gifts　are　not　in　that　way；　I　tell　you；　Master　Cap。〃
  〃Nor　herring；　nor　albatross；　nor　flying…fish？〃　continued
  Cap；　who　kept　his　eye　fastened　on　the　guide；　in　order　to
  see　how　far　he　might　venture。　　〃No　such　thing　as　a　fish
  that　can　fly；　I　daresay？〃
  〃A　fish　that　can　fly！　　Master　Cap；　Master　Cap；　do　not
  think；　because　we　are　mere　borderers；　that　we　have　no
  idees　of　natur'；　and　what　she　has　been　pleased　to　do。　　I
  know　there　are　squirrels　that　can　fly　　〃
  〃A　squirrel　fly！　　the　devil；　Master　Pathfinder！　　Do　you
  suppose　that　you　have　got　a　boy　on　his　first　v'y'ge　up　here
  among　you？〃
  〃I　know　nothing　of　your　v'y'ges；　Master　Cap；　though　I
  suppose　them　to　have　been　many；　for　as　for　what　belongs
  to　natur'　in　the　woods；　what　I　have　seen　I　may　tell；　and
  not　fear　the　face　of　man。〃
  〃And　do　you　wish　me　to　understand　that　you　have　seen
  a　squirrel　fly？〃
  〃If　you　wish　to　understand　the　power　of　God；　Master
  Cap；　you　will　do　well　to　believe　that；　and　many　other
  things　of　a　like　natur'；　for　you　may　be　quite　sartain　it　is
  true。〃
  〃And　yet；　Pathfinder；〃　said　Mabel；　looking　so　prettily
  and　sweetly　even　while　she　played　with　the　guide's　in…
  firmity；　that　he　forgave　her　in　his　heart；　〃you；　who　speak
  so　reverently　of　the　power　of　the　Deity；　appear　to　doubt
  that　a　fish　can　fly。〃
  〃I　have　not　said　it；　I　have　not　said　it；　and　if　Master
  Cap　is　ready　to　testify　to　the　fact；　unlikely　as　it　seems；　I
  am　willing　to　try　to　think　it　true。　　I　think　it　every　man's
  duty　to　believe　in　the　power　of　God；　however　difficult　it
  may　be。〃
  〃And　why　isn't　my　fish　as　likely　to　have　wings　as　your
  squirrel？〃　demanded　Cap；　with　more　logic　than　was　his
  wont。　　〃That　fishes　do　and　can　fly　is　as　true　as　it　is　rea…
  sonable。〃
  〃Nay；　that　is　the　only　difficulty　in　believing　the　story；〃
  rejoined　the　guide。　　〃It　seems　unreasonable　to　give　an
  animal　that　lives　in　the　water　wings；　which　seemingly　can
  be　of　no　use　to　it。〃
  〃And　do　you　suppose　that　the　fishes　are　such　asses　as　to
  fly　about　under　water；　when　they　are　once　fairly　fitted　out
  with　wings？〃
  〃Nay；　I　know　nothing　of　the　matter；　but　that　fish
  should　fly　in　the　air　seems　more　contrary　to　natur'　still；
  than　that　the'y　should　fly　in　their　own　element　　that　in
  which　they　were　born　and　brought　up；　as　one　might　say。〃
  〃So　much　for　contracted　ideas；　Magnet。　　The　fish　fly
  out　of　water　to　run　away　from　their　enemies　in　the　water；
  and　there　you　see　not　only　the　fact；　but　the　reason　for　it。〃
  〃Then　I　suppose　it　must　be　true；〃　said　the　guide　quietly。
  〃How　long　are　their　flights？〃
  〃Not　quite　as　far　as　those　of　pigeons；　perhaps；　but　far
  enough　to　make　an　offing。　　As　for　those　squirrels　of　yours；
  we'll　say　no　more　about　them；　friend　Pathfinder；　as　I　sup…
  pose　they　were　mentioned　just　as　a　make…weight　to　the
  fish；　in　favor　of　the　woods。　　But　what　is　this　thing　an…
  chored　here　under　the　hill？〃
  〃That　is　the　cutter　of　Jasper；　uncle；〃　said　Mabel　hur…
  riedly；　〃and　a　very　pretty　vessel　I　think　it　is。　　Its　name；
  too；　is　the　_Scud_。〃
  〃Ay；　it　will　do　well　enough　for　a　lake；　perhaps；　but　it's
