all　the　better　of　you　should　you　live　to　be　as　old　as　one　of
  the　trees　in　this　forest。〃
  〃Nay；　nay；〃　interrupted　the　single…hearted　and　generous
  guide；　〃Jasper　wants　not　for　friends　in　this　region；　I　can
  assure　you；　and　though　seeing　the　world；　according　to　his
  habits；　may　do　him　good　as　well　as　another；　we　shall　think
  none　the　worse　of　him　if　he　never　quits　us。　　Eau…douce　or
  Eau…de…vie；　he　is　a　brave；　true…hearted　youth；　and　I　always
  sleep　as　soundly　when　he　is　on　the　watch　as　if　I　was　up　and
  stirring　myself；　ay；　and　for　that　matter；　sounder　too。
  The　Sergeant's　daughter　here　doesn't　believe　it　necessary
  for　the　lad　to　go　to　sea　in　order　to　make　a　man　of　him；
  or　one　who　is　worthy　to　be　respected　and　esteemed。〃
  Mabel　made　no　reply　to　this　appeal；　and　she　even　looked
  towards　the　western　shore；　although　the　darkness　rendered
  the　natural　movements　unnecessary　to　conceal　her　face。
  But　Jasper　felt　that　there　was　a　necessity　for　his　saying
  something；　the　pride　of　youth　and　manhood　revolting　at　the
  idea　of　his　being　in　a　condition　not　to　command　the　re…
  spect　of　his　fellows　or　the　smiles　of　his　equals　of　the　other
  sex。　　Still　he　was　unwilling　to　utter　aught　that　might　be
  considered　harsh　to　the　uncle　of　Mabel；　and　his　self…
  command　was　perhaps　more　creditable　than　his　modesty
  and　spirit。
  〃I　pretend　not　to　things　I　don't　possess；〃　he　said；　〃and
  lay　no　claim　to　any　knowledge　of　the　ocean　or　of　naviga…
  tion。　　We　steer　by　the　stars　and　the　compass　on　these
  lakes；　running　from　headland　to　headland；　and　having
  little　need　of　figures　and　calculations；　make　no　use　of
  them。　　But　we　have　our　claims　notwithstanding；　as　I　have
  often　heard　from　those　who　have　passed　years　on　the
  ocean。　　In　the　first　place；　we　have　always　the　land　aboard；
  and　much　of　the　time　on　a　lee…shore；　and　that　I　have　fre…
  quently　heard　makes　hardy　sailors。　　Our　gales　are　sudden
  and　severe；　and　we　are　compelled　to　run　for　our　ports　at
  all　hours。〃
  〃You　have　your　leads；〃　interrupted　Cap。
  〃They　are　of　little　use；　and　are　seldom　cast。〃
  〃The　deep…seas。〃
  〃I　have　heard　of　such　things；　but　confess　I　never　saw
  one。〃
  〃Oh！　deuce；　with　a　vengeance。　　A　trader；　and　no　deep…
  sea！　　Why；　boy；　you　cannot　pretend　to　be　anything　of　a
  mariner。　　Who　the　devil　ever　heard　of　a　seaman　without
  his　deep…sea？〃
  〃I　do　not　pretend　to　any　particular　skill；　Master　Cap。〃
  〃Except　in　shooting　falls；　Jasper；　except　in　shooting
  falls　and　rifts；〃　said　Pathfinder；　coming　to　the　rescue；
  〃in　which　business　even　you；　Master　Cap；　must　allow　he
  has　some　handiness。　　In　my　judgment；　every　man　is　to　be
  esteemed　or　condemned　according　to　his　gifts；　and　if
  Master　Cap　is　useless　in　running　the　Oswego　Falls；　I　try
  to　remember　that　he　is　useful　when　out　of　sight　of　land；
  and　if　Jasper　be　useless　when　out　of　sight　of　land；　I　do
  not　forget　that　he　has　a　true　eye　and　steady　hand　when
  running　the　falls。〃
  〃But　Jasper　is　not　useless　　would　not　be　useless　when
  out　of　sight　of　land；〃　said　Mabel；　with　a　spirit　and　energy
  that　caused　her　clear　sweet　voice　to　be　startling　amid　the
