smoked　on　a　homely　platter；　hot　venison　steaks　sent　up
  their　appetizing　odors；　and　several　dishes　of　cold　meats；
  all　of　which　were　composed　of　game；　had　been　set　before
  the　guests；　in　honor　of　the　newly　arrived　visitors；　and　in
  vindication　of　the　old　soldier's　hospitality。
  〃You　do　not　seem　to　be　on　short　allowance　in　this
  quarter　of　the　world；　Sergeant；〃　said　Cap；　after　he　had　got
  fairly　initiated　into　the　mysteries　of　the　different　dishes；
  〃your　salmon　might　satisfy　a　Scotsman。〃
  〃It　fails　to　do　it；　notwithstanding；　brother　Cap；　for
  among　two　or　three　hundred　of　the　fellows　that　we　have
  in　this　garrison　there　are　not　half　a　dozen　who　will　not
  swear　that　the　fish　is　unfit　to　be　eaten。　　Even　some　of　the
  lads；　who　never　tasted　venison　except　as　poachers　at　home；
  turn　up　their　noses　at　the　fattest　haunches　that　we　get
  here。〃
  〃Ay；　that　is　Christian　natur'；〃　put　in　Pathfinder；　〃and
  I　must　say　it　is　none　to　its　credit。　　Now；　a　red…skin　never
  repines；　but　is　always　thankful　for　the　food　he　gets；
  whether　it　be　fat　or　lean；　venison　or　bear；　wild　turkey's
  breast　or　wild　goose's　wing。　　To　the　shame　of　us　white
  men　be　it　said；　that　we　look　upon　blessings　without　satis…
  faction；　and　consider　trifling　evils　as　matters　of　great　ac…
  count。〃
  〃It　is　so　with　the　55th；　as　I　can　answer；　though　I　cannot
  say　as　much　for　their　Christianity；〃　returned　the　Sergeant。
  〃Even　the　major　himself；　old　Duncan　of　Lundie；　will
  sometimes　swear　that　an　oatmeal　cake　is　better　fare　than
  the　Oswego　bass；　and　sigh　for　a　swallow　of　Highland　water；
  when；　if　so　minded；　he　has　the　whole　of　Ontario　to　quench
  his　thirst　in。〃
  〃Has　Major　Duncan　a　wife　and　children？〃　asked　Mabel；
  whose　thoughts　naturally　turned　towards　her　own　sex　in
  her　new　situation。
  〃Not　he；　girl；　though　they　do　say　that　he　has　a　be…
  trothed　at　home。　　The　lady；　it　seems；　is　willing　to　wait；
  rather　than　suffer　the　hardships　of　service　in　this　wild
  region；　all　of　which；　brother　Cap；　is　not　according　to　my
  notions　of　a　woman's　duties。　　Your　sister　thought　differ…
  ently。〃
  〃I　hope；　Sergeant；　you　do　not　think　of　Mabel　for　a　sol…
  dier's　wife；〃　returned　Cap　gravely。　　〃Our　family　has　done
  its　share　in　that　way　already；　and　it's　high　time　that　the
  sea　was　again　remembered。〃
  〃I　do　not　think　of　finding　a　husband　for　the　girl　in　the
  55th；　or　any　other　regiment；　I　can　promise　you；　brother；
  though　I　do　think　it　getting　to　be　time　that　the　child　were
  respectably　married。〃
  〃Father！〃
  〃'Tis　not　their　gifts；　Sergeant；　to　talk　of　these　matters
  in　so　open　a　manner；〃　said　the　guide；　〃for　I've　seen　it
  verified　by　experience；　that　he　who　would　follow　the　trail
  of　a　virgin's　good…will　must　not　go　shouting　out　his
  thoughts　behind　her。　　So；　if　you　please；　we　will　talk　of
  something　else。〃
  〃Well；　then；　brother　Cap；　I　hope　that　bit　of　a　cold
  roasted　pig　is　to　your　mind；　you　seem　to　fancy　the　food。〃
  〃Ay；　ay；　give　me　civilized　grub　if　I　must　eat；〃　returned
  the　pertinacious　seaman。　　〃Venison　is　well　enough　for
  your　inland　sailors；　but　we　of　the　ocean　like　a　little　of　that
  which　we　understand。〃