  no　great　affair。　　The　lad　has　got　a　standing　bowsprit；　and
  who　ever　saw　a　cutter　with　a　standing　bowsprit　before？〃
  〃But　may　there　not　be　some　good　reason　for　it；　on　a
  lake　like　this；　uncle？〃
  〃Sure　enough　　I　must　remember　this　is　not　the　ocean；
  though　it　does　look　so　much　like　it。〃
  〃Ah；　uncle！　then　Ontario　does　look　like　the　ocean；　after
  all？〃
  〃In　your　eyes；　I　mean；　and　those　of　Pathfinder；　not　in
  the　least　in　mine；　Magnet。　　Now　you　might　set　me　down
  out　yonder；　in　the　middle　of　this　bit　of　a　pond；　and　that；
  too；　in　the　darkest　night　that　ever　fell　from　the　heavens；
  and　in　the　smallest　canoe；　and　I　could　tell　you　it　was　only
  a　lake。　　For　that　matter；　the　_Dorothy_〃　（the　name　of　his
  vessel）　〃would　find　it　out　as　quick　as　I　could　myself。　　I
  do　not　believe　that　brig　would　make　more　than　a　couple
  of　short　stretches；　at　the　most；　before　she　would　perceive
  the　difference　between　Ontario　and　the　old　Atlantic。　　I
  once　took　her　down　into　one　of　the　large　South　American
  bays；　and　she　behaved　herself　as　awkwardly　as　a　booby
  would　in　a　church　with　the　congregation　in　a　hurry。　　And
  Jasper　sails　that　boat？　　I　must　have　a　cruise　with　the　lad；
  Magnet；　before　I　quit　you；　just　for　the　name　of　the　thing。
  It　would　never　do　to　say　I　got　in　sight　of　this　pond；　and
  went　away　without　taking　a　trip　on　it。〃
  〃Well　well；　you　needn't　wait　long　for　that；〃　returned
  Pathfinder；　〃for　the　Sergeant　is　about　to　embark　with　a
  party　to　relieve　a　post　among　the　Thousand　Islands；　and
  as　I　heard　him　say　he　intended　that　Mabel　should　go　along；
  you　can　join　the　company　too。〃
  〃Is　this　true；　Magnet？〃
  〃I　believe　it　is；〃　returned　the　girl；　a　flush　so　imper…
  ceptible　as　to　escape　the　observation　of　her　companions
  glowing　on　her　cheeks；　〃though　I　have　had　so　little　op…
  portunity　to　talk　with　my　dear　father　that　I　am　not　quite
  certain。　　Here　he　comes；　however；　and　you　can　inquire　of
  himself。〃
  Notwithstanding　his　humble　rank；　there　was　something
  in　the　mien　and　character　of　Sergeant　Dunham　that　com…
  manded　respect：　of　a　tall；　imposing　figure；　grave　and
  saturnine　disposition；　and　accurate　and　precise　in　his　acts
  and　manner　of　thinking；　even　Cap；　dogmatical　and　super…
  cilious　as　he　usually　was　with　landsmen；　did　not　presume
  to　take　the　same　liberties　with　the　old　soldier　as　he　did
  with　his　other　friends。　　It　was　often　remarked　that　Ser…
  geant　Dunham　received　more　true　respect　from　Duncan
  of　Lundie；　the　Scotch　laird　who　commanded　the　post；　than
  most　of　the　subalterns；　for　experience　and　tried　services
  were　of　quite　as　much　value　in　the　eyes　of　the　veteran
  major　as　birth　and　money。　　While　the　Sergeant　never　even
  hoped　to　rise　any　higher；　he　so　far　respected　himself　and
  his　present　station　as　always　to　act　in　a　way　to　command
  attention；　and　the　habit　of　mixing　so　much　with　inferiors；
  whose　passions　and　dispositions　he　felt　it　necessary　to　re…
  strain　by　distance　and　dignity；　had　so　far　colored　his　whole
  deportment；　that　few　were　altogether　free　from　its　influ…
  ence。　　While　the　captains　treated　him　kindly　and　as　an
  old　comrade；　the　lieutenants　seldom　ventured　to　dissent
