proper　instant。　　That　moment；　however；　did　not　arrive；　in
  his　judgment；　until　the　blaze　illuminated　the　surrounding
  bushes；　and　there　had　been　time　for　his　quick　and　practised
  eye　to　detect　the　forms　of　three　or　four　lurking　savages；
  who　were　watching　the　progress　of　the　flames；　with　the
  cool　indifference　of　men　accustomed　to　look　on　human
  misery　with　apathy。　　Then；　indeed；　he　spoke。
  〃Are　you　ready；　friend　Cap？〃　he　asked。　　〃The　heat
  begins　to　strike　through　the　crevices；　and　although　these
  green　logs　are　not　of　the　fiery　natur'　of　an　ill…tempered
  man；　they　may　be　kindled　into　a　blaze　if　one　provokes　them
  too　much。　　Are　you　ready　with　the　barrel？　　See　that　it
  has　the　right　cut；　and　that　none　of　the　water　is　wasted。〃
  〃All　ready！〃　answered　Cap；　in　the　manner　in　which　a
  seaman　replies　to　such　a　demand。
  〃Then　wait　for　the　word。　　Never　be　over…impatient　in
  a　critical　time；　nor　fool…risky　in　a　battle。　　Wait　for　the
  word。〃
  While　the　Pathfinder　was　giving　these　directions；　he　was
  also　making　his　own　preparations；　for　he　saw　it　was　time
  to　act。　　Killdeer　was　deliberately　raised；　pointed；　and　dis…
  charged。　　The　whole　process　occupied　about　half　a　minute；
  and　as　the　rifle　was　drawn　in　the　eye　of　the　marksman　was
  applied　to　the　hole。
  〃There　is　one　riptyle　the　less；〃　Pathfinder　muttered　to
  himself；　〃I've　seen　that　vagabond　afore；　and　know　him　to
  be　a　marciless　devil。　　Well；　well！　the　man　acted　accord…
  ing　to　his　gifts；　and　he　has　been　rewarded　according　to　his
  gifts。　　One　more　of　the　knaves；　and　that　will　sarve　the
  turn　for　to…night。　　When　daylight　appears；　we　may　have
  hotter　work。〃
  All　this　time　another　rifle　was　being　got　ready；　and　as
  Pathfinder　ceased；　a　second　savage　fell。　　This　indeed
  sufficed；　for；　indisposed　to　wait　for　a　third　visitation　from
  the　same　hand；　the　whole　band；　which　had　been　crouching
  in　the　bushes　around　the　block；　ignorant　of　who　was　and
  who　was　not　exposed　to　view；　leaped　from　their　covers　and
  fled　to　different　places　for　safety。
  〃Now；　pour　away；　Master　Cap；〃　said　Pathfinder；　〃I've
  made　my　mark　on　the　blackguards；　and　we　shall　have　no
  more　fires　lighted　to…night。〃
  〃Scaldings！〃　cried　Cap；　upsetting　the　barrel；　with　a
  care　that　at　once　and　completely　extinguished　the　flames。
  This　ended　the　singular　conflict；　and　the　remainder　of
  the　night　passed　in　peace。　　Pathfinder　and　Cap　watched
  alternately；　though　neither　can　be　said　to　have　slept。
  Sleep　indeed　scarcely　seemed　necessary　to　them；　for　both
  were　accustomed　to　protracted　watchings；　and　there　were
  seasons　and　times　when　the　former　appeared　to　be　literally
  insensible　to　the　demands　of　hunger　and　thirst　and　callous
  to　the　effects　of　fatigue。
  Mabel　watched　by　her　father's　pallet；　and　began　to　feel
  how　much　our　happiness　in　this　world　depends　even　on
  things　that　are　imaginary。　　Hitherto　she　had　virtually
  lived　without　a　father；　the　connection　with　her　remaining
  parent　being　ideal　rather　than　positive；　but　now　that　she
  was　about　to　lose　him；　she　thought　for　the　moment　that
  the　world　would　be　a　void　after　his　death；　and　that　she
