of　the　red…skins　has　compassion　on　his　creaturs　as　well　as
  the　God　of　a　Christian。〃
  A　gun　at　this　moment　was　discharged　from　a　blockhouse
  near　the　fort；　and　the　shot；　one　of　light　weight；　came
  whistling　over　the　cutter's　mast；　an　admonition　to　ap…
  proach　no　nearer。　　Jasper　was　at　the　helm；　and　he　kept
  away；　smiling　at　the　same　time　as　if　he　felt　no　anger　at
  the　rudeness　of　the　salutation。　　The　_Scud_　was　now　in　the
  current；　and　her　outward　set　soon　carried　her　far　enough
  to　leeward　to　avoid　the　danger　of　a　repetition　of　the　shot；
  and　then　she　quietly　continued　her　course　along　the　land。
  As　soon　as　the　river　was　fairly　opened；　Jasper　ascertained
  that　the　_Montcalm_　was　not　at　anchor　in　it；　and　a　man
  sent　aloft　came　down　with　the　report　that　the　horizon
  showed　no　sail。　　The　hope　was　now　strong　that　the　artifice
  of　Jasper　had　succeeded；　and　that　the　French　commander
  had　missed　them　by　keeping　the　middle　of　the　lake　as　he
  steered　towards　its　head。
  All　that　day　the　wind　hung　to　the　southward；　and　the
  cutter　continued　her　course　about　a　league　from　the　land；
  running　six　or　eight　knots　the　hour　in　perfectly　smooth
  water。　　Although　the　scene　had　one　feature　of　monotony；
  the　outline　of　unbroken　forest；　it　was　not　without　its　in…
  terest　and　pleasures。　　Various　headlands　presented　them…
  selves；　and　the　cutter；　in　running　from　one　to　another；
  stretched　across　bays　so　deep　as　almost　to　deserve　the
  name　of　gulfs。　　But　nowhere　did　the　eye　meet　with　the
  evidences　of　civilization；　rivers　occasionally　poured　their
  tribute　into　the　great　reservoir　of　the　lake；　but　their　banks
  could　be　traced　inland　for　miles　by　the　same　outlines　of
  trees；　and　even　large　bays；　that　lay　embosomed　in　woods；
  communicating　with　Ontario　only　by　narrow　outlets；　ap…
  peared　and　disappeared；　without　bringing　with　them　a　sin…
  gle　trace　of　a　human　habitation。
  Of　all　on　board；　the　Pathfinder　viewed　the　scene　with
  the　most　unmingled　delight。　　His　eyes　feasted　on　the　end…
  less　line　of　forest；　and　more　than　once　that　day；　notwith…
  standing　he　found　it　so　grateful　to　be　near　Mabel；　listen…
  ing　to　her　pleasant　voice；　and　echoing；　in　feelings　at　least；
  her　joyous　laugh；　did　his　soul　pine　to　be　wandering　be…
  neath　the　high　arches　of　the　maples；　oaks；　and　lindens；
  where　his　habits　had　induced　him　to　fancy　lasting　and
  true　joys　were　only　to　be　found。　　Cap　viewed　the　prospect
  differently；　more　than　once　he　expressed　his　disgust　at
  there　being　no　lighthouses；　church…towers；　beacons；　or　road…
  steads　with　their　shipping。　　Such　another　coast；　he　pro…
  tested；　the　world　did　not　contain；　and；　taking　the　Ser…
  geant　aside；　he　gravely　assured　him　that　the　region　could
  never　come　to　anything；　as　the　havens　were　neglected；　the
  rivers　had　a　deserted　and　useless　look；　and　that　even　the
  breeze　had　a　smell　of　the　forest　about　it；　which　spoke　ill
  of　its　properties。
  But　the　humors　of　the　different　individuals　in　her　did
  not　stay　the　speed　of　the　_Scud：_　when　the　sun　was　setting；
  she　was　already　a　hundred　miles　on　her　route　towards
  Oswego；　into　which　river　Sergeant　Dunham　now　thought
