last　interview　with　Lundie。
  It　was　nearly　dark　when　Mabel　found　herself　in　the　boat
  that　was　to　carry　her　off　to　the　cutter。　　So　very　smooth
  was　the　surface　of　the　lake；　that　it　was　not　found　necessary
  to　bring　the　bateaux　into　the　river　to　receive　their　freights；
  but　the　beach　outside　being　totally　without　surf；　and　the
  water　as　tranquil　as　that　of　a　pond；　everybody　embarked
  there。　　When　the　boat　left　the　land；　Mabel　would　not
  have　known　that　she　was　afloat　on　so　broad　a　sheet　of
  water　by　any　movement　which　is　usual　to　such　circum…
  stances。　　The　oars　had　barely　time　to　give　a　dozen　strokes；
  when　the　boat　lay　at　the　cutter's　side。
  Jasper　was　in　readiness　to　receive　his　passengers；　and；
  as　the　deck　of　the　_Scud_　was　but　two　or　three　feet　above
  the　water；　no　difficulty　was　experienced　in　getting　on
  board　of　her。　　As　soon　as　this　was　effected；　the　young　man
  pointed　out　to　Mabel　and　her　companion　the　accommoda…
  tions　prepared　for　their　reception。　　The　little　vessel　con…
  tained　four　apartments　below；　all　between　decks　having
  been　expressly　constructed　with　a　view　to　the　transporta…
  tion　of　officers　and　men；　with　their　wives　and　families。
  First　in　rank　was　what　was　called　the　after…cabin；　a　small
  apartment　that　contained　four　berths；　and　which　enjoyed
  the　advantage　of　possessing　small　windows；　for　the　ad…
  mission　of　air　and　light。　　This　was　uniformly　devoted　to
  females　whenever　any　were　on　board；　and　as　Mabel　and
  her　companion　were　alone；　they　had　ample　accommoda…
  tion。　　The　main　cabin　was　larger；　and　lighted　from　above。
  It　was　now　appropriated　to　the　Quartermaster；　the　Ser…
  geant；　Cap；　and　Jasper；　the　Pathfinder　roaming　through
  any　part　of　the　cutter　he　pleased；　the　female　apartment
  excepted。　　The　corporals　and　common　soldiers　occupied
  the　space　beneath　the　main　hatch；　which　had　a　deck　for
  such　a　purpose；　while　the　crew　were　berthed；　as　usual；　in　the
  forecastle。　　Although　the　cutter　did　not　measure　quite
  fifty　tons；　the　draft　of　officers　and　men　was　so　light；　that
  there　was　ample　room　for　all　on　board；　there　being　space
  enough　to　accommodate　treble　the　number；　if　necessary。
  As　soon　as　Mabel　had　taken　possession　of　her　own　really
  comfortable　cabin；　in　doing　which　she　could　not　abstain
  from　indulging　in　the　pleasant　reflection　that　some　of
  Jasper's　favor　had　been　especially　manifested　in　her　be…
  half；　she　went　on　deck　again。　　Here　all　was　momentarily
  in　motion；　the　men　were　roving　to　and　fro；　in　quest　of
  their　knapsacks　and　other　effects；　but　method　and　habit
  soon　reduced　things　to　order；　when　the　stillness　on　board
  became　even　imposing；　for　it　was　connected　with　the　idea
  of　future　adventure　and　ominous　preparation。
  Darkness　was　now　beginning　to　render　objects　on　shore
  indistinct；　the　whole　of　the　land　forming　one　shapeless
  black　outline　of　even　forest　summits；　to　be　distinguished
  from　the　impending　heavens　only　by　the　greater　light　of
  the　sky。　　The　stars；　however；　soon　began　to　appear　in　the
  latter；　one　after　another；　in　their　usual　mild；　placid　lustre；
  bringing　with　them　that　sense　of　quiet　which　ordinarily
