fellow　of　your　boyhood。〃
  〃Well；　Davy；　if　the　request　be　reasonable；　and　such　as　a
  superior　ought　to　grant；　out　with　it；　man。〃
  〃If　ye　could　only　contrive　a　little　service　for　me；　down
  among　the　Thousand　Isles；　for　a　fortnight　or　so；　I　think
  this　matter　might　be　settled　to　the　satisfaction　of　all　par…
  ties。　　Just　remember；　Lundie；　the　lassie　is　the　only　mar…
  riageable　white　female　on　this　frontier。〃
  〃There　is　always　duty　for　one　in　your　line　at　a　post；
  however　small；　but　this　below　can　be　done　by　the　Ser…
  geant　as　well　as　by　the　Quartermaster…general；　and　better
  too。〃
  〃But　not　better　than　by　a　regimental　officer。　　There　is
  great　waste；　in　common；　among　the　orderlies。〃
  〃I'll　think　of　it；　Muir；〃　said　the　Major；　laughing；　〃and
  you　shall　have　my　answer　in　the　morning。　　Here　will　be　a
  fine　occasion；　man；　the　morrow；　to　show　yourself　off　be…
  fore　the　lady；　you　are　expert　with　the　rifle；　and　prizes　are
  to　be　won。　　Make　up　your　mind　to　display　your　skill；　and
  who　knows　what　may　yet　happen　before　the　_Scud_　sails。〃
  〃I'm　thinking　most　of　the　young　men　will　try　their
  hands　in　this　sport；　Major！〃
  〃That　will　they；　and　some　of　the　old　ones　too；　if　you
  appear。　　To　keep　you　in　countenance；　I'll　try　a　shot　or
  two　myself；　Davy；　and　you　know　I　have　some　name　that
  way。〃
  〃It　might；　indeed；　do　good。　　The　female　heart；　Major
  Duncan；　is　susceptible　in　many　different　modes；　and
  sometimes　in　a　way　that　the　rules　of　philosophy　might
  reject。　　Some　require　a　suitor　to　sit　down　before　them；　as
  it　might　be；　in　a　regular　siege；　and　only　capitulate　when
  the　place　can　hold　out　no　longer；　others；　again；　like　to　be
  carried　by　storm；　while　there　are　hussies　who　can　only　be
  caught　by　leading　them　into　an　ambush。　　The　first　is　the
  most　creditable　and　officer…like　process；　perhaps；　but　I
  must　say　I　think　the　last　the　most　pleasing。〃
  〃An　opinion　formed　from　experience；　out　of　all　question。
  And　what　of　the　storming　parties？〃
  〃They　may　do　for　younger　men；　Lundie；〃　returned　the
  Quartermaster；　rising　and　winking；　a　liberty　that　he　often
  took　with　his　commanding　officer　on　the　score　of　a　long
  intimacy；　〃every　period　of　life　has　its　necessities；　and　at
  forty…seven　it's　just　as　well　to　trust　a　little　to　the　head。　　I
  wish　you　a　very　good　even；　Major　Duncan；　and　freedom
  from　gout；　with　a　sweet　and　refreshing　sleep。〃
  〃The　same　to　yourself；　Mr。　Muir；　with　many　thanks。
  Remember　the　passage　of　arms　for　the　morrow。〃
  The　Quartermaster　withdrew；　leaving　Lundie　in　his
  library　to　reflect　on　what　had　just　passed。　　Use　had　so
  accustomed　Major　Duncan　to　Lieutenant　Muir　and　all　his
  traits　and　humors；　that　the　conduct　of　the　latter　did　not
  strike　the　former　with　the　same　force　as　it　will　probably
  the　reader。　　In　truth；　while　all　men　act　under　one　com…
  mon　law　that　is　termed　nature；　the　varieties　in　their　dis…
  positions；　modes　of　judging；　feelings；　and　selfishness　are
  infinite。
  CHAPTER　XI。
  Compel　the　hawke　to　sit　that　is　unmann'd；
  Or　make　the　hound；　untaught；　to　draw　the　deere；
  Or　bring　the　free　against　his　will　in　band；
