when　the　rifle　has　done　cracking；　and　at　night；　around
  our　fires；　or　on　our　marches；　we　talk　of　the　things　we　love；
  just　as　you　young　women　convarse　about　your　fancies　and
  opinions　when　you　get　together　to　laugh　over　your　idees。
  Now　it　was　natural　that　the　Sergeant；　having　such　a
  daughter　as　you；　should　love　her　better　than　anything　else；
  and　that　he　should　talk　of　her　oftener　than　of　anything
  else；　　while　I；　having　neither　daughter；　nor　sister；　nor
  mother；　nor　kith；　nor　kin；　nor　anything　but　the　Delawares
  to　love；　I　naturally　chimed　in；　as　it　were；　and　got　to　love
  you；　Mabel；　before　I　ever　saw　you　　yes；　I　did　　just　by　talk…
  ing　about　you　so　much。〃
  〃And　now　you　_have_　seen　me；〃　returned　the　smiling　girl；
  whose　unmoved　and　natural　manner　proved　how　little　she
  was　thinking　of　anything　more　than　parental　or　fraternal
  regard；　〃you　are　beginning　to　see　the　folly　of　forming
  friendships　for　people　before　you　know　anything　about
  them；　except　by　hearsay。〃
  〃It　wasn't　friendship　　it　isn't　friendship；　Mabel；　that
  I　feel　for　you。　　I　am　the　friend　of　the　Delawares；　and
  have　been　so　from　boyhood；　but　my　feelings　for　them；　or
  for　the　best　of　them；　are　not　the　same　as　those　I　got　from
  the　Sergeant　for　you；　and；　especially；　now　that　I　begin　to
  know　you　better。　　I'm　sometimes　afeared　it　isn't　whole…
  some　for　one　who　is　much　occupied　in　a　very　manly　call…
  ing；　like　that　of　a　guide　or　scout；　or　a　soldier　even；　to　form
  friendships　for　women；　　young　women　in　particular；　　as
  they　seem　to　me　to　lessen　the　love　of　enterprise；　and　to
  turn　the　feelings　away　from　their　gifts　and　natural　occu…
  pations。〃
  〃You　surely　do　not　mean；　Pathfinder；　that　a　friendship
  for　a　girl　like　me　would　make　you　less　bold；　and　more　un…
  willing　to　meet　the　French　than　you　were　before？〃
  〃Not　so；　not　so。　　With　you　in　danger；　for　instance；　I
  fear　I　might　become　foolhardy；　but　before　we　became　so
  intimate；　as　I　may　say；　I　loved　to　think　of　my　scoutings；
  and　of　my　marches；　and　outlyings；　and　fights；　and　other
  adventures：　but　now　my　mind　cares　less　about　them；　I
  think　more　of　the　barracks；　and　of　evenings　passed　in　dis…
  course；　of　feelings　in　which　there　are　no　wranglings　and
  bloodshed；　and　of　young　women；　and　of　their　laughs　and
  their　cheerful；　soft　voices；　their　pleasant　looks　and　their
  winning　ways。　　I　sometimes　tell　the　Sergeant　that　he　and
  his　daughter　will　be　the　spoiling　of　one　of　the　best　and
  most　experienced　scouts　on　the　lines。〃
  〃Not　they；　Pathfinder；　they　will　try　to　make　that　which
  is　already　so　excellent；　perfect。　　You　do　not　know　us；　if
  you　think　that　either　wishes　to　see　you　in　the　least　changed。
  Remain　as　at　present；　the　same　honest；　upright；　conscien…
  tious；　fearless；　intelligent；　trustworthy　guide　that　you　are；
  and　neither　my　dear　father　nor　myself　can　ever　think　of
  you　differently　from　what　we　now　do。〃
  It　was　too　dark　for　Mabel　to　note　the　workings　of　the
  countenance　of　her　listener；　but　her　own　sweet　face　was
  turned　towards　him；　as　she　spoke　with　an　energy　equal　to
  her　frankness；　in　a　way　to　show　how　little　embarrassed
