probably　have　deserted　his　post；　had　not　the　images　of
  Indians　tearing　scalps　from　the　human　head　taken　so
  strong　hold　of　his　fancy　as　to　induce　him　to　imagine　the
  canoe　a　sort　of　sanctuary。
  〃What　is　to　be　done　with　Magnet？〃　he　demanded；　af…
  fection　for　his　niece　raising　another　qualm　in　his　con…
  science。　　〃We　cannot　allow　Magnet　to　land　if　there　are
  enemy's　Indians　near？〃
  〃Nay；　no　Mingo　will　be　near　the　portage；　for　that　is　a
  spot　too　public　for　their　devilries；〃　answered　the　Path…
  finder　confidently。　　〃Natur'　is　natur'；　and　it　is　an　Indian's
  natur'　to　be　found　where　he　is　least　expected。　　No　fear
  of　him　on　a　beaten　path；　for　he　wishes　to　come　upon　you
  when　unprepared　to　meet　him；　and　the　fiery　villains　make
  it　a　point　to　deceive　you；　one　way　or　another。　　Sheer　in；
  Eau…douce；　and　we　will　land　the　Sergeant's　daughter　on
  the　end　of　that　log；　where　she　can　reach　the　shore　with　a
  dry　foot。〃
  The　injunction　was　obeyed；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the
  whole　party　had　left　the　canoe；　with　the　exception　of
  Pathfinder　and　the　two　sailors。　　Notwithstanding　his　pro…
  fessional　pride；　Cap　would　have　gladly　followed；　but　he
  did　not　like　to　exhibit　so　unequivocal　a　weakness　in　the
  presence　of　a　fresh…water　sailor。
  〃I　call　all　hands　to　witness；〃　said　he；　as　those　who　had
  landed　moved　away；　〃that　I　do　not　look　on　this　affair　as
  anything　more　than　canoeing　in　the　woods。　　There　is　no
  seamanship　in　tumbling　over　a　waterfall；　which　is　a　feat
  the　greatest　lubber　can　perform　as　well　as　the　oldest
  mariner。〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　you　needn't　despise　the　Oswego　Falls；
  neither；〃　put　in　Pathfinder；　〃for；　thought　they　may　not　be
  Niagara；　nor　the　Genessee；　nor　the　Cahoos；　nor　Glenn's；
  nor　those　on　the　Canada；　they　are　narvous　enough　for　a
  new　beginner。　　Let　the　Sergeant's　daughter　stand　on
  yonder　rock；　and　she　will　see　the　manner　in　which　we　ig…
  norant　backwoodsmen　get　over　a　difficulty　that　we　can't
  get　under。　　Now；　Eau…douce；　a　steady　hand　and　a　true　eye；
  for　all　rests　on　you；　seeing　that　we　can　count　Master　Cap
  for　no　more　than　a　passenger。〃
  The　canoe　was　leaving　the　shore　as　he　concluded；　while
  Mabel　went　hurriedly　and　trembling　to　the　rock　that　had
  been　pointed　out；　talking　to　her　companion　of　the　danger
  her　uncle　so　unnecessarily　ran；　while　her　eyes　were　riveted
  on　the　agile　and　vigorous　form　of　Eau…douce；　as　he　stood
  erect　in　the　stern　of　the　light　boat；　governing　its　move…
  ments。　　As　soon；　however；　as　she　reached　a　point　where
  she　got　a　view　of　the　fall；　she　gave　an　involuntary　but
  suppressed　scream；　and　covered　her　eyes。　　At　the　next
  instant；　the　latter　were　again　free；　and　the　entranced　girl
  stood　immovable　as　a　statue；　a　scarcely　breathing　observer
  of　all　that　passed。　　The　two　Indians　seated　themselves
  passively　on　a　log；　hardly　looking　towards　the　stream；
  while　the　wife　of　Arrowhead　came　near　Mabel；　and　ap…
  reared　to　watch　the　motions　of　the　canoe　with　some　such
  interest　as　a　child　regards　the　leaps　of　a　tumbler。
  As　soon　as　the　boat　was　in　the　stream；　Pathfinder　sank