  Or　move　the　sad　a　pleasant　tale　to　heere；
  Your　time　is　lost；　and　you　no　whit　the　neere！
  So　love　ne　learnes；　of　force　the　heart　to　knit：
  She　serves　but　those　that　feel　sweet　fancies'　fit。
  _Mirror　for　Magistrates。_
  It　is　not　often　that　hope　is　rewarded　by　fruition　so
  completely　as　the　wishes　of　the　young　men　of　the　garrison
  were　met　by　the　state　of　the　weather　on　the　succeeding
  day。　　The　heats　of　summer　were　little　felt　at　Oswego　at
  the　period　of　which　we　are　writing；　for　the　shade　of　the
  forest；　added　to　the　refreshing　breezes　from　the　lake；　so
  far　reduced　the　influence　of　the　sun　as　to　render　the
  nights　always　cool　and　the　days　seldom　oppressive。
  It　was　now　September；　a　month　in　which　the　strong
  gales　of　the　coast　often　appear　to　force　themselves　across
  the　country　as　far　as　the　great　lakes；　where　the　inland
  sailor　sometimes　feels　that　genial　influence　which　charac…
  terizes　the　winds　of　the　ocean　invigorating　his　frame；
  cheering　his　spirits；　and　arousing　his　moral　force。　　Such　a
  day　was　that　on　which　the　garrison　of　Oswego　assembled
  to　witness　what　its　commander　had　jocularly　called　a
  〃passage　of　arms。〃　　Lundie　was　a　scholar　in　military
  matters　at　least；　and　it　was　one　of　his　sources　of　honest
  pride　to　direct　the　reading　and　thoughts　of　the　young　men
  under　his　orders　to　the　more　intellectual　parts　of　their
  profession。　　For　one　in　his　situation；　his　library　was　both
  good　and　extensive；　and　its　books　were　freely　lent　to　all
  who　desired　to　use　them。　　Among　other　whims　that　had
  found　their　way　into　the　garrison　through　these　means；
  was　a　relish　for　the　sort　of　amusement　in　which　it　was　now
  about　to　indulge；　and　around　which　some　chronicles　of
  the　days　of　chivalry　had　induced　them　to　throw　a　parade
  and　romance　not　unsuited　to　the　characters　and　habits　of
  soldiers；　or　to　the　insulated　and　wild　post　occupied　by　this
  particular　garrison。　　While　so　earnestly　bent　on　pleasure；
  however；　they　on　whom　that　duty　devolved　did　not　neglect
  the　safety　of　the　garrison。　　One　standing　on　the　ramparts
  of　the　fort；　and　gazing　on　the　waste　of　glittering　water
  that　bounded　the　view　all　along　the　northern　horizon；　and
  on　the　slumbering　and　seemingly　boundless　forest　which
  filled　the　other　half　of　the　panorama；　would　have　fancied　the
  spot　the　very　abode　of　peacefulness　and　security；　but
  Duncan　of　Lundie　too　well　knew　that　the　woods　might；　at
  any　moment；　give　up　their　hundreds；　bent　on　the　destruc…
  tion　of　the　fort　and　all　it　contained；　and　that　even　the
  treacherous　lake　offered　a　highway　of　easy　approach　by
  which　his　more　civilized　and　scarcely　less　wily　foes；　the
  French；　could　come　upon　him　at　an　unguarded　moment。
  Parties　were　sent　out　under　old　and　vigilant　officers；　men
  who　cared　little　for　the　sports　of　the　day；　to　scour　the　for…
  est；　and　one　entire　company　held　the　fort；　under　arms；
  with　orders　to　maintain　a　vigilance　as　strict　as　if　an
  enemy　of　superior　force　was　known　to　be　near。　　With
  these　precautions；　the　remainder　of　the　officers　and　men
  abandoned　themselves；　without　apprehension；　to　the　busi…
  ness　of　the　morning。