  Here　Pathfinder　laid　down　his　knife　and　fork；　and　in…
  dulged　in　a　hearty　laugh；　though　in　his　always　silent　man…
  ner；　then　he　asked；　with　a　little　curiosity　in　his　manner；
  〃Don't；　you　miss　the　skin；　Master　Cap？　don't　you　miss
  the　skin？
  〃It　would　have　been　better　for　its　jacket；　I　think　my…
  self；　Pathfinder；　but　I　suppose　it　is　a　fashion　of　the　woods
  to　serve　up　shoats　in　this　style。〃
  〃Well；　well；　a　man　may　go　round　the　'arth　and　not
  know　everything。　　If　you　had　had　the　skinning　of　that
  pig；　Master　Cap；　it　would　have　left　you　sore　hands。　　The
  cratur'　is　a　hedgehog！〃
  〃Blast　me；　if　I　thought　it　wholesome　natural　pork
  either！〃　returned　Cap。　　〃But　then　I　believed　even　a　pig
  might　lose　some　of　its　good　qualities　up　hereaway　in　the
  woods。〃
  〃If　the　skinning　of　it；　brother；　does　not　fall　to　my
  duty。　　Pathfinder；　I　hope　you　didn't　find　Mabel　disobedi…
  ent　on　the　march？〃
  〃Not　she；　not　she。　　If　Mabel　is　only　half　as　well　satisfied
  with　Jasper　and　Pathfinder　as　the　Pathfinder　and　Jasper
  are　satisfied　with　her；　Sergeant；　we　shall　be　friends　for　the
  remainder　of　our　days。〃
  As　the　guide　spoke；　he　turned　his　eyes　towards　the
  blushing　girl；　with　a　sort　of　innocent　desire　to　know　her
  opinion；　and　then；　with　an　inborn　delicacy；　which　proved
  he　was　far　superior　to　the　vulgar　desire　to　invade　the
  sanctity　of　feminine　feeling；　he　looked　at　his　plate；　and
  seemed　to　regret　his　own　boldness。
  〃Well；　well；　we　must　remember　that　women　are　not
  men；　my　friend；〃　resumed　the　Sergeant；　〃and　make　proper
  allowances　for　nature　and　education。　　A　recruit　is　not　a
  veteran。　　Any　man　knows　that　it　takes　longer　to　make
  a　good　soldier　than　it　takes　to　make　anything　else。〃
  〃This　is　new　doctrine；　Sergeant；〃　said　Cap　with　some
  spirit。　　〃We　old　seamen　are　apt　to　think　that　six　soldiers；
  ay；　and　capital　soldiers　too；　might　be　made　while　one　sailor
  is　getting　his　education。〃
  〃Ay；　brother　Cap；　I've　seen　something　of　the　opinions
  which　seafaring　men　have　of　themselves；〃　returned　the
  brother…in…law；　with　a　smile　as　bland　as　comported　with
  his　saturnine　features；　〃for　I　was　many　years　one　of　the
  garrison　in　a　seaport。　　You　and　I　have　conversed　on　the
  subject　before　and　I'm　afraid　we　shall　never　agree。　　But
  if　you　wish　to　know　what　the　difference　is　between　a　real
  soldier　and　man　in　what　I　should　call　a　state　of　nature；
  you　have　only　to　look　at　a　battalion　of　the　55th　on　parade
  this　afternoon；　and　then；　when　you　get　back　to　York；　ex…
  amine　one　of　the　militia　regiments　making　its　greatest
  efforts。〃
  〃Well；　to　my　eye；　Sergeant；　there　is　very　little　difference；
  not　more　than　you'll　find　between　a　brig　and　a　snow。　　To
  me　they　seem　alike：　all　scarlet；　and　feathers；　and　powder；
  and　pipeclay。〃
  〃So　much；　sir；　for　the　judgment　of　a　sailor；〃　returned
  the　Sergeant　with　dignity；　〃but　perhaps　you　are　not　aware
  that　it　requires　a　year　to　teach　a　true　soldier　how　to　eat？〃
  〃So　much　the　worse　for　him。　　The　militia　know　how
  to　eat　at　starting；　for　I　have　often　heard　that；　on　their
  marches；　they　commonly　eat　all　before　them；　even　if　they
  do　nothing　else。〃
