ing　up　at　the　breeze　as　well　as　another；　when　in　lively
  motion。〃
  〃I　suppose　you　have　such　things　as　reefs；　though　you
  can　hardly　have　occasion　to　use　them？〃
  Mabel's　bright　eye　detected　the　smile　that　gleamed　for
  an　instant　on　Jasper's　handsome　face；　but　no　one　else　saw
  that　momentary　exhibition　of　surprise　and　contempt。
  〃We　have　reefs；　and　often　have　occasion　to　use　them；〃
  quietly　returned　the　young　man。　　〃Before　we　get　in；　Mas…
  ter　Cap；　an　opportunity　may　offer　to　show　you　the　manner
  in　which　we　do　so；　for　there　is　easterly　weather　brewing；
  and　the　wind　cannot　chop；　even　on　the　ocean　itself；　more
  readily　than　it　flies　round　on　Lake　Ontario。〃
  〃So　much　for　knowing　no　better！　　I　have　seen　the　wind
  in　the　Atlantic　fly　round　like　a　coach…wheel；　in　a　way　to
  keep　your　sails　shaking　for　an　hour；　and　the　ship　would
  become　perfectly　motionless　from　not　knowing　which　way
  to　turn。〃
  〃We　have　no　such　sudden　changes　here；　certainly；〃
  Jasper　mildly　answered；　〃though　we　think　ourselves　liable
  to　unexpected　shifts　of　wind。　　I　hope；　however；　to　carry
  this　land…breeze　as　far　as　the　first　islands；　after　which
  there　will　be　less　danger　of　our　being　seen　and　followed　by
  any　of　the　look…out　boats　from　Frontenac。〃
  〃Do　you　thiuk　the　French　keep　spies　out　on　the　broad
  lake；　Jasper？〃　inquired　the　Pathfinder。
  〃We　know　they　do；　one　was　off　Oswego　during　the
  night　of　Monday　last。　　A　bark　canoe　came　close　in　with
  the　eastern　point；　and　landed　an　Indian　and　an　officer。
  Had　you　been　outlying　that　night；　as　usual；　we　should　have
  secured　one；　if　not　both　of　them。〃
  It　was　too　dark　to　betray　the　color　that　deepened　on　the
  weather…burnt　features　of　the　guide；　for　he　felt　the　con…
  sciousness　of　having　lingered　in　the　fort　that　night；　listen…
  ing　to　the　sweet　tones　of　Mabel's　voice　as　she　sang　ballads
  to　her　father；　and　gazing　at　the　countenance　which；　to
  him；　was　radiant　with　charms。　　Probity　in　thought　and
  deed　being　the　distinguishing　quality　of　this　extraordinary
  man's　mind；　while　he　felt　that　a　sort　of　disgrace　ought　to
  attach　to　his　idleness　on　the　occasion　mentioned；　the　last
  thought　that　could　occur　would　be　to　attempt　to　palliate
  or　deny　his　negligence。
  〃I　confess　it；　Jasper；　I　confess　it；〃　said　he　humbly。
  〃Had　I　been　out　that　night；　　and　I　now　recollect　no　suffi…
  cient　reason　why　I　was　not；　　it　might；　indeed；　have　turned
  out　as　you　say。〃
  〃It　was　the　evening　you　passed　with　us；　Pathfinder；〃
  Mabel　innocently　remarked；　〃surely　one　who　lives　so　much
  of　his　time　in　the　forest；　in　front　of　the　enemy；　may　be
  excused　for　giving　a　few　hours　of　his　time　to　an　old　friend
  and　his　daughter。〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　I've　done　little　else　but　idle　since　we　reached
  the　garrison；〃　returned　the　other；　sighing；　〃and　it　is　well
  that　the　lad　should　tell　me　of　it：　the　idler　needs　a　rebuke
  …　yes；　he　needs　a　rebuke。〃
  〃Rebuke；　Pathfinder！　　I　never　dreamt　of　saying　any…
  thing　disagreeable；　and　least　of　all　would　I　think　of　re…
  buking　you；　because　a　solitary　spy　and　an　Indian　or　two
  have　escaped　us。　　Now　I　know　where　you　were；　I　think
