secure　the　paddles。〃
  Jasper　assented；　and　Arrowhead　and　his　wife；　with
  whom　resistance　appeared　to　be　out　of　the　question；　silently
  complied　with　the　directions。　　A　few　expressions　of　sharp
  rebuke　passed　from　the　Indian　to　his　wife；　while　both
  were　employed　in　the　canoe；　which　the　latter　received　with
  submissive　quiet；　immediately　repairing　an　error　she　had
  made　by　laying　aside　the　blanket　she　had　taken　and　search…
  ing　for　another　that　was　more　to　her　tyrant's　mind。
  〃Come；　bear　a　hand；　Arrowhead；〃　said　the　Sergeant；　who
  stood　on　the　gunwale　overlooking　the　movements　of　the
  two；　which　were　proceeding　too　slowly　for　the　impatience
  of　a　drowsy　man；　〃it　is　getting　late；　and　we　soldiers　have
  such　a　thing　as　reveille　　early　to　bed　and　early　to　rise。〃
  〃Arrowhead　is　coming；〃　was　the　answer；　as　the　Tusca…
  rora　stepped　towards　the　head　of　his　canoe。
  One　blow　of　his　keen　knife　severed　the　rope　which　held
  the　boat；　and　then　the　cutter　glanced　ahead；　leaving　the
  light　bubble　of　bark；　which　instantly　lost　its　way；　almost
  stationary。　　So　suddenly　and　dexterously　was　this　manoeu…
  vre　performed；　that　the　canoe　was　on　the　lee　quarter　of
  the　_Scud_　before　the　Sergeant　was　aware　of　the　artifice；　and
  quite　in　her　wake　ere　he　had　time　to　announce　it　to　his
  companions。
  〃Hard…a…lee！〃　shouted　Jasper；　letting　fly　the　jib…sheet
  with　his　own　hands；　when　the　cutter　came　swiftly　up　to
  the　breeze；　with　all　her　canvas　flapping；　or　was　running
  into　the　wind's　eye；　as　seamen　term　it；　until　the　light　craft
  was　a　hundred　feet　to　windward　of　her　former　position。
  Quick　and　dexterous　as　was　this　movement；　and　ready　as
  had　been　the　expedient；　it　was　not　quicker　or　more　ready
  than　that　of　the　Tuscarora。　　With　an　intelligence　that
  denoted　some　familiarity　with　vessels；　he　had　seized　his
  paddle　and　was　already　skimming　the　water；　aided　by　the
  efforts　of　his　wife。　　The　direction　he　took　was　south…
  westerly；　or　on　a　line　that　led　him　equally　towards　the
  wind　and　the　shore；　while　it　also　kept　him　so　far　aloof
  from　the　cutter　as　to　avoid　the　danger　of　the　latter　falling
  on　board　of　him　when　she　filled　on　the　other　tack。　　Swiftly
  as　the　_Scud_　had　shot　into　the　wind；　and　far　as　she　had
  forced　ahead；　Jasper　knew　it　was　necessary　to　cast　her　ere
  she　had　lost　all　her　way；　and　it　was　not　two　minutes　from
  the　time　the　helm　had　been　put　down　before　the　lively
  little　craft　was　aback　forward；　and　rapidly　falling　off；　in
  order　to　allow　her　sails　to　fill　on　the　opposite　tack。
  〃He　will　escape！〃　said　Jasper　the　instant　he　caught　a
  glimpse　of　the　relative　bearings　of　the　cutter　and　the
  canoe。　　〃The　cunning　knave　is　paddling　dead　to　wind…
  ward；　and　the　_Scud_　can　never　overtake　him！〃
  〃You　have　a　canoe！〃　exclaimed　the　Sergeant；　mani…
  festing　the　eagerness　of　a　boy　to　join　in　the　pursuit；　〃let
  us　launch　it；　and　give　chase！〃
  〃It　will　be　useless。　　If　Pathfinder　had　been　on　deck；
  there　might　have　been　a　chance；　but　there　is　none　now。
  To　launch　the　canoe　would　have　taken　three　or　four　min…
  utes；　and　the　time　lost　would　be　sufficient　for　the　purposes