  solemn　stillness　of　that　extraordinary　scene。　　〃No　one
  can　be　useless　there　who　can　do　so　much　here；　is　what　I
  mean；　though；　I　daresay；　he　is　not　as　well　acquainted　with
  ships　as　my　uncle。〃
  〃Ay；　bolster　each　other　up　in　your　ignorance；〃　returned
  Cap　with　a　sneer。　　〃We　seamen　are　so　much　out…
  numbered　when　ashore　that　it　is　seldom　we　get　our　dues；
  but　when　you　want　to　be　defended；　or　trade　is　to　be　carried
  on；　there　is　outcry　enough　for　us。〃
  〃But；　uncle；　landsmen　do　not　come　to　attack　our　coasts；
  so　that　seamen　only　meet　seamen。〃
  〃So　much　for　ignorance！　　Where　are　all　the　enemies
  that　have　landed　in　this　country；　French　and　English；　let
  me　inquire；　niece？〃
  〃Sure　enough；　where　are　they？〃　ejaculated　Pathfinder。
  〃None　can　tell　better　than　we　who　dwell　in　the　woods；
  Master　Cap。　　I　have　often　followed　their　line　of　march　by
  bones　bleaching　in　the　rain；　and　have　found　their　trail　by
  graves；　years　after　they　and　their　pride　had　vanished　to…
  gether。　　Generals　and　privates；　they　lay　scattered　through…
  out　the　land；　so　many　proofs　of　what　men　are　when　led
  on　by　their　love　of　great　names　and　the　wish　to　be　more
  than　their　fellows。〃
  〃I　must　say；　Master　Pathfinder；　that　you　sometimes
  utter　opinions　that　are　a　little　remarkable　for　a　man　who
  lives　by　the　rifle；　seldom　snuffing　the　air　but　he　smells
  gunpowder；　or　turning　out　of　his　berth　but　to　bear　down
  on　an　enemy。〃
  〃If　you　think　I　pass　my　days　in　warfare　against　my
  kind；　you　know　neither　me　nor　my　history。　　The　man
  that　lives　in　the　woods　and　on　the　frontiers　must　take　the
  chances　of　the　things　among　which　he　dwells。　　For　this　I
  am　not　accountable；　being　but　an　humble　and　powerless
  hunter　and　scout　and　guide。　　My　real　calling　is　to　hunt
  for　the　army；　on　its　marches　and　in　times　of　peace；　al…
  though　I　am　more　especially　engaged　in　the　service　of　one
  officer；　who　is　now　absent　in　the　settlements；　where　I　never
  follow　him。　　No；　no；　bloodshed　and　warfare　are　not　my
  real　gifts；　but　peace　and　mercy。　　Still；　I　must　face　the
  enemy　as　well　as　another；　and　as　for　a　Mingo；　I　look　upon
  him　as　man　looks　on　a　snake；　a　creatur'　to　be　put　beneath
  the　heel　whenever　a　fitting　occasion　offers。〃
  〃Well；　well；　I　have　mistaken　your　calling；　which　I　had
  thought　as　regularly　warlike　as　that　of　a　ship's　gunner。
  There　is　my　brother…in…law；　now；　he　has　been　a　soldier
  since　he　was　sixteen；　and　he　looks　upon　his　trade　as　every
  way　as　respectable　as　that　of　a　seafaring　man；　a　point　I
  hardly　think　it　worth　while　to　dispute　with　him。〃
  〃My　father　has　been　taught　to　believe　that　it　is　honor…
  able　to　carry　arms；〃　said　Mabel；　〃for　his　father　was　a
  soldier　before　him。〃
  〃Yes；　yes；〃　resumed　the　guide；　〃most　of　the　Sergeant's
  gifts　are　martial；　and　he　looks　at　most　things　in　this　world
  over　the　barrel　of　his　musket。　　One　of　his　notions；　now；
  is　to　prefer　a　king's　piece　to　a　regular；　double…sighted；
  long…barrelled　rifle。　　Such　conceits　will　come　over　men
  from　long　habit；　and　prejudice　is；　perhaps；　the　commonest
  failing　of　human　natur'。〃
  While　the　desultory　conversation　just　related　had　been