  your　absence　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。〃
  〃I　think　nothing　of　what　you　said；　Jasper；　since　it　was
  deserved。　　We　are　all　human；　and　all　do　wrong。〃
  〃This　is　unkind；　Pathfinder。〃
  〃Give　me　your　hand；　lad；　give　me　your　hand。　　It　wasn't
  you　that　gave　the　lesson；　it　was　conscience。〃
  〃Well；　well；〃　interrupted　Cap；　〃now　this　latter　matter
  is　settled　to　the　satisfaction　of　all　parties；　perhaps　you　will
  tell　us　how　it　happened　to　be　known　that　there　were　spies
  near　us　so　lately。　　This　looks　amazingly　like　a　circum…
  stance。〃
  As　the　mariner　uttered　the　last　sentence；　he　pressed　a
  foot　slily　on　that　of　the　Sergeant；　and　nudged　the　guide
  with　his　elbow；　winking　at　the　same　time；　though　this　sign
  was　lost　in　the　obscurity。
  〃It　is　known；　because　their　trail　was　found　next　day　by
  the　Serpent；　and　it　was　that　of　a　military　boot　and　a　moc…
  cassin。　　One　of　our　hunters；　moreover；　saw　the　canoe　cross…
  ing　towards　Frontenac　next　morning。〃
  〃Did　the　trail　lead　near　the　garrison；　Jasper？〃　Path…
  finder　asked　in　a　manner　so　meek　and　subdued　that　it　re…
  sembled　the　tone　of　a　rebuked　schoolboy。　　〃Did　the　trail
  lead　near　the　garrison；　lad？〃
  〃We　thought　not；　though；　of　course；　it　did　not　cross
  the　river。　　It　was　followed　down　to　the　eastern　point；　at
  the　river's　mouth；　where　what　was　doing　in　port；　might　be
  seen；　but　it　did　not　cross；　as　we　could　discover。〃
  〃And　why　didn't　you　get　under　weigh；　Master　Jasper；〃
  Cap　demanded；　〃and　give　chase？　　On　Tuesday　morning
  it　blew　a　good　breeze；　one　in　which　this　cutter　might　have
  run　nine　knots。〃
  〃That　may　do　on　the　ocean；　Master　Cap；〃　put　in　Path…
  finder；　〃but　it　would　not　do　here。　　Water　leaves　no　trail；
  and　a　Mingo　and　a　Frenchman　are　a　match　for　the　devil
  in　a　pursuit。〃
  〃Who　wants　a　trail　when　the　chase　can　be　seen　from
  the　deck；　as　Jasper　here　said　was　the　case　with　this　canoe？
  and　it　mattered　nothing　if　there　were　twenty　of　your　Mingos
  and　Frenchmen；　with　a　good　British…built　bottom　in　their
  wake。　　I'll　engage；　Master　Eau…douce；　had　you　given　me　a
  call　that　said　Tuesday　morning；　that　we　should　have　over…
  hauled　the　blackguards。〃
  〃I　daresay；　Master　Cap；　that　the　advice　of　as　old　a　sea…
  man　as　you　might　have　done　no　harm　to　as　young　a　sailor
  as　myself；　but　it　is　a　long　and　a　hopeless　chase　that　has　a
  bark　canoe　in　it。〃
  〃You　would　have　had　only　to　press　it　hard；　to　drive　it
  ashore。〃
  〃Ashore；　master　Cap！　　You　do　not　understand　our　lake
  navigation　at　all；　if　you　suppose　it　an　easy　matter　to　force
  a　bark　canoe　ashore。　　As　soon　as　they　find　themselves
  pressed；　these　bubbles　paddle　right　into　the　wind's　eye；　and
  before　you　know　it；　you　find　yourself　a　mile　or　two　dead
  under　their　lee。〃
  〃You　don't　wish　me　to　believe；　Master　Jasper；　that　any
  one　is　so　heedless　of　drowning　as　to　put　off　into　this　lake
  in　one　of　them　eggshells　when　there　is　any　wind？〃
  〃I　have　often　crossed　Ontario　in　a　bark　canoe；　even
  when　there　has　been　a　good　deal　of　sea　on。　　Well　managed；
  they　are　the　driest　boats　of　which　we　have　any　knowl…
  edge。〃