  of　Arrowhead。〃
  Both　Cap　and　the　Sergeant　saw　the　truth　of　this；　which
  would　have　been　nearly　self…evident　even　to　one　unaccus…
  tomed　to　vessels。　　The　shore　was　distant　less　than　half　a
  mile；　and　the　canoe　was　already　glancing　into　its　shadows；
  at　a　rate　to　show　that　it　would　reach　the　land　before　its
  pursuers　could　probably　get　half　the　distance。　　The　helm
  of　the　_Scud_　was　reluctantly　put　up　again；　and　the　cutter
  wore　short　round　on　her　heel；　coming　up　to　her　course　on
  the　other　tack；　as　if　acting　on　an　instinct。　　All　this　was
  done　by　Jasper　in　profound　silence；　his　assistants　under…
  standing　what　was　necessary；　and　lending　their　aid　in　a
  sort　of　mechanical　imitation。　　While　these　manoeuvres
  were　in　the　course　of　execution；　Cap　took　the　Sergeant　by
  a　button；　and　led　him　towards　the　cabin…door；　where　he
  was　out　of　ear…shot；　and　began　to　unlock　his　stores　of
  thought。
  〃Hark'e；　brother　Dunham；〃　said　he；　with　an　ominous
  face；　〃this　is　a　matter　that　requires　mature　thought　and
  much　circumspection。〃
  〃The　life　of　a　soldier；　brother　Cap；　is　one　of　constant
  thought　and　circumspection。　　On　this　frontier；　were　we
  to　overlook　either；　our　scalps　might　be　taken　from　our
  heads　in　the　first　nap。〃
  〃But　I　consider　this　capture　of　Arrowhead　as　a　circum…
  stance；　and　I　might　add　his　escape　as　another。　　This　Jas…
  per　Freshwater　must　look　to　it。〃
  〃They　are　both　circumstances　truly；　brother；　but　they
  tell　different　ways。　　If　it　is　a　circumstance　against　the
  lad　that　the　Indian　has　escaped；　it　is　a　circumstance　in
  his　favor　that　he　was　first　taken。〃
  〃Ay；　ay；　but　two　circumstances　do　not　contradict　each
  other　like　two　negatives。　　If　you　will　follow　the　advice　of
  an　old　seaman；　Sergeant；　not　a　moment　is　to　be　lost　in
  taking　the　steps　necessary　for　the　security　of　the　vessel　and
  all　on　board　of　her。　　The　cutter　is　now　slipping　through
  the　water　at　the　rate　of　six　knots；　and　as　the　distances　are
  so　short　on　this　bit　of　a　pond；　we　may　all　find　ourselves　in
  a　French　port　before　morning；　and　in　a　French　prison
  before　night。〃
  〃This　may　be　true　enough。　　What　would　you　advise
  me　to　do；　brother？〃
  〃In　my　opinion　you　should　put　this　Master　Freshwater
  under　arrest　on　the　spot；　send　him　below　under　the
  charge　of　a　sentinel；　and　transfer　the　command　of　the
  cutter　to　me。　　All　this　you　have　power　to　perform；　the
  craft　belonging　to　the　army；　and　you　being　the　command…
  ing　officer　of　the　troops　present。〃
  Sergeant　Dunham　deliberated　more　than　an　hour　on
  the　propriety　of　this　proposal；　for；　though　sufficiently
  prompt　when　his　mind　was　really　made　up；　he　was　habit…
  ually　thoughtful　and　wary。　　The　habit　of　superintending
  the　personal　police　of　the　garrison　had　made　him　ac…
  quainted　with　character；　and　he　had　long　been　disposed　to
  think　well　of　Jasper。　　Still　that　subtle　poison；　suspicion；
  had　entered　his　soul；　and　so　much　were　the　artifices　and
  intrigues　of　the　French　dreaded；　that；　especially　warned
  as　he　had　been　by　his　commander；　it　is　not　to　be　wondered
  that　the　recollection　of　years　of　good　conduct　should　van…
