attained　the　ascendency；　〃no　one　who　knows　you　can；　or
  does；　believe　you　guilty。　　Pathfinder　says　he　will　pledge
  his　life　for　you。〃
  〃Then　you；　Mabel；〃　returned　the　youth；　his　eyes　flashing
  fire；　〃do　not　look　upon　me　as　the　traitor　your　father
  seems　to　believe　me　to　be？〃
  〃My　dear　father　is　a　soldier；　and　is　obliged　to　act　as　one。
  My　father's　daughter　is　not；　and　will　think　of　you　as　she
  ought　to　think　of　a　man　who　has　done　so　much　to　serve
  her　already。〃
  〃Mabel；　I'm　not　used　to　talking　with　one　like　you；　or
  saying　all　I　think　and　feel　with　any。　　I　never　had　a　sister；
  and　my　mother　died　when　I　was　a　child；　so　that　I　know
  little　what　your　sex　most　likes　to　hear　　〃
  Mabel　would　have　given　the　world　to　know　what　lay　be…
  hind　the　teeming　word　at　which　Jasper　hesitated；　but　the
  indefinable　and　controlliug　sense　of　womanly　diffidence
  made　her　suppress　her　curiosity。　　She　waited　in　silence
  for　him　to　explain　his　own　meaning。
  〃I　wish　to　say；　Mabel；〃　the　young　man　continued；　after
  a　pause　which　he　found　sufficiently　embarrassing；　〃that
  I　am　unused　to　the　ways　and　opinions　of　one　like　you；　and
  that　you　must　imagine　all　I　would　add。〃
  Mabel　had　imagination　enough　to　fancy　anything；　but
  there　are　ideas　and　feelings　that　her　sex　prefer　to　have　ex…
  pressed　before　they　yield　them　all　their　own　sympathies；
  and　she　had　a　vague　consciousness　that　these　of　Jasper
  might　properly　be　enumerated　in　the　class。　　With　a　readi…
  ness　that　belonged　to　her　sex；　therefore；　she　preferred
  changing　the　discourse　to　permitting　it　to　proceed　any
  further　in　a　manner　so　awkward　and　so　unsatisfactory。
  〃Tell　me　one　thing；　Jasper；　and　I　shall　be　content；〃　said
  she；　speaking　now　with　a　firinness　which　denoted　confi…
  dence；　not　only　in　herself；　but　in　her　companion：　〃you　do
  not　deserve　this　cruel　suspicion　which　rests　upon　you？〃
  〃I　do　not；　Mabel！〃　answered　Jasper；　looking　into　her
  full　blue　eyes　with　an　openness　and　simplicity　that　might
  have　shaken　stronger　distrust。　　〃As　I　hope　for　mercy
  hereafter；　I　do　not！〃
  〃I　knew　it　　I　could　have　sworn　it！〃　returned　the　girl
  warmly。　　〃And　yet　my　father　means　well；　　but　do　not　let
  this　matter　disturb　you；　Jasper。〃
  〃There　is　so　much　more　to　apprehend　from　another
  quarter　just　now；　that　I　scarcely　think　of　it。〃
  〃Jasper！〃
  〃I　do　not　wish　to　alarm　you；　Mabel；　but　if　your　uncle
  could　be　persuaded　to　change　his　notions　about　handling
  the　_Scud_：　and　yet　he　is　so　much　more　experienced　than
  I　am；　that　he　ought；　perhaps；　to　place　more　reliance　on　his
  own　judgment　than　on　mine。〃
  〃Do　you　think　the　cutter　in　any　danger？〃　demanded
  Mabel；　quick　as　thought。
  〃I　fear　so；　at　least　she　would　have　been　thought　in　great
  danger　by　us　of　the　lake；　perhaps　an　old　seaman　of　the
  ocean　may　have　means　of　his　own　to　take　care　of　her。〃
  〃Jasper；　all　agree　in　giving　you　credit　for　skill　in　man…
  aging　the　_Scud_。　　You　know　the　lake；　you　know　the　cut…
  ter；　you　_must_　be　the　best　judge　of　our　real　situation。〃
  〃My　concern　for　you；　Mabel；　may　make　me　more　cow…
  ardly　than　common；　but；　to　be　frank；　I　see　but　one　method