  Cap　now　led　his　brother…in…law　and　Pathfinder　aside；
  when　he　assured　him　that　the　admission　of　Jasper　con…
  cerning　the　spies　was　〃a　circumstance；〃　and　〃a　strong　cir…
  cumstance；〃　and　as　such　it　deserved　his　deliberate　investiga…
  tion；　while　his　account　of　the　canoes　was　so　improbable
  as　to　wear　the　appearance　of　brow…beating　the　listeners。
  Jasper　spoke　confidently　of　the　character　of　the　two　indi…
  viduals　who　had　landed；　and　this　Cap　deemed　pretty　strong
  proof　that　he　knew　more　about　them　than　was　to　be　gath…
  ered　from　a　mere　trail。　　As　for　mocassins；　he　said　that
  they　were　worn　in　that　part　of　the　world　by　white　men　as
  well　as　by　Indians；　he　had　purchased　a　pair　himself；　and
  boots；　it　was　notorious；　did　not　particularly　make　a　soldier。
  Although　much　of　this　logic　was　thrown　away　on　the　Ser…
  geant；　still　it　produced　some　effect。　　He　thought　it　a　little
  singular　himself；　that　there　should　have　been　spies　detected
  so　near　the　fort　and　he　know　nothing　of　it；　nor　did　he
  believe　that　this　was　a　branch　of　knowledge　that　fell　par…
  ticularly　within　the　sphere　of　Jasper。　　It　was　true　that
  the　_Scud_　had；　once　or　twice；　been　sent　across　the　lake　to
  land　men　of　this　character；　or　to　bring　them　off；　but　then
  the　part　played　by　Jasper；　to　his　own　certain　knowledge；
  was　very　secondary；　the　master　of　the　cutter　remaining　as
  ignorant　as　any　one　else　of　the　purport　of　the　visits　of
  those　whom　he　had　carried　to　and　fro；　nor　did　he　see　why
  he　alone；　of　all　present；　should　know　anything　of　the　late
  visit。　　Pathfinder　viewed　the　matter　differently。　　With　his
  habitual　diffidence；　he　reproached　himself　with　a　neglect
  of　duty；　and　that　knowledge；　of　which　the　want　struck
  him　as　a　fault　in　one　whose　business　it　was　to　possess　it；
  appeared　a　merit　in　the　young　man。　　He　saw　nothing　ex…
  traordinary　in　Jasper's　knowing　the　facts　he　had　related；
  while　he　did　feel　it　was　unusual；　not　to　say　disgraceful；
  that　he　himself　now　heard　of　them　for　the　first　time。
  〃As　for　mocassins；　Master　Cap；〃　said　he；　when　a　short
  pause　invited　him　to　speak；　〃they　may　be　worn　by　pale…
  faces　as　well　as　by　red…skins；　it　is　true；　though　they　never
  leave　the　same　trail　on　the　foot　of　one　as　on　the　foot　of
  the　other。　　Any　one　who　is　used　to　the　woods　can　tell　the
  footstep　of　an　Indian　from　the　footstep　of　a　white　man；
  whether　it　be　made　by　a　boot　or　a　moccassin。　　It　will　need
  better　evidence　than　this　to　persuade　me　into　the　belief
  that　Jasper　is　false。〃
  〃You　will　allow；　Pathfinder；　that　there　are　such　things
  in　the　world　as　traitors？〃　put　in　Cap　logically。
  〃I　never　knew　an　honest…minded　Mingo；　　one　that　you
  could　put　faith　in；　if　he　had　a　temptation　to　deceive　you。
  Cheating　seems　to　be　their　gift；　and　I　sometimes　think
  they　ought　to　be　pitied　for　it；　rather　than　persecuted。〃
  〃Then　why　not　believe　that　this　Jasper　may　have　the
  same　weakness？　　A　man　is　a　man；　and　human　nature　is
  sometimes　but　a　poor　concern；　as　I　know　by　experience。〃
  This　was　the　opening　of　another　long　and　desultory
  conversation；　in　which　the　probability　of　Jasper's　guilt　or
  innocence　was　argued　_pro_　and　_c