  accompanies　night。　　There　was　something　soothing；　as
  well　as　exciting；　in　such　a　scene；　and　Mabel；　who　was
  seated　on　the　quarter…deck；　sensibly　felt　both　influences。
  The　Pathfinder　was　standing　near　her；　leaning；　as　usual；
  on　his　long　rifle；　and　she　fancied　that；　through　the　grow…
  ing　darkness　of　the　hour；　she　could　trace　even　stronger
  lines　of　thought　than　usual　in　his　rugged　countenance。
  〃To　you；　Pathfinder；　expeditions　like　this　can　be　no
  great　novelty；〃　said　she；　〃though　I　am　surprised　to　find
  how　silent　and　thoughtful　the　men　appear　to　be。〃
  〃We　learn　this　by　making　war　ag'in　Indians。　　Your
  militia　are　great　talkers　and　little　doers　in　general；　but
  the　soldier　who　has　often　met　the　Mingos　learns　to　know
  the　value　of　a　prudent　tongue。　　A　silent　army；　in　the
  woods；　is　doubly　strong；　and　a　noisy　one；　doubly　weak。
  If　tongues　made　soldiers；　the；　women　of　a　camp　would
  generally　carry　the　day。〃
  〃But　we　are　neither　an　army；　nor　in　the　woods。　　There
  can　be　no　danger　of　Mingos　in　the　_Scud_。〃
  〃No　one　is　safe　from　a　Mingo；　who　does　not　understand
  his　very　natur'；　and　even　then　he　must　act　up　to　his　own
  knowledge；　and　that　closely。　　Ask　Jasper　how　he　got　com…
  mand　of　this　very　cutter。〃
  〃And　how　_did_　he　get　command？〃　inquired　Mabel；　with
  an　earnestness　and　interest　that　quite　delighted　her　simple…
  minded　and　true…hearted　companion；　who　was　never　better
  pleased　than　when　he　had　an　opportunity　of　saying　aught
  in　favor　of　a　friend。　　〃It　is　honorable　to　him　that　he　has
  reached　this　station　while　yet　so　young。〃
  〃That　is　it；　but　he　deserved　it　all；　and　more。　　A　frigate
  wouldn't　have　been　too　much　to　pay　for　so　much　spirit
  and　coolness；　had　there　been　such　a　thing　on　Ontario；　as
  there　is　not；　hows'ever；　or　likely　to　be。〃
  〃But　Jasper　　you　have　not　yet　told　me　how　he　got　the
  command　of　the　schooner。〃
  〃It　is　a　long　story；　Mabel；　and　one　your　father；　the　Ser…
  geant；　can　tell　much　better　than　I；　for　he　was　present；
  while　I　was　off　on　a　distant　scouting。　　Jasper　is　not　good
  at　a　story；　I　will　own　that；　I　have　heard　him　questioned
  about　this　affair；　and　he　never　made　a　good　tale　of　it；　al…
  though　every　body　knows　it　was　a　good　thing。　　The　_Scud_
  had　near　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　French　and　the
  Mingos；　when　Jasper　saved　her；　in　a　way　which　none　but
  a　quick…witted　mind　and　a　bold　heart　would　have　at…
  tempted。　　The　Sergeant　will　tell　the　tale　better　than　I
  can；　and　I　wish　you　to　question　him　some　day；　when
  nothing　better　offers。〃
  Mabel　determined　to　ask　her　father　to　repeat　the　inci…
  dents　of　the　affair　that　very　night；　for　it　struck　her　young
  fancy　that　nothing　better　could　well　offer　than　to　listen　to
  the　praises　of　one　who　was　a　bad　historian　of　his　own　ex…
  ploits。
  〃Will　the　_Scud_　remain　with　us　when　we　reach　the
  island？〃　she　asked；　after　a　little　hesitation　about　the
  propriety　of　the　question；　〃or　shall　we　be　left　to　our…
  selves？〃
  〃That's　as　may　be：　Jasper　does　not　often　keep　the
  cutter　idle　when　anything　is　to　be　done；　and　we　may
  expect　activity　on　his　part。　　My　gifts；　however；　run　so