  of　keeping　the　cutter　from　being　wrecked　in　the　course　of
  the　next　two　or　three　hours；　and　that　your　uncle　refuses　to
  take。　　After　all；　this　may　be　my　ignorance；　for；　as　he　says；
  Ontario　is　merely　fresh　water。〃
  〃You　cannot　believe　this　will　make　any　difference。
  Think　of　my　dear　father；　Jasper！　　Think　of　yourself；　of
  all　the　lives　that　depend　on　a　timely　word　from　you　to　save
  them。〃
  〃I　think　of　you；　Mabel；　and　that　is　more；　much　more；
  than　all　the　rest　put　together！〃　returned　the　young　man；
  with　a　strength　of　expression　and　an　earnestness　of　look
  that　uttered　infinitely　more　than　the　words　themselves。
  Mabel's　heart　beat　quickly；　and　a　gleam　of　grateful　sat…
  isfaction　shot　across　her　blushing　features；　but　the　alarm
  was　too　vivid　and　too　serious　to　admit　of　much　relief　from
  happier　thoughts。　　She　did　not　attempt　to　repress　a　look
  of　gratitude；　and　then　she　returned　to　the　feeling　which
  was　naturally　uppermost。
  〃My　uncle's　obstinacy　must　not　be　permitted　to　occa…
  sion　this　disaster。　　Go　once　more　on　deck；　Jasper；　and
  ask　my　father　to　come　into　the　cabin。〃
  While　the　young　man　was　complying　with　this　request；
  Mabel　sat　listening　to　the　howling　of　the　storm　and　the
  dashing　of　the　water　against　the　cutter；　in　a　dread　to　which
  she　had　hitherto　been　a　stranger。　　Constitutionally　an　ex…
  cellent　sailor；　as　the　term　is　used　among　passengers；　she
  had　not　hitherto　bethought　her　of　any　danger；　and　had
  passed　her　time　since　the　commencemeut　of　the　gale　in
  such　womanly　employments　as　her　situation　allowed；　but
  now　that　alarm　was　seriously　awakened；　she　did　not　fail　to
  perceive　that　never　before　had　she　been　on　the　water　in
  such　a　tempest。　　The　minute　or　two　which　elapsed　before
  the　Sergeant　came　appeared　an　hour；　and　she　scarcely
  breathed　when　she　saw　him　and　Jasper　descending　the
  ladder　in　company。　　Quick　as　language　could　express　her
  meaning；　she　acquainted　her　father　with　Jasper's　opinion
  of　their　situation；　and　entreated　him；　if　he　loved　her；　or
  had　any　regard　for　his　own　life；　or　for　those　of　his　men；
  to　interfere　with　her　uncle；　and　to　induce　him　to　yield　the
  control　of　the　cutter　again　to　its　proper　commander。
  〃Jasper　is　true；　father；〃　added　she　earnestly；　〃and　if
  false；　he　could　have　no　motive　in　wrecking　us　in　this　dis…
  tant　part　of　the　lake　at　the　risk　of　all　our　lives；　his　own
  included。　　I　will　pledge　my　own　life　for　his　truth。〃
  〃Ay；　this　is　well　enough　for　a　young　woman　who　is
  frightened；〃　answered　the　more　phlegmatic　parent；　〃but
  it　might　not　be　so　excusable　in　one　in　command　of　an　ex…
  pedition。　　Jasper　may　think　the　chance　of　drowning　in
  getting　ashore　fully　repaid　by　the　chance　of　escaping　as
  soon　as　he　reaches　the　land。〃
  〃Sergeant　Dunham！〃
  〃Father！〃
  These　exclamations　were　made　simultaneously；　but　they
  were　uttered　in　tones　expressive　of　different　feelings。　　In
  Jasper；　surprise　was　the　emotion　uppermost；　in　Mabel
  reproach。　　The　old　soldier；　however；　was　too　much　accus…
  tomed　to　deal　frankly　with　subordinates　to　heed　either；
  and　after　a　moment's　thought；　he　continued　as　if　neither
