heard　the　proposition　with　indifference。　　Shaking　his　head
  in　the　negative；　he　advanced　towards　the　stage；　where　his
  approach　excited　a　little　commotion；　the　officers'　ladies；
  one　and　all；　having　determined　to　accept　the　present；
  should　the　gallantry　of　the　young　sailor　induce　him　to
  offer　it。　　But　Jasper's　diffidence；　no　less　than　admiration
  for　another；　would　have　prevented　him　from　aspiring　to
  the　honor　of　complimenting　any　whom　he　thought　so
  much　his　superiors。
  〃Mabel；〃　said　he；　〃this　prize　is　for　you；　unless　　〃
  〃Unless　what；　Jasper？〃　answered　the　girl；　losing　her
  own　bashfulness　in　the　natural　and　generous　wish　to　re…
  lieve　his　embarrassment；　though　both　reddened　in　a　way
  to　betray　strong　feeling。
  〃Unless　you　may　think　too　indifferently　of　it；　because
  it　is　offered　by　one　who　may　have　no　right　to　believe　his
  gift　will　be　accepted。〃
  〃I　do　accept　it；　Jasper；　and　it　shall　be　a　sign　of　the
  danger　I　have　passed　in　your　company；　and　of　the　grati…
  tude　I　feel　for　your　care　of　me　　your　care；　and　that　of　the
  Pathfinder。〃
  〃Never　mind　me；　never　mind　me！〃　exclaimed　the　latter；
  〃this　is　Jasper's　luck；　and　Jasper's　gift：　give　him　full
  credit　for　both。　　My　turn　may　come　another　day；　mine
  and　the　Quartermaster's；　who　seems　to　grudge　the　boy　the
  calash；　though　what　_he_　can　want　of　it　I　cannot　under…
  stand；　for　he　has　no　wife。〃
  〃And　has　Jasper　Eau…douce　a　wife？　or　have　you　a　wife
  yoursel'；　Pathfinder？　　I　may　want　it　to　help　to　get　a
  wife；　or　as　a　memorial　that　I　have　had　a　wife；　or　as　proof
  how　much　I　admire　the　sex；　or　because　it　is　a　female　gar…
  ment；　or　for　some　other　equally　respectable　motive。　　It's
  not　the　unreflecting　that　are　the　most　prized　by　the
  thoughtful；　and　there　is　no　surer　sign　that　a　man　made　a
  good　husband　to　his　first　consort；　let　me　tell　you　all；　than
  to　see　him　speedily　looking　round　for　a　competent　suc…
  cessor。　　The　affections　are　good　gifts　from　Providence；
  and　they　that　have　loved　one　faithfully　prove　how　much
  of　this　bounty　has　been　lavished　upon　them　by　loving　an…
  other　as　soon　as　possible。〃
  〃It　may　be　so；　it　may　be　so。　　I　am　no　practitioner　in
  such　things；　and　cannot　gainsay　it。　　But　Mabel　here；　the
  Sergeant's　daughter；　will　give　you　full　credit　for　the　words。
  Come；　Jasper；　although　our　hands　are　out；　let　us　see　what
  the　other　lads　can　do　with　the　rifle。〃
  Pathfinder　and　his　companions　retired；　for　the　sports
  were　about　to　proceed。　　The　ladies；　however；　were　not　so
  much　engrossed　with　rifle…shooting　as　to　neglect　the　calash。
  It　passed　from　hand　to　hand；　the　silk　was　felt；　the　fashion
  criticized；　and　the　work　examined；　and　divers　opinions
  were　privately　ventured　concerning　the　fitness　of　so　hand…
  some　a　thing　passing　into　the　possession　of　a　non…commis…
  sioned　officer's　child。
  〃Perhaps　you　will　be　disposed　to　sell　that　calash；　Mabel；
  when　it　has　been　a　short　time　in　your　possession？〃　in…
  quired　the　captain's　lady。　　〃Wear　it；　I　should　think；　you
  never　can。〃
  〃I　may　not　wear　it；　madam；〃　returned　our　heroine
  modestly；　〃but　I　should　not　like　to　part　with　it　either。〃