  on　his　knees；　continuing　to　use　the　paddle；　though　it　was
  slowly；　and　in　a　manner　not　to　interfere　with　the　efforts
  of　his　companion。　　The　latter　still　stood　erect；　and；　as
  he　kept　his　eye　on　some　object　beyond　the　fall；　it　was　evi…
  dent　that　he　was　carefully　looking　for　the　spot　proper　for
  their　passage。
  〃Farther　west；　boy；　farther　west；〃　muttered　Pathfinder；
  〃there　where　you　see　the　water　foam。　　Bring　the　top　of
  the　dead　oak　in　a　line　with　the　stem　of　the　blasted　hem…
  lock。〃
  Eau…douce　made　no　answer；　for　the　canoe　was　in　the
  centre　of　the　stream；　with　its　head　pointed　towards　the
  fall；　and　it　had　already　begun　to　quicken　its　motion　by　the
  increased　force　of　the　current。　　At　that　moment　Cap
  would　cheerfully　have　renounced　every　claim　to　glory　that
  could　possibly　be　acquired　by　the　feat；　to　have　been　safe
  again　on　shore。　　He　heard　the　roar　of　the　water；　thunder…
  ing；　as　it　might　be；　behind　a　screen；　but　becoming　more
  and　more　distinct；　louder　and　louder；　and　before　him　he
  saw　its　line　cutting　the　forest　below；　along　which　the
  green　and　angry　element　seemed　stretched　and　shining；　as
  if　the　particles　were　about　to　lose　their　principle　of　cohe…
  sion。
  〃Down　with　your　helm；　down　with　your　helm；　man！〃
  he　exclaimed；　unable　any　longer　to　suppress　his　anxiety；
  as　the　canoe　glided　towards　the　edge　of　the　fall。
  〃Ay；　ay；　down　it　is　sure　enough；〃　answered　Pathfinder；
  looking　behind　him　for　a　single　instant；　with　his　silent；
  joyous　laugh；　　〃down　we　go；　of　a　sartinty！　　Heave　her
  starn　up；　boy；　farther　up　with　her　starn！〃
  The　rest　was　like　the　passage　of　the　viewless　wind。　　Eau…
  douce　gave　the　required　sweep　with　his　paddle；　the　canoe
  glanced　into　the　channel；　and　for　a　few　seconds　it　seemed
  to　Cap　that　he　was　tossing　in　a　caldron。　　He　felt　the　bow
  of　the　canoe　tip；　saw　the　raging；　foaming　water　careering
  madly　by　his　side；　was　sensible　that　the　light　fabric　in
  which　he　floated　was　tossed　about　like　an　egg…shell；　and
  then；　not　less　to　his　great　joy　than　to　his　surprise；　he　dis…
  covered　that　it　was　gliding　across　the　basin　of　still　water
  below　the　fall；　under　the　steady　impulse　of　Jasper's
  paddle。
  The　Pathfinder　continued　to　laugh；　but　he　arose　from
  his　knees；　and；　searching　for　a　tin　pot　and　a　horn　spoon；
  he　began　deliberately　to　measure　the　water　that　had　been
  taken　in　the　passage。
  〃Fourteen　spoonfuls；　Eau…douce；　fourteen　fairly　meas…
  ured　spoonfuls。　　I　have；　you　must　acknowledge；　known
  you　to　go　down　with　only　ten。〃
  〃Master　Cap　leaned　so　hard　up　stream；〃　returned　Jasper
  seriously；　〃that　I　had　difficulty　in　trimming　the　canoe。〃
  〃It　may　be　so；　no　doubt　it　_was_　so；　since　you　say　it；　but
  I　have　known　you　go　over　with　only　ten。〃
  Cap　now　gave　a　tremendous　hem；　felt　for　his　queue　as
  if　to　ascertain　its　safety；　and　then　looked　back　in　order　to
  examine　the　danger　he　had　gone　through。　　His　safety　is
  easily　explained。　　Most　of　the　river　fell　perpendicularly
  ten　or　twelve　feet；　but　near　its　centre　the　force　of　the
  current　had　so　far　worn　away　the　rock　as　to　permit　the
  water　to　shoot　through　a　narrow　passage；　at　an　angle　of