  ish　under　the　influence　of　a　distrust　so　keen；　and　seemingly
  so　plausible。　　In　this　embarrassment　the　Sergeant　consulted
  the　Quartermaster；　whose　opinion；　as　his　superior；　he　felt
  bound　to　respect；　though　at　the　moment　independent　of
  his　control。　　It　is　an　unfortunate　occurrence　for　one　who
  is　in　a　dilemma　to　ask　advice　of　another　who　is　desirous
  of　standing　well　in　his　favor；　the　party　consulted　being
  almost　certain　to　try　to　think　in　the　manner　which　will　be
  the　most　agreeable　to　the　party　consulting。　　In　the　present
  instance　it　was　equally　unfortunate；　as　respects　a　candid
  consideration　of　the　subject；　that　Cap；　instead　of　the　Ser…
  geant　himself；　made　the　statement　of　the　case；　for　the
  earnest　old　sailor　was　not　backward　in　letting　his　listener
  perceive　to　which　side　he　was　desirous　that　the　Quarter…
  master　should　lean。　　Lieutenant　Muir　was　much　too　pol…
  itic　to　offend　the　uncle　and　father　of　the　woman　he　hoped
  and　expected　to　win；　had　he　really　thought　the　case　ad…
  mitted　of　doubt；　but；　in　the　manner　in　which　the　facts
  were　submitted　to　him；　he　was　seriously　inclined　to　think
  that　it　would　be　well　to　put　the　control　of　the　_Scud_　tem…
  porarily　into　the　managoment　of　Cap；　as　a　precaution
  against　treachery。　　This　opinion　then　decided　the　Ser…
  geant；　who　forthwith　set　about　the　execution　of　the　neces…
  sary　measures。
  Without　entering　into　any　explanations；　Sergeant　Dun…
  ham　simply　informed　Jasper　that　he　felt　it　to　be　his　duty
  to　deprive　him　temporarily　of　the　command　of　the　cutter；
  and　to　confer　it　on　his　own　brother…in…law。　　A　natural　and
  involuntary　burst　of　surprise；　which　escaped　the　young
  man；　was　met　by　a　quiet　remark；　reminding　him　that　mili…
  tary　service　was　often　of　a　nature　that　required　conceal…
  ment；　and　a　declaration　that　the　present　duty　was　of　such
  a　character　that　this　particular　arrangement　had　become
  indispensable。　　Although　Jasper's　astonishment　remained
  undiminished；　　the　Sergeant　cautiously　abstaining　from
  making　any　allusion　to　his　suspicions；　　the　young　man
  was　accustomed　to　obey　with　military　submission；　and　he
  quietly　acquiesced；　with　his　own　mouth　directing　the　little
  crew　to　receive　their　further　orders　from　Cap　until　another
  change　should　be　effected。　　When；　however；　he　was　told
  the　case　required　that　not　only　he　himself；　but　his　princi…
  pal　assistant；　who；　on　account　of　his　long　acquaintance
  with　the　lake；　was　usually　termed　the　pilot；　were　to　remain
  below；　there　was　an　alteration　in　his　countenance　and
  manner　that　denoted　strong　feeling；　though　it　was　so　well
  mastered　as　to　leave　even　the　distrustful　Cap　in　doubt　as
  to　its　meaning。　　As　a　matter　of　course；　however；　when　dis…
  trust　exists；　it　was　not　long　before　the　worst　construction
  was　put　upon　it。
  As　soon　as　Jasper　and　the　pilot　were　below；　the　sentinel
  at　the　hatch　received　private　orders　to　pay　particular　at…
  tention　to　both；　to　allow　neither　to　come　on　deck　again
  without　giving　instant　notice　to　the　person　who　might
  then　be　in　charge　of　the　cutter；　and　to　insist　on　his　return
  below　as　soon　as　possible。　　This