  〃I　daresay　Sergeant　Dunham　keeps　you　above　the　ne…
  cessity　of　selling　your　clothes；　child；　but；　at　the　same　time；
  it　is　money　thrown　away　to　keep　an　article　of　dress　you
  can　never　wear。〃
  〃I　should　be　unwilling　to　part　with　the　gift　of　a　friend。〃
  〃But　the　young　man　himself　will　think　all　the　better
  of　you　for　your　prudence　after　the　triumph　of　the　day　is
  forgotten。　　It　is　a　pretty　and　a　becoming　calash；　and　ought
  not　to　be　thrown　away。〃
  〃I've　no　intention　to　throw　it　away；　ma'am；　and；　if
  you　please；　would　rather　keep　it。〃
  〃As　you　will；　child；　girls　of　your　age　often　overlook
  the　real　advantages。　　Remember；　however；　if　you　do　de…
  termine　to　dispose　of　the　thing；　that　it　is　bespoke；　and　that
  I　will　not　take　it　if　you　ever　even　put　it　on　your　own　head。〃
  〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　said　Mabel；　in　the　meekest　voice　imagin…
  able；　though　her　eyes　looked　like　diamonds；　and　her　cheeks
  reddened　to　the　tints　of　two　roses；　as　she　placed　the　for…
  bidden　garment　over　her　well…turned　shoulders；　where　she
  kept　it　a　minute；　as　if　to　try　its　fitness；　and　then　quietly
  removed　it　again。
  The　remainder　of　the　sports　offered　nothing　of　interest。
  The　shooting　was　reasonably　good；　but　the　trials　were　all
  of　a　scale　lower　than　those　related；　and　the　competitors
  were　soon　left　to　themselves。　　The　ladies　and　most　of　the
  officers　withdrew；　and　the　remainder　of　the　females　soon
  followed　their　example。　　Mabel　was　returning　along　the
  low　flat　rocks　that　line　the　shore　of　the　lake；　dangling　her
  pretty　calash　from　a　prettier　finger；　when　Pathfinder　met
  her。　　He　carried　the　rifle　which　he　had　used　that　day；　but
  his　manner　had　less　of　the　frank　ease　of　the　hunter　about
  it　than　usual；　while　his　eye　seemed　roving　and　uneasy。
  After　a　few　unmeaning　words　concerning　the　noble　sheet
  of　water　before　them；　he　turned　towards　his　companion
  with　strong　interest　in　his　countenance；　and　said；
  〃Jasper　earned　that　calash　for　you；　Mabel；　without　much
  trial　of　his　gifts。〃
  〃It　was　fairly　done；　Pathfinder。〃
  〃No　doubt；　no　doubt。　　The　bullet　passed　neatly　through
  the　potato；　and　no　man　could　have　done　more；　though
  others　might　have　done　as　much。〃
  〃But　no　one　did　as　much！〃　exclaimed　Mabel；　with　an
  animation　that　she　instantly　regretted；　for　she　saw　by　the
  pained　look　of　the　guide　that　he　was　mortified　equally　by
  the　remark　and　by　the　feeling　with　which　it　was　uttered。
  〃It　is　true；　it　is　true；　Mabel；　no　one　did　as　much　then；
  but　　yet　there　is　no　reason　I　should　deny　my　gifts　which
  come　from　Providence　　yes；　yes；　no　one　did　as　much
  there；　but　you　shall　know　what　_can_　be　done　here。　　Do　you
  observe　the　gulls　that　are　flying　over　our　heads？〃
  〃Certainly；　Pathfinder；　there　are　too　many　to　escape
  notice。〃
  〃Here；　where　they　cross　each　other　in　sailing　about；〃
  he　added；　cocking　and　raising　his　rifle；　〃the　two　　the　two。
  Now　look！〃
  The　piece　was　presented　quick　as　thought；　as　two　of　the
  birds　came　in　a　line；　though　distant　from　each　other　many
  yards；　the　report　followed；　and　the　bullet　passed　through
  the　bodies　of　both　victims。　　No　sooner　had　the　gulls