  had　spoken。　　〃Nor　is　brother　Cap　a　man　likely　to　submit
  to　be　taught　his　duty　on　board　a　vessel。〃
  〃But；　father；　when　all　our　lives　are　in　the　utmost　jeop…
  ardy！〃
  〃So　much　the　worse。　　The　fair…weather　commander　is
  no　great　matter；　it　is　when　things　go　wrong　that　the　best
  officer　shows　himself　in　his　true　colors。　　Charles　Cap　will
  not　be　likely　to　quit　the　helm　because　the　ship　is　in　dan…
  ger。　　Besides；　Jasper　Eau…douce；　he　says　your　proposal　in
  itself　has　a　suspicious　air　about　it；　and　sounds　more　like
  treachery　than　reason。〃
  〃He　may　think　so；　but　let　him　send　for　the　pilot　and
  hear　his　opinion。　　It　is　well　known　that　I　have　not　seen
  the　man　since　yesterday　evening。〃
  〃This　does　sound　reasonably；　and　the　experiment　shall
  be　tried。　　Follow　me　on　deck　then；　that　all　may　be　hon…
  est　and　above…aboard。〃
  Jasper　obeyed；　and　so　keen　was　the　interest　of　Mabel；
  that　she　too　ventured　as　far　as　the　companion…way；　where
  her　garments　were　sufficiently　protected　against　the　vio…
  lence　of　the　wind　and　her　person　from　the　spray。　　Here
  maiden　modesty　induced　her　to　remain；　though　an　absorbed
  witness　of　what　was　passing。
  The　pilot　soon　appeared；　and　there　was　no　mistaking　the
  look　of　concern　that　he　cast　around　at　the　scene　as　soon　as
  he　was　in　the　open　air。　　Some　rumors　of　the　situation　of
  the　_Scud_　had　found　their　way　below；　it　is　true；　but　in　this
  instance　rumor　had　lessened　instead　of　magnifying　the
  danger。　　He　was　allowed　a　few　minutes　to　look　about　him；
  and　then　the　question　was　put　as　to　the　course　which　he
  thought　it　prudent　to　follow。
  〃I　see　no　means　of　saving　the　cutter　but　to　anchor；〃　he
  answered　simply；　and　without　hesitation。
  〃What！　out　here　in　the　lake？〃　inquired　Cap；　as　he　had
  previously　done　of　Jasper。
  〃No：　but　closer　in；　just　at　the　outer　line　of　the
  breakers。〃
  The　effect　of　this　communication　was　to　leave　no　doubt
  in　the　mind　of　Cap　that　there　was　a　secret　arrangement
  between　her　commander　and　the　pilot　to　cast　away　the
  _Scud_；　most　probably　with　the　hope　of　effecting　their　es…
  cape。　　He　consequently　treated　the　opinion　of　the　latter
  with　the　indifference　he　had　manifested　towards　that　of
  the　former。
  〃I　tell　you；　brother　Dunham；〃　said　he；　in　answer　to　the
  remonstrances　of　the　Sergeant　against　his　turning　a　deaf
  ear　to　this　double　represeutation；　〃that　no　seaman　would
  give　such　an　opinion　honestly。　　To　anchor　on　a　lee　shore
  in　a　gale　of　wind　would　be　an　act　of　madness　that　I　could
  never　excuse　to　the　underwriters；　under　any　circumstances；
  so　long　as　a　rag　can　be　set；　but　to　anchor　close　to　breakers
  would　be　insanity。〃
  〃His　Majesty　underwrites　the　_Scud_；　brother；　and　I　am
  responsible　for　the　lives　of　my　command。　　These　men　are
  better　acquainted　with　Lake　Ontario　than　we　can　possibly
  be；　and　I　do　think　their　telling　the　same　tale　entitles　them
  to　some　credit。〃
  〃Uncle！〃　said　Mabel　earnestly；　but　a　gesture　from　Jas…
  per　induced　the　girl　to　restrain　her　feelings。
  〃We　are　drifting　down　upon　the　breakers　so　rapidly；〃
  said　the　young　man；　〃that　little　nee