  carried　on　in　subdued　voices；　the　canoes　were　dropping
  slowly　down　with　the　current　within　the　deep　shadows　of
  the　western　shore；　the　paddles　being　used　merely　to　pre…
  serve　the　desired　direction　and　proper　positions。　　The
  strength　of　the　stream　varied　materially；　the　water　being
  seemingly　still　in　places；　while　in　other　reaches　it　flowed
  at　a　rate　exceeding　two　or　even　three　miles　in　the　hour。
  On　the　rifts　it　even　dashed　forward　with　a　velocity　that
  was　appalling　to　the　unpractised　eye。　　Jasper　was　of
  opinion　that　they　might　drift　down　with　the　current　to
  the　mouth　of　the　river　in　two　hours　from　the　time　they
  left　the　shore；　and　he　and　the　Pathfinder　had　agreed　on
  the　expediency　of　suffering　the　canoes　to　float　of　them…
  selves　for　a　time；　or　at　least　until　they　had　passed　the　first
  dangers　of　their　new　movement。　　The　dialogue　had　been
  carried　on　in　voices；　too；　guardedly　low；　for　though　the
  quiet　of　deep　solitude　reigned　in　that　vast　and　nearly
  boundless　forest；　nature　was　speaking　with　her　thousand
  tongues　in　the　eloquent　language　of　night　in　a　wilderness。
  The　air　sighed　through　ten　thousand　trees；　the　water
  rippled；　and　at　places　even　roared　along　the　shores；　and
  now　and　then　was　heard　the　creaking　of　a　branch　or　a
  trunk；　as　it　rubbed　against　some　object　similar　to　itself；
  under　the　vibrations　of　a　nicely　balanced　body。　　All　living
  sounds　had　ceased。　　Once；　it　is　true；　the　Pathfinder　fancied
  he　heard　the　howl　of　a　distant　wolf；　of　which　a　few　prowled
  through　these　woods；　but　it　was　a　transient　and　doubtful
  cry；　that　might　possibly　have　been　attributed　to　the　imag…
  ination。　　When　he　desired　his　companions；　however；　to
  cease　talking；　his　vigilant　ear　had　caught　the　peculiar
  sound　which　is　made　by　the　parting　of　a　dried　branch　of
  a　tree　and　which；　if　his　senses　did　not　deceive　him；　came
  from　the　western　shore。　　All　who　are　accustomed　to　that
  particular　sound　will　understand　how　reaily　the　ear　re…
  ceives　it；　and　how　easy　it　is　to　distinguish　the　tread　which
  breaks　the　branch　from　every　other　noise　of　the　forest。
  〃There　is　the　footstep　of　a　man　on　the　bank；〃　said
  Pathfinder　to　Jasper；　speaking　in　neither　a　whisper　nor
  yet　in　a　voice　loud　enough　to　be　heard　at　any　distance。
  〃Can　the　accursed　Iroquois　have　crossed　the　river　already；
  with　their　arms；　and　without　a　boat？〃
  〃It　may　be　the　Delaware。　　He　would　follow　us；　of
  course　down　this　bank；　and　would　know　where　to　look　for
  us。　　Let　me　draw　closer　into　the　shore；　and　reconnoitre。〃
  〃Go　boy　but　be　light　with　the　paddle；　and　on　no　ac…
  count　venture　ashore　on　an　onsartainty。〃
  〃Is　this　prudent？〃　demanded　Mabel；　with　an　impetu…
  osity　that　rendered　her　incautious　in　modulating　her　sweet
  voice。
  〃Very　imprudent；　if　you　speak　so　loud；　fair　one。　　I　like
  your　voice；　which　is　soft　and　pleasing；　after　the　listening　so
  long　to　the　tones　of　men；　but　it　must　not　be　heard　too
  much；　or　too　freely；　just　now。　　Your　father；　the　honest
  Sergeant；　will　tell　you；　when　you　meet　him；　that　silence　is
  a　double　virtue　on　a　trail。　　Go；　Jasper；　and　do　justice