  fallen　into　the　lake；　than　Pathfinder　dropped　the　butt…end
  of　the　rifle；　and　laughed　in　his　own　peculiar　manner；　every
  shade　of　dissatisfaction　and　mortified　pride　having　left　his
  honest　face。
  〃That　is　something；　Mabel；　that　is　something；　although
  I　have　no　calash　to　give　you！　　But　ask　Jasper　himself；　I'll
  leave　it　all　to　Jasper；　for　a　truer　tongue　and　heart　are　not
  in　America。〃
  〃Then　it　was　not　Jasper's　fault　that　he　gained　the
  prize？〃
  〃Not　it。　　He　did　his　best；　and　he　did　well。　　For　one
  that　has　water　gifts；　rather　than　land　gifts；　Jasper　is　un…
  commonly　expert；　and　a　better　backer　no　one　need　wish；
  ashore　or　afloat。　　But　it　was　my　fault；　Mabel；　that　he　got
  the　calash；　though　it　makes　no　difference　　it　makes　no
  difference；　for　the　thing　has　gone　to　the　right　person。〃
  〃I　believe　I　understand　you；　Pathfinder；〃　said　Mabel；
  blushing　in　spite　of　herself；　〃and　I　look　upon　the　calash
  as　the　joint　gift　of　yourself　and　Jasper。〃
  〃That　would　not　be　doing　justice　to　the　lad；　neither。
  He　won　the　garment；　and　had　a　right　to　give　it　away。　　The
  most　you　may　think；　Mabel；　is　to　believe　that；　had　I　won
  it；　it　would　have　gone　to　the　same　person。〃
  〃I　will　remember　that；　Pathfinder；　and　take　care　that
  others　know　your　skill；　as　it　has　been　proved　upon　the
  poor　gulls　in　my　presence。〃
  〃Lord　bless　you；　Mabel！　there　is　no　more　need　of　your
  talking　in　favor　of　my　shooting　on　this　frontier；　than　of
  your　talking　about　the　water　in　the　lake　or　the　sun　in　the
  heavens。　　Everybody　knows　what　I　can　do　in　that　way；
  and　your　words　would　be　thrown　away；　as　much　as　French
  would　be　thrown　away　on　an　American　bear。〃
  〃Then　you　think　that　Jasper　knew　you　were　giving
  him　this　advantage；　of　which　he　had　so　unhandsomely
  availed　himself？〃　said　Mabel；　the　color
  which　had　im…
  parted　so　much　lustre　to　her　eyes　gradually　leaving　her
  face；　which　became　grave　and　thoughtful。
  〃I　do　not　say　that；　but　very　far　from　it。　　We　all　forget
  things　that　we　have　known；　when　eager　after　our　wishes。
  Jasper　is　satisfied　that　I　can　pass　one　bullet　through　two
  potatoes；　as　I　sent　my　bullet　through　the　gulls；　and　he
  knows　no　other　man　on　the　frontier　can　do　the　same　thing。
  But　with　the　calash　before　his　eyes；　and　the　hope　of　giving
  it　to　you；　the　lad　was　inclined　to　think　better　of　himself；
  just　at　that　moment；　perhaps；　than　he　ought。　　No；　no；
  there's　nothing　mean　or　distrustful　about　Jasper　Eau…
  douce；　though　it　is　a　gift　natural　to　all　young　men　to　wish
  to　appear　well　in　the　eyes　of　handsome　young　women。〃
  〃I'll　try　to　forget　all；　but　the　kindness　you've　both
  shown　to　a　poor　motherless　girl；〃　said　Mabel；　struggling
  to　keep　down　emotions　she　scarcely　knew　how　to　account
  for　herself。　　〃Believe　me；　Pathfinder；　I　can　never　forget
  all　you　have　already　done　for　me　　you　and　Jasper；　and
  this　new　proof　of　your　regard　is　not　thrown　away。　　Here；
  here　is　a　brooch　that　is　of　silver；　and　I　offer　it　as　a　token
  that　I　owe　you　life　or　liberty。〃
  〃What　shall　I　do　with　this；　Mabel？〃　asked　the　bewil…
  dered　hunter；　holding　the　simple　trinket　in