  were　her　thoughts；　and　how　sincere　were　her　words。　　Her
  countenance　was　a　little　flushed；　it　is　true；　but　it　was　with
  earnestness　and　truth　of　feeling；　though　no　nerve　thrilled；
  no　limb　trembled；　no　pulsation　quickened。　　In　short；　her
  manner　and　appearance　were　those　of　a　sincere…minded
  and　frank　girl；　making　such　a　declaration　of　good…will　and
  regard　for　one　of　the　other　sex　as　she　felt　that　his　services
  and　good　qualities　merited；　without　any　of　the　emotion
  that　invariably　accompanies　the　consciousness　of　an　in…
  clination　which　might　lead　to　softer　disclosures。
  The　Pathfinder　was　too　unpractised；　however；　to　enter
  into　distinctions　of　this　kind；　and　his　humble　nature　was
  encouraged　by　the　directness　and　strength　of　the　words
  he　had　just　heard。　　Unwilling；　if　not　unable；　to　say　any
  more；　he　walked　away；　and　stood　leaning　on　his　rifle　and
  looking　up　at　the　stars　for　full　ten　minutes　in　profound
  silence。
  In　the　meanwhile　the　interview　on　the　bastion；　to　which
  we　have　already　alluded；　took　place　between　Lundie　and
  the　Sergeant。
  〃Have　the　men's　knapsacks　been　examined？〃　demanded
  Major　Duncan；　after　he　had　cast　his　eye　at　a　written　report；
  handed　to　him　by　the　Sergeant；　but　which　it　was　too　dark
  to　read。
  〃All；　your　honor；　and　all　are　right。〃
  〃The　ammunition　　arms？〃
  〃All　in　order；　Major　Duncan；　and　fit　for　any　service。〃
  〃You　have　the　men　named　in　my　own　draft；　Dunham？〃
  〃Without　an　exception；　sir。　　Better　men　could　not　be
  found　in　the　regiment。〃
  〃You　have　need　of　the　best　of　our　men；　Sergeant。　　This
  experiment　has　now　been　tried　three　times；　always　under
  one　of　the　ensigns；　who　have　flattered　me　with　success；
  but　have　as　often　failed。　　After　so　much　preparation　and
  expense；　I　do　not　like　to　abandon　the　project　entirely；
  but　this　will　be　the　last　effort；　and　the　result　will　mainly
  depend　on　you　and　on　the　Pathfinder。〃
  〃You　may　count　on　us　both；　Major　Duncan。　　The　duty
  you　have　given　us　is　not　above　our　habits　and　experience；
  and　I　think　it　will　be　well　done。　　I　know　that　the　Path…
  finder　will　not　be　wanting。〃
  〃On　that；　indeed；　it　will　be　safe　to　rely。　　He　is　a　most
  extraordinary　man；　Dunham　　one　who　long　puzzled　me；
  but　who；　now　that　I　understand　him；　commands　as　much
  of　my　respect　as　any　general　in　his　majesty's　service。〃
  〃I　was　in　hopes；　sir；　that　you　would　come　to　look　at　the
  proposed　marriage　with　Mabel　as　a　thing　I　ought　to　wish
  and　forward。〃
  〃As　for　that；　Sergeant；　time　will　show；〃　returned
  Lundie；　smiling；　though　here；　too；　the　obscurity　concealed
  tbe　nicer　shades　of　expression；　〃one　woman　is　sometimes
  more　difficult　to　manage　than　a　whole　regiment　of　men。
  By　the　way；　you　know　that　your　would…be　son…in…law；　the
  Quartermaster；　will　be　of　the　party；　and　I　trust　you　will
  at　least　give　him　an　equal　chance　in　the　trial　for　your
  daughter's　smiles。〃
  〃If　respect　for　his　rank；　sir；　did　not　cause　me　to　do
  this；　your　honor's　wish　would　be　sufficient。〃
  〃I　thank　you；　Sergeant。　　We　have　served　much　together；
  and　ought　to　value　each　other　in　our　several　stations。