  little　towards　the　water　and　vessels　generally；　unless　it　be
  among　rapids　and　falls　and　in　canoes；　that　I　pretend　to
  know　nothing　about　it。　　We　shall　have　all　right　under
  Jasper；　I　make　no　doubt；　who　can　find　a　trail　on　Ontario
  as　well　as　a　Delaware　can　find　one　on　the　land。〃
  〃And　our　own　Delaware；　Pathfinder　　the　Big　Serpent
  why　is　he　not　with　us　to…night？〃
  〃Your　question　would　have　been　more　natural　had　you
  said；　Why　are　_you_　here；　Pathfinder？　　The　Sarpent　is　in
  his　place；　while　I　am　not　in　mine。　　He　is　out；　with　two　or
  three　more；　scouting　the　lake　shores；　and　will　join　us　down
  among　the　islands；　with　the　tidings　he　may　gather。　　The
  Sergeant　is　too　good　a　soldier　to　forget　his　rear　while　he
  is　facing　the　enemy　in　front。　　It's　a　thousand　pities；
  Mabel；　your　father　wasn't　born　a　general；　as　some　of　the
  English　are　who　come　among　us；　for　I　feel　sartain　he
  wouldn't　leave　a　Frencher　in　the　Canadas　a　week；　could
  he　have　his　own　way　with　them。〃
  〃Shall　we　have　enemies　to　face　in　front？〃　asked　Mabel；
  smiling；　and　for　the　first　time　feeling　a　slight　apprehen…
  sion　about　the　dangers　of　the　expedition。　　〃Are　we　likely
  to　have　an　engagement？〃
  〃If　we　have；　Mabel；　there　will　be　men　enough　ready
  and　willing　to　stand　between　you　and　harm。　　But　you　are
  a　soldier's　daughter；　and；　we　all　know；　have　the　spirit　of
  one。　　Don't　let　the　fear　of　a　battle　keep　your　pretty　eyes
  from　sleeping。〃
  〃I　do　feel　braver　out　here　in　the　woods；　Pathfinder；
  than　I　ever　felt　before　amid　the　weaknesses　of　the　towns；
  although　I　have　always　tried　to　remember　what　I　owe　to
  my　dear　father。〃
  〃Ay；　your　mother　was　so　before　you。　　'You　will　find
  Mabel；　like　her　mother；　no　screamer；　or　a　faint…hearted
  girl；　to　trouble　a　man　in　his　need；　but　one　who　would　en…
  courage　her　mate；　and　help　to　keep　his　heart　up　when
  sorest　prest　by　danger；'　said　the　Sergeant　to　me；　before　I
  ever　laid　eyes　on　that　sweet　countenance　of　yours；　　he
  did！〃
  〃And　why　should　my　father　have　told　you　this；　Path…
  finder？〃　the　girl　demanded　a　little　earnestly。　　〃Perhaps
  he　fancied　you　would　think　the　better　of　me　if　you　did
  not　believe　me　a　silly　coward；　as　so　many　of　my　sex　love　to
  make　themselves　appear。〃
  Deception；　unless　it　were　at　the　expense　of　his　enemies
  in　the　field；　　nay；　concealment　of　even　a　thought；　　was
  so　little　in　accordance　with　the　Pathfinder's　very　nature；
  that　he　was　not　a　little　embarrassed　by　this　simple　ques…
  tion。　　In　such　a　strait　he　involuntarily　took　refuge　in　a；
  middle　course；　not　revealing　that　which　he　fancied　ought
  not　to　be　told；　nor　yet　absolutely　concealing　it。
  〃You　must　know；　Mabel；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　Sergeant
  and　I　are　old　friends；　and　have　stood　side　by　side　　or；　if
  not　actually　side　by　side；　I　a　little　in　advance；　as　became　a
  scout；　and　your　father　with　his　own　men；　as　better　suited
  a　soldier　of　the　king　　on　many　a　hard　fi't　and　bloody　day。
  It's　the　way　of　us　skirmishers　to　think　little　of　the　fight
  when　the　rifle　has　done　cracking；　and　at　night；　around
  our　fires；　or　on　our　marches；　we　talk　of　the　thin