  from　his　military　opinions；　and　the　ensigns；　it　was　remarked；
  actually　manifested　a　species　of　respect　that　amounted　to
  something　very　like　deference。　　It　is　no　wonder；　then；
  that　the　announcement　of　Mabel　put　a　sudden　termina…
  tion　to　the　singular　dialogue　we　have　just　related；　though
  it　had　been　often　observed　that　the　Pathfinder　was　the
  only　　man　on　that　　frontier；　beneath　the　condition　of　a
  gentleman；　who　presumed　to　treat　the　Sergeant　at　all　as
  an　equal；　or　even　with　the　cordial　familiarity　of　a　friend。
  〃Good　morrow；　brother　Cap；〃　said　the　Sergeant　giving
  the　military　salute；　as　he　walked；　in　a　grave；　stately　man…
  ner；　on　the　bastion。　　〃My　morning　duty　has　made　me
  seem　forgetful　of　you　and　Mabel；　but　we　have　now　an
  hour　or　two　to　spare；　and　to　get　acquainted。　　Do　you　not
  perceive；　brother；　a　strong　likeness　on　the　girl　to　her　we
  have　so　long　lost？〃
  〃Mabel　is　the　image　of　her　mother；　Sergeant；　as　I　have
  always　said；　with　a　little　of　your　firmer　figure；　though；
  for　that　matter；　the　Caps　were　never　wanting　in　spring
  and　activity。〃
  Mabel　cast　a　timid　glance　at　the　stern；　rigid　countenance
  of　her　father；　of　whom　she　had　ever　thought；　as　the　warm…
  hearted　dwell　on　the　affection　of　their　absent　parents；
  and；　as　she　saw　that　the　muscles　of　his　face　were　working；
  notwithstanding　the　stiffness　and　method　of　his　manner；
  her　very　heart　yearned　to　throw　herself　on　his　bosom　and
  to　weep　at　will。　　But　he　was　so　much　colder　in　externals；
  so　much　more　formal　and　distant　than　she　had　expected　to
  find　him；　that　she　would　not　have　dared　to　hazard　the
  freedom；　even　had　they　been　alone。
  〃You　have　taken　a　long　and　troublesome　journey；
  brother；　on　my　account；　and　we　will　try　to　make　you　com…
  fortable　while　you　stay　among　us。〃
  〃I　hear　you　are　likely　to　receive　orders　to　lift　your　an…
  chor；　Sergeant；　and　to　shift　your　berth　into　a　part　of　the
  world　where　they　say　there　are　a　thousand　islands。〃
  〃Pathfinder；　this　is　some　of　your　forgetfulness？〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　Sergeant；　I　forgot　nothing；　but　it　did　not
  seem　to　me　necessary　to　hide　your　intentions　so　very
  closely　from　your　own　flesh　and　blood。〃
  〃All　military　movements　ought　to　be　made　with　as
  little　conversation　as　possible；〃　returned　the　Sergeant；
  tapping　the　guide's　shoulder　in　a　friendly；　but　reproachful
  manner。　　〃You　have　passed　too　much　of　your　life　in
  front　of　the　French　not　to　know　the　value　of　silence。　　But
  no　matter；　the　thing　must　soon　be　known；　and　there　is　no
  great　use　in　trying　now　to　conceal　it。　　We　shall　embark　a
  relief　party　shortly　for　a　post　on　the　lake；　though　I　do　not
  say　it　is　for　the　Thousand　Islands；　and　I　may　have　to　go
  with　it；　in　which　case　I　intend　to　take　Mabel　to　make　my
  broth　for　me；　and　I　hope；　brother；　you　will　not　despise　a
  soldier's　fare　for　a　month　or　so。〃
  〃That　will　depend　on　the　manner　of　marching。　　I　have
  no　love　for　woods　and　swamps。〃
  〃We　shall　sail　in　the　_Scud_；　and；　indeed；　the　whole
  service；　which　is　no　stranger　to　us；　is　likely　enough　to
  please　one　accustomed　to　the　water。〃
  〃Ay