  The　spot　selected　for　the　sports　was　a　sort　of　esplanade；
  a　little　west　of　the　fort；　and　on　the　immediate　bank　of　the
  lake。　　It　had　been　cleared　of　its　trees　and　stumps；　that　it
  might　answer　the　purpose　of　a　parade…ground；　as　it　pos…
  sessed　the　advantages　of　having　its　rear　protected　by　the
  water；　and　one　of　its　flanks　by　the　works。　　Men　drilling
  on　it　could　be　attacked；　consequently；　on　two　sides　only；
  and　as　the　cleared　space　beyond　it；　in　the　direction　of　the
  west　and　south；　was　large；　any　assailants　would　be　com…
  pelled　to　quit　the　cover　of　the　woods　before　they　could
  make　an　approach　sufficiently　near　to　render　them　dan…
  gerous。
  Although　the　regular　arms　of　the　regiment　were　mus…
  kets；　some　fifty　rifles　were　produced　on　the　present　occa…
  sion。　　Every　officer　had　one　as　a　part　of　his　private　provi…
  sion　for　amusement；　many　belonged　to　the　scouts　and
  friendly　Indians；　of　whom　more　or　less　were　always　hang…
  ing　about　the　fort；　and　there　was　a　public　provision　of
  them　for　the　use　of　those　who　followed　the　game　with　the
  express　object　of　obtaining　supplies。　　Among　those　who
  carried　the　weapon　were　some　five　or　six；　who　had　reputa…
  tion　for　knowing　how　to　use　it　particularly　well　　so　well；
  indeed；　as　to　have　given　them　a　celebrity　on　the　frontier；
  twice　that　number　who　were　believed　to　be　much　better
  than　common；　and　many　who　would　have　been　thought　ex…
  pert　in　almost　any　situation　but　the　precise　one　in　which
  they　now　happened　to　be　placed。
  The　distance　was　a　hundred　yards；　and　the　weapon　was
  to　be　used　without　a　rest；　the　target；　a　board；　with　the
  customary　circular　lines　in　white　paint；　having　the　bull's…
  eye　in　the　centre。　　The　first　trials　in　skill　commenced
  with　challenges　among　the　more　ignoble　of　the　competi…
  tors　to　display　their　steadiness　and　dexterity　in　idle　com…
  petition。　　None　but　the　common　men　engaged　in　this
  strife；　which　had　little　to　interest　the　spectators；　among
  whom　no　officer　had　yet　appeared。
  Most　of　the　soldiers　were　Scotch；　the　regiment　having
  been　raised　at　Stirling　and　its　vicinity　not　many　years
  before；　though；　as　in　the　case　of　Sergeant　Dunham；　many
  Americans　had　joined　it　since　its　arrival　in　the　colonies。
  As　a　matter　of　course；　the　provincials　were　generally　the
  most　expert　marksmen；　and　after　a　desultory　trial　of　half
  an　hour　it　was　necessarily　conceded　that　a　youth　who　had
  been　born　in　the　colony　of　New　York；　and　who　coming　of
  Dutch　extraction；　was　the　most　expert　of　all　who　had　yet
  tried　their　skill。　　It　was　just　as　this　opinion　prevailed
  that　the　oldest　captain；　accompanied　by　most　of　the　gen…
  tlemen　and　ladies　of　the　fort；　appeared　on　the　parade。　　A
  train　of　some　twenty　females　of　humbler　condition　fol…
  lowed；　among　whom　was　seen　the　well…turned　form；　in…
  telligent；　blooming；　animated　countenance；　and　neat；　be…
  coming　attire　of　Mabel　Dunham。
  Of　females　who　were　officially　recognized　as　belonging
  to　the　class　of　ladies；　there　were　but　three　in　the　fort；　all
  of　whom　were　officers'　wives；　Mabel　being　strictly；　as　had
  been　stated　by　the　Quarterma