  〃They　have　their　gifts；　I　suppose；　like　other　men；〃　ob…
  served　Pathfinder；　with　a　view　to　preserve　the　peace；　which
  was　evidently　in　some　danger　of　being　broken　by　the　ob…
  stinate　predilection　of　each　of　the　disputants　in　favor　of
  his　own　calling；　〃and　when　a　man　has　his　gift　from
  Providence；　it　is　commonly　idle　to　endeavor　to　bear　up
  against　it。　　The　55th；　Sergeant；　is　a　judicous　regiment　in
  the　way　of　eating；　as　I　know　from　having　been　so　long　in
  its　company　though　I　daeesay　militia　corps　could　be　found
  that　would　outdo　them　in　feats　of　that　natur'　too。〃
  〃Uncle；〃　said　Mabel；　〃if　you　have　breakfasted；　I　will
  thank　you　to　go　out　upon　the　bastion　with　me　again。
  We　have　neither　of　us　half　seen　the　lake；　and　it　would　be
  hardly　seemly　for　a　young　woman　to　be　walking　about　the
  fort；　the　first　day　of　her　arrival；　quite　alone。〃
  Cap　understood　the　motive　of　Mabel；　and　having；　at
  the　bottom；　a　hearty　friendship　for　his　brother…in…law；　he
  was　willing　enough　to　defer　the　argument　until　they　had
  been　longer　together；　for　the　idea　of　abandoning　it　alto…
  gether　never　crossed　the　mind　of　one　so　dogmatical　and
  obstinate。　　He　accordingly　accompanied　his　niece；　leaving
  Sergeant　Dunham　and　his　friend；　the　Pathfinder；　alone
  together。　　As　soon　as　his　adversary　had　beat　a　retreat；　the
  Sergeant；　who　did　not　quite　so　well　understand　the
  manoeuvre　of　his　daughter；　turned　to　his　companion；
  and；　with　a　smile　which　was　not　without　triumph；　he　re…
  marked；
  〃The　army；　Pathfinder；　has　never　yet　done　itself　justice
  in　the　way　of　asserting　its　rights；　and　though　modesty
  becomes　a　man；　whether　he　is　in　a　red　coat　or　a　black　one；
  or；　for　that　matter；　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　I　don't　like　to　let
  a　good　opportunity　slip　of　saying　a　word　in　its　behalf。
  Well；　my　friend；〃　laying　his　own　hand　on　one　of　the　Path…
  finder's；　and　giving　it　a　hearty　squeeze；　〃how　do　you　like
  the　girl？〃
  〃You　have　reason　to　be　proud　of　her；　Sergeant。　　I　have
  seen　many　of　her　sex；　and　some　that　were　great　and　beau…
  tiful；　but　never　before　did　I　meet　with　one　in　whom　I
  thought　Providence　had　so　well　balanced　the　different
  gifts。〃
  〃And　the　good　opinion；　I　can　tell　you；　Pathfinder；　is
  mutual。　　She　told　me　last　night　all　about　your　coolness；
  and　spirit；　and　kindness；　　particularly　the　last；　for　kind…
  ness　counts　for　more　than　half　with　females；　my　friend；
  and　the　first　inspection　seems　to　give　satisfaction　on　both
  sides。　　Brush　up　the　uniform；　and　pay　a　little　more　atten…
  tion　to　the　outside；　Pathfinder；　and　you　will　have　the　girl
  heart　and　hand。〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　Sergeant；　I've　forgotten　nothing　that　you
  have　told　me；　and　grudge　no　reasonable　pains　to　make
  myself　as　pleasant　in　the　eyes　of　Mabel　as　she　is　getting　to
  be　in　mine。　　I　cleaned　and　brightened　up　Killdeer　this
  morning　as　soon　as　the　sun　rose；　and；　in　my　judgment；
  the　piece　never　looked　better　than　it　does　at　this　very
  moment。〃
  〃That　is　according　to　your　hunting　notions；　Pathfinder；
  but　firearms　should　sparkle　and　glitter　in　the　sun；　and　I
  never　yet　could　see