  could　never　be　acquainted　with　happiness　again。
  CHAPTER　XXV。
  There　was　a　roaring　in　the　wind　all　night；
  The　rain　came　heavily；　and　fell　in　floods；
  But　now　the　sun　is　rising　calm　and　bright；
  The　birds　are　singing　in　the　distant　woods。
  WORDSWORTH。
  As　the　light　returned；　Pathfinder　and　Cap　ascended
  again　to　the　roof；　with　a　view　to　reconnoitre　the　state　of
  things　once　more　on　the　island。　　This　part　of　the　block…
  house　had　a　low　battlement　around　it；　which　afforded　a
  considerable　protection　to　those　who　stood　in　its　centre；
  the　intention　having　been　to　enable　marksmen　to　lie　be…
  hind　it　and　to　fire　over　its　top。　　By　making　proper　use；
  therefore；　of　these　slight　defences；　　slight　as　to　height；
  though　abundantly　ample　as　far　as　they　went；　　the　two
  look…outs　commanded　a　pretty　good　view　of　the　island；　its
  covers　excepted；　and　of　most　of　the　channels　that　led　to
  the　spot。
  The　gale　was　still　blowing　very　fresh　at　south；　and　there
  were　places　in　the　river　where　its　surface　looked　green　and
  angry；　though　the　wind　had　hardly　sweep　enough　to　raise
  the　water　into　foam。　　The　shape　of　the　little　island　was
  nearly　oval；　and　its　greater　length　was　from　east　to　west。
  By　keeping　in　the　channels　that　washed　it；　in　consequence
  of　their　several　courses　and　of　the　direction　of　the　gale；　it
  would　have　been　possible　for　a　vessel　to　range　past　the
  island　on　either　of　its　principal　sides；　and　always　to　keep
  the　wind　very　nearly　abeam。　　These　were　the　facts　first
  noticed　by　Cap；　and　explained　to　his　companion；　for　the
  hopes　of　both　now　rested　on　the　chances　of　relief　sent　from
  Oswego。　　At　this　instant；　while　they　stood　gazing　anxiously
  about　them；　Cap　cried　out；　in　his　lusty；　hearty　manner；
  〃Sail；　ho！〃
  Pathfinder　turned　quickly　in　the　direction　of　his　com…
  panion's　face；　and　there；　sure　enough；　was　just　visible　the
  object　of　the　old　sailor's　exclamation。　　The　elevation　en…
  abled　the　two　to　overlook　the　low　land　of　several　of　the
  adjacent　islands；　and　the　canvas　of　a　vessel　was　seen
  through　the　bushes　that　fringed　the　shore　of　one　that　lay
  to　the　southward　and　westward。　　The　stranger　was　under
  what　seamen　call　low　sail；　but　so　great　was　the　power　of
  the　wind；　that　her　white　outlines　were　seen　flying　past　the
  openings　of　the　verdure　with　the　velocity　of　a　fast…travelling
  horse　　resembling　a　cloud　driving　in　the　heavens。
  〃That　cannot　be　Jasper；〃　said　Pathfinder　in　disappoint…
  ment；　for　be　did　not　recognize　the　cutter　of　his　friend　in
  the　swift…passing　object。　　〃No；　no；　the　lad　is　behind　the
  hour；　and　that　is　some　craft　which　the　Frenchers　have
  sent　to　aid　their　friends；　the　accursed　Mingos。〃
  〃This　time　you　are　out　in　your　reckoning；　friend　Path…
  finder；　if　you　never　were　before；〃　returned　Cap　in　a　man…
  ner　that　had　lost　none　of　its　dogmatism　by　the　critical　cir…
  cumstances　in　which　they　were　placed。　　〃Fresh　water　or
  salt；　that　is　the　head　of　the　_Scud's_　mainsail；　for　it　is　cut
  with　a　smaller　gore　than　common；　and　then　you　can　see
  that　the　gaff　has　been　fished　　quite　neatly　done；　I　admit；
  but　fished。〃