  Understand　me；　however；　I　ask　no　more　for　Davy　Muir
  than　a　clear　field　and　no　favor。　　In　love；　as　in　war；　each
  man　must　gain　his　own　victories。　　Are　you　certain　that
  the　rations　have　been　properly　calculated？〃
  〃I'll　answer　for　it；　Major　Duncan；　but　if　they　were　not；
  we　cannot　suffer　with　two　such　hunters　as　Pathfinder　and
  the　Serpent　in　company。〃
  〃That　will　never　do；　Dunham；〃　interrupted　Lundie
  sharply；　〃and　it　comes　of　your　American　birth　and
  American　training。　　No　thorough　soldier　ever　relies　on
  anything　but　his　commissary　for　supplies；　and　I　beg　that
  no　part　of　my　regiment　may　be　the　first　to　set　an　example
  to　the　contrary。〃
  〃You　have　only　to　command；　Major　Duncan；　to　be
  obeyed；　and　yet；　if　I　might　presume；　sir　　〃
  〃Speak　freely；　Sergeant；　you　are　talking　with　a　friend。〃
  〃I　was　merely　about　to　say　that　I　find　even　the　Scotch
  soldiers　like　venison　and　birds　quite　as　well　as　pork；　when
  they　are　difficult　to　be　had。〃
  〃That　may　be　very　true；　but　likes　and　dislikes　have
  nothing　to　do　with　system。　　An　army　can　rely　on　nothing
  but　its　commissaries。　　The　irregularity　of　the　provincials
  has　played　the　devil　with　the　king's　service　too　often　to　be
  winked　at　any　longer。〃
  〃General　Braddock；　your　honor；　might　have　been　ad…
  vised　by　Colonel　Washington。〃
  〃Out　upon　your　Washington！　　You're　all　provincials
  together；　man；　and　uphold　each　other　as　if　you　were　of　a
  sworn　confederacy。〃
  〃I　believe　his　majesty　has　no　more　loyal　subjects　than
  the　Americans；　your　honor。〃
  〃In　that；　Dunham；　I'm　thinking　you're　right；　and　I
  have　been　a　little　too　warm；　perhaps。　　I　do　not　consider
  _you_　a　provincial；　however；　Sergeant；　for　though　born　in
  America；　a　better　soldier　never　shouldered　a　musket。〃
  〃And　Colonel　Washington；　your　honor？〃
  〃Well！　　and　Colonel　Washington　may　be　a　useful　subject
  too。　　He　is　the　American　prodigy；　and　I　suppose　I　may　as
  well　give　him　all　the　credit　you　ask。　　You　have　no　doubt
  of　the　skill　of　this　Jasper　Eau…douce？〃
  〃The　boy　has　been　tried；　sir；　and　found　equal　to　all　that
  can　be　required　of　him。〃
  〃He　has　a　French　name；　and　has　passed　much　of　his
  boyhood　in　the　French　colonies；　has　he　French　blood　in
  his　veins；　Sergeant？〃
  〃Not　a　drop；　your　honor。　　Jasper's　father　was　an　old
  comrade　of　my　own；　and　his　mother　came　of　an　honest
  and　loyal　family　in　this　very　province。〃
  〃How　came　he　then　so　much　among　the　French；　and
  whence　his　name？　　He　speaks　the　language　of　the　Canadas；
  too；　I　find。〃
  〃That　is　easily　explained；　Major　Duncan。　　The　boy　was
  left　under　the　care　of　one　of　our　mariners　in　the　old　war；
  and　he　took　to　the　water　like　a　duck。　　Your　honor　knows
  that　we　have　no　ports　on　Ontario　that　can　be　named　as
  such；　and　he　naturally　passed　most　of　his　time　on　the
  other　side　of　the　lake；　where　the　French　have　had　a　few
  vessels　these　fifty　years。　　He　learned　to　speak　their　lan…
  guage；　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　got　his　name　from　the
  Indians　and　Canadians；　who　are　fond　of　calling　men　by
  their　qualities；　as　it　might　be。〃
  〃A　French　master　is　but　a　poor　instructor　for　a　British
  sailor；　notwit