  it　his　duty　to　go；　in　order　to　receive　any　communications
  that　Major　Duncan　might　please　to　make。　　With　a　view
  to　effect　this　purpose；　Jasper　continued　to　hug　the　shore
  all　night；　and　though　the　wind　began　to　fail　him　towards
  morning；　it　lasted　long　enough　to　carry　the　cutter　up　to　a
  point　that　was　known　to　be　but　a　league　or　two　from　the
  fort。　　Here　the　breeze　came　out　light　at　the　northward；
  and　the　cutter　hauled　a　little　from　the　land；　in　order　to
  obtain　a　safe　offing　should　it　come　on　to　blow；　or　should
  the　weather　again　get　to　be　easterly。
  When　the　day　dawned；　the　cutter　had　the　mouth　of　the
  Oswego　well　under　the　lee；　distant　about　two　miles；　and
  just　as　the　morning　gun　from　the　fort　was　fired；　Jasper
  gave　the　order　to　ease　off　the　sheets；　and　to　bear　up　for
  his　port。　　At　that　moment　a　cry　from　the　forecastle　drew
  all　eyes　towards　the　point　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　outlet；
  and　there；　just　without　the　range　of　shot　from　the　light
  guns　of　the　works；　with　her　canvas　reduced　to　barely
  enough　to　keep　her　stationary；　lay　the　_Montcalm_；　evidently
  in　waiting　for　their　appearance。
  To　pass　her　was　impossible；　for　by　filling　her　sails　the
  French　ship　could　have　intercepted　them　in　a　few　min…
  utes；　and　the　circumstances　called　for　a　prompt　decision。
  After　a　short　consultation；　the　Sergeant　again　changed　his
  plan；　determining　to　make　the　best　of　his　way　towards　the
  station　for　which　he　had　been　originally　destined；　trusting
  to　the　speed　of　the　_Scud_　to　throw　the　enemy　so　far　astern
  as　to　leave　no　clue　to　her　movements。
  The　cutter　accordingly　hauled　upon　a　wind　with　the
  least　possible　delay；　with　everything　set　that　would　draw。
  Guns　were　fired　from　the　fort；　ensigns　shown；　and　the
  ramparts　were　again　crowded。　　But　sympathy　was　all　the
  aid　that　Lundie　could　lend　to　his　party；　and　the　_Mont…
  calm_；　also　firing　four　or　five　guns　of　defiance；　and　throwing
  abroad　several　of　the　banners　of　France；　was　soon　in　chase
  under　a　cloud　of　canvas。
  For　several　hours　the　two　vessels　were　pressing　through
  the　water　as　fast　as　possible；　making　short　stretches　to
  windward；　apparently　with　a　view　to　keep　the　port　under
  their　lee；　the　one　to　enter　it　if　possible；　and　the　other　to
  intercept　it　in　the　attempt。
  At　meridian　the　French　ship　was　hull　down；　dead　to
  leeward；　the　disparity　of　sailing　on　a　wind　being　very
  great；　and　some　islands　were　near　by；　behind　which　Jas…
  per　said　it　would　be　possible　for　the　cutter　to　conceal　her
  future　movements。　　Although　Cap　and　the　Sergeant；　and
  particularly　Lieutenant　Muir；　to　judge　by　his　language；
  still　felt　a　good　deal　of　distrust　of　the　young　man；　and
  Frontenac　was　not　distant；　this　advice　was　followed；　for
  time　pressed；　and　the　Quartermaster　discreetly　observed
  that　Jasper　could　not　well　betray　them　without　running
  openly　into　the　enemy's　harbor；　a　step　they　could　at　any
  time　prevent；　since　the　only　cruiser　of　force　the　French
  possessed　at　the　moment　was　under　their　lee　and　not　in　a
  situation　to　do　them　any　immediate　injury。