  〃I　can　see　none　of　this；　I　confess；〃　answered　Pathfinder；
  to　whom　even　the　terms　of　his　companion　were　Greek。
  〃No！　　Well；　I　own　that　surprises　me；　for　I　thought
  your　eyes　could　see　anything！　　Now　to　me　nothing　is
  plainer　than　that　gore　and　that　fish；　and　I　must　say；　my
  honest　friend；　that　in　your　place　I　should　apprehend　that
  my　sight　was　beginning　to　fail。〃
  〃If　Jasper　is　truly　coming；　I　shall　apprehend　but　little。
  We　can　make　good　the　block　against　the　whole　Mingo　na…
  tion　for　the　next　eight　or　ten　hours；　and　with　Eau…douce
  to　cover　the　retreat；　I　shall　despair　of　nothing。　　God　send
  that　the　lad　may　not　run　alongside　of　the　bank；　and　fall
  into　an　ambushment；　as　befell　the　Sergeant！〃
  〃Ay；　there's　the　danger。　　There　ought　to　have　been　sig…
  nals　concerted；　and　an　anchorage…ground　buoyed　out；　and
  even　a　quarantine　station　or　a　lazaretto　would　have　been
  useful；　could　we　have　made　these　Minks…ho　respect　the
  laws。　　If　the　lad　fetches　up；　as　you　say；　anywhere　in　the
  neighborhood　of　this　island；　we　may　look　upon　the　cutter
  as　lost。　　And；　after　all；　Master　Pathfinder；　ought　we　not
  to　set　down　this　same　Jasper　as　a　secret　ally　of　the　French；
  rather　than　as　a　friend　of　our　own？　　I　know　the　Sergeant
  views　the　matter　in　that　light；　and　I　must　say　this　whole
  affair　looks　like　treason。〃
  〃We　shall　soon　know；　we　shall　soon　know；　Master　Cap；
  for　there；　indeed；　comes　the　cutter　clear　of　the　other　island；
  and　five　minutes　must　settle　the　matter。　　It　would　be　no
  more　than　fair；　however；　if　we　could　give　the　boy　some
  sign　in　the　way　of　warning。　　It　is　not　right　that　he　should
  fall　into　the　trap　without　a　notice　that　it　has　been　laid。〃
  Anxiety　and　suspense；　notwithstanding；　prevented　either
  from　attempting　to　make　any　signal。　　It　was　not　easy；
  truly；　to　see　how　it　could　be　done；　for　the　_Scud_　came
  foaming　through　the　channel；　on　the　weather　side　of　the
  island；　at　a　rate　that　scarcely　admitted　of　the　necessary
  time。　　Nor　was　any　one　visible　on　her　deck　to　make　signs
  to；　even　her　helm　seemed　deserted；　though　her　course　was
  as　steady　as　her　progress　was　rapid。
  Cap　stood　in　silent　admiration　of　a　spectacle　so　unusual。
  But；　as　the　_Scud_　drew　nearer；　his　practised　eye　detected
  the　helm　in　play　by　means　of　tiller…ropes；　though　the　per…
  son　who　steered　was　concealed。　　As　the　cutter　had　weather…
  boards　of　some　little　height；　the　mystery　was　explained；
  no　doubt　remaining　that　her　people　lay　behind　the　latter；
  in　order　to　be　protected　from　the　rifles　of　the　enemy。　　As
  this　fact　showed　that　no　force　beyond　that　of　the　small
  crew　could　be　on　board；　Pathfinder　received　his　compan…
  ion's　explanation　with　an　ominous　shake　of　the　head。
  〃This　proves　that　the　Sarpent　has　not　reached　Oswego；〃
  said　he；　〃and　that　we　are　not　to　expect　succor　from　the
  garrison。　　I　hope　Lundie　has　not　taken　it　into　his　head
  to　displace　the　lad；　for　Jasper　Western　would　be　a　host　of
  himself　in　such　a　strait。　　We　three；　Master　Cap；　ought　to
  make　a　manful　warfare：　you；　as　a　seaman；　to　keep　up　the
  intercourse　with　the　cutter；　Jasper；　as