to　pronounce　we　naturally　turn　it
  into　English；　and　call　him　the　Big　Sarpent。　　You　are　not
  to　suppose；　however；　that　by　this　name　we　wish　to　say　that
  he　is　treacherous；　beyond　what　is　lawful　in　a　red…skin；　but
  that　he　is　wise；　and　has　the　cunning　which　becomes　a　war…
  nor。　　Arrowhead；　there；　knows　what　I　mean。〃
  While　the　Pathfinder　was　delivering　this　address；　the
  two　Indians　gazed　on　each　other　steadily；　and　the　Tus…
  carora　advanced　and　spoke　to　the　other　in　an　apparently
  friendly　manner。
  〃I　like　to　see　this；〃　continued　Pathfinder；　〃the　salutes
  of　two　red…skins　in　the　woods；　Master　Cap；　are　like　the
  hailing　of　friendly　vessels　on　the　ocean。　　But　speaking　of
  water；　it　reminds　me　of　my　young　friend；　Jasper　Western
  here；　who　can　claim　to　know　something　of　these　matters；
  seeing　that　he　has　passed　his　days　on　Ontario。〃
  〃I　am　glad　to　see　you；　friend；〃　said　Cap；　giving　the
  young　fresh…water　sailor　a　cordial　grip；　〃though　you　must
  have　something　still　to　learn；　considering　the　school　to
  which　you　have　been　sent。　　This　is　my　niece　Mabel；　I　call
  her　Magnet；　for　a　reason　she　never　dreams　of；　though　you
  may　possibly　have　education　enough　to　guess　at　it；　having
  some　pretentions　to　understand　the　compass；　I　suppose。〃
  〃The　reason　is　easily　comprehended；〃　said　the　young
  man；　involuntarily　fastening　his　keen　dark　eye；　at　the
  same　time；　on　the　suffused　face　of　the　girl；　〃and　I　feel
  sure　that　the　sailor　who　steers　by　your　Magnet　will　never
  make　a　bad　land…fall。〃
  〃Ha！　you　do　make　use　of　some　of　the　terms；　I　find；　and
  that　with　propriety；　though；　on　the　whole；　I　fear　you　have
  seen　more　green　than　blue　water。〃
  〃It　is　not　surprising　that　we　should　get　some　of　the
  phrases　which　belong　to　the　land；　for　we　are　seldom　out
  of　sight　of　it　twenty…four　hours　at　a　time。〃
  〃More's　the　pity；　boy；　more's　the　pity！　　A　very　little
  land　ought　to　go　a　great　way　with　a　seafaring　man。　　Now；
  if　the　truth　were　known；　Master　Western；　I　suppose　there
  is　more　or　less　land　all　round　your　lake。〃
  〃And；　uncle；　is　there　not　more　or　less　land　around　the
  ocean？〃　said　Magnet　quickly；　for　she　dreaded　a　prema…
  ture　display　of　the　old　seaman's　peculiar　dogmatism；　not
  to　say　pedantry。
  〃No；　child；　there　is　more　or　less　ocean　all　round　the
  land；　that's　what　I　tell　the　people　ashore；　youngster。
  They　are　living；　as　it　might　be；　in　the　midst　of　the　sea；
  without　knowihg　it；　by　sufferance；　as　it　were；　the　water
  being　so　much　the　more　powerful　and　the　largest。　　But
  there　is　no　end　to　conceit　in　this　world：　for　a　fellow　who
  never　saw　salt　water　often　fancies　he　knows　more　than
  one　who　has　gone　round　the　Horn。　　No；　no；　this　earth　is
  pretty　much　an　island；　and　all　that　can　be　truly　said　not
  to　be　so　is　water。〃
  Young　Western　had　a　profound　deference　for　a　mariner
  of　the　ocean；　oh　which　he　had　often　pined　to　sail；　but　he
  had　also　a　natural　regard　for　the　broad　sheet　on　which　he
  had　passed　his　life；　and　which　was　not　without　its　beauties
  in　his　eyes。
  〃What　you　say；　sir；〃　he　answered　modestly；　〃may　be
  true　as　to　the　Atlantic；　but　we　have　a　respect　for　the　land
  up　here　on　Ontario。〃
  〃That　is　because　you　are　always　land…locked；〃　returned
  Cap；　laughing　heartily；　〃but　yonder　is　the　the　Pathfinder；　as
  they　call　him；　with　some　smoking　platters；　inviting　us　to
  share　in　his　mess；　and　I　will　confess　that　one　gets　no
  venison　at　sea。　　Master　Western；　civility　to　girls；　at　your
  time　of　life；　comes　as　easy　as　taking　in　the　slack　of　the
  ensign　halyards；　and　if　you　will　just　keep　an　eye　to　her
  kid　and　can；　while　I　join　the　mess　of　the　Pathfinder　and
  our　Indian　friends；　I　make　no　doubt　she　will　remember　it。〃
  Master　Cap　uttered　more　than　he　was　aware　of　at　the
  time。　　Jasper　Western　did　attend　to　the　wants　of　Mabel；
  and　she　long　remembered　the　kind；　manly　attention　of　the
  young　sailor　at　this　their　first　interview。　　He　placed　the
  end　of　a　log　for　a　seat；　obtained　for　her　a　delicious　morsel
  of　the　venison；　gave　her　a　draught　of　pure　water　from　the
  spring；　and　as　he　sat　near　her；　fast　won　his　way　to　her
  esteem　by　his　gentle　but　frank　manner　of　manifesting　his
  care；　homag