  about　forty　or　forty　five　degrees。　　Down　this　ticklish　de…
  scent　the　canoe　had　glanced；　amid　fragments　of　broken
  rock；　whirlpools；　foam；　and　furious　tossings　of　the　ele…
  ment；　which　an　uninstructed　eye　would　believe　menaced
  inevitable　destruction　to　an　object　so　fragile。　　But　the
  very　lightness　of　the　canoe　had　favored　its　descent；　for；
  borne　on　the　crest　of　the　waves；　and　directed　by　a　steady
  eye　and　an　arm　full　of　muscle；　it　had　passed　like　a　feather
  from　one　pile　of　foam　to　another；　scarcely　permitting　its
  glossy　side　to　be　wetted。　　There　were　a　few　rocks　to　be
  avoided；　the　proper　direction　was　to　be　rigidly　observed；
  and　the　fierce　current　did　the　rest。　（1）
  （1）　Lest　the　reader　suppose　we　are　dealing　purely　in　fiction；　the
  writer　will　add　that　he　has　known　a　long　thirty…two　pounder　car…
  ried　over　these　same　falls　in　perfect　safety。
  To　say　that　Cap　was　astonished　would　not　be　expressing
  half　his　feelings；　he　felt　awed：　for　the　profound　dread　of
  rocks　which　most　seamen　entertain　came　in　aid　of　his　ad…
  miration　of　the　boldness　of　the　exploit。　　Still　he　was　in…
  disposed　to　express　all　he　felt；　lest　it　might　be　conceding
  too　much　in　favor　of　fresh　water　and　inland　navigation；
  and　no　sooner　had　he　cleared　his　throat　with　the　afore…
  said　hem；　than　he　loosened　his　tongue　in　the　usual　strain
  of　superiority。
  〃I　do　not　gainsay　your　knowledge　of　the　channel；　Master
  Eau…douce；　and；　after　all；　to　know　the　channel　in　such　a
  place　is　the　main　point。　　I　have　had　cockswains　with　me
  who　could　come　down　that　shoot　too；　if　they　only　knew
  the　channel。〃
  〃It　isn't　enough　to　know　the　channel；〃　said　Pathfinder；
  〃it　needs　narves　and　skill　to　keep　the　canoe　straight；　and
  to　keep　her　clear　of　the　rocks　too。　　There　isn't　another
  boatman　in　all　this　region　that　can　shoot　the　Oswego；　but
  Eau…douce　there；　with　any　sartainty；　though；　now　and
  then；　one　has　blundered　through。　　I　can't　do　it　myself
  unless　by　means　of　Providence；　and　it　needs　Jasper's　hand
  and　eye　to　make　sure　of　a　dry　passage。　　Fourteen　spoon…
  fuls；　after　all；　are　no　great　matter；　though　I　wish　it　had
  been　but　ten；　seeing　that　the　Sergeant's　daughter　was　a
  looker…on。〃
  〃And　yet　you　conned　the　canoe；　you　told　him　how　to
  head　and　how　to　sheer。〃
  〃Human　frailty；　master　mariner；　that　was　a　little　of
  white…skin　natur'。　　Now；　had　the　Sarpent；　yonder；　been　in
  the　boat；　not　a　word　would　he　have　spoken　or　thought　would
  he　have　given　to　the　public。　　An　Indian　knows　how　to
  hold　his　tongue；　but　we　white　folk　fancy　we　are　always
  wiser　than　our　fellows。　　I'm　curing　myself　fast　of　the
  weakness；　but　it　needs　time　to　root　up　the　tree　that　has
  been　growing　more　than　thirty　years。〃
  〃I　think　little　of　this　affair；　sir；　nothing　at　all　to　speak
  my　mind　freely。　　It's　a　mere　wash　of　spray　to　shooting
  London　Bridge　which　is　done　every　day　by　hundreds　of
  persons；　and　often　by　the　most　delicate　ladies　in　the　land。
  The　king's　majesty　has　shot　the　bridge　in　his　royal　person。〃
  〃Well；　I　want　no　delicate　ladies　or　king's　majesties
  （God　bless　'em！）　in　the　canoe；　in　going　over　these　falls；
  for　a　boat