  Left　to　himself；　Jasper　Western　soon　proved　how　much
  was　really　in　him。　　He　weathered　upon　the　islands；　passed
  them；　and　on　coming　out　to　the　eastward；　kept　broad
  away；　with　nothing　in　sight　in　his　wake　or　to　leeward。
  By　sunset　again　the　cutter　was　up　with　the　first　of　the
  islands　that　lie　in　the　outlet　of　the　lake；　and　ere　it　was
  dark　she　was　running　through　the　narrow　channels　on　her
  way　to　the　long…sought　station。　　At　nine　o'clock；　however；
  Cap　insisted　that　they　should　anchor；　for　the　maze　of
  islands　became　so　complicated　and　obscure；　that　he　feared；
  at　every　opening；　the　party　would　find　themselves　under
  the　guns　of　a　French　fort。　　Jasper　consented　cheerfully；
  it　being　a　part　of　his　standing　instructions　to　approach　the
  station　under　such　circumstances　as　would　prevent　the
  men　from　obtaining　any　very　accurate　notions　of　its　posi…
  tion；　lest　a　deserter　might　betray　the　little　garrison　to　the
  enemy。
  The　_Scud_　was　brought　to　in　a　small　retired　bay；　where
  it　would　have　been　difficult　to　find　her　by　daylight；　and
  where　she　was　perfectly　concealed　at　night；　when　all　but　a
  solitary　sentinel　on　deck　sought　their　rest。　　Cap　had　been
  so　harassed　during　the　previous　eight…and…forty　hours；
  that　his　slumbers　were　long　and　deep；　nor　did　he　awake
  from　his　first　nap　until　the　day　was　just　beginning　to
  dawn。　　His　eyes　were　scarcely　open；　however；　when　his
  nautical　instinct　told　him　that　the　cutter　was　under　way。
  Springing　up；　he　found　the　_Scud_　threading　the　islands
  again；　with　no　one　on　deck　but　Jasper　and　the　pilot；　un…
  less　the　sentinel　be　excepted；　who　had　not　in　the　least
  interfered　with　movements　that　he　had　every　reason　to
  believe　were　as　regular　as　they　were　necessary。
  〃How's　this；　Master　Western？〃　demanded　Cap；　with
  sufficient　fierceness　for　the　occasion；　〃are　you　running　us
  into　Frontenac　at　last；　and　we　all　asleep　below；　like　so
  many　mariners　waiting　for　the　'sentry　go'？〃
  〃This　is　according　to　orders；　Master　Cap；　Major　Duncan
  having　commanded　me　never　to　approach　the　station　un…
  less　at　a　moment　when　the　people　were　below；　for　he　does
  not　wish　there　should　be　more　pilots　in　those　waters　than
  the　king　has　need　of。〃
  〃Whe…e…e…w！　a　pretty　job　I　should　have　made　of
  running　down　among　these　bushes　and　rocks　with　no　one
  on　deck！　　Why；　a　regular　York　branch　could　make　noth…
  ing　of　such　a　channel。〃
  〃I　always　thought；　sir；〃　said　Jasper；　smiling；　〃you　would
  have　done　better　had　you　left　the　cutter　in　my　hands　until
  she　had　safely　reached　her　place　of　destination。〃
  〃We　should　have　done　it；　Jasper；　we　should　have　done
  it；　had　it　not　been　for　a　circumstance；　these　circumstances
  are　serious　matters；　and　no　prudent　man　will　overlook
  them。〃
  〃Well；　sir；　I　hope　there　is　now　an　end　of　them。　　We
  shall　arrive　in　less　than　an　hour　if　the　wind　holds；　and
  then　you'll　be　safe　from　any　circumstances　that　I　can
  contrive。〃
  〃Humph！〃
  Cap　was　obliged　to　acquiesce；　and；　as　everything　around
  him　had　the　appearance　of　Jasper's　being　sincere；　there
  was　not　much　difficulty　in　making　up　his　mind　to　submit。
  It　would　not　have　been　easy