ware；　but；　less　true　than　that　of　his　friend；　it　only　maimed
  an　enemy　for　life。　　The　people　of　the　_Scud_　shouted；　and
  the　savages　sank　again；　to　a　man；　as　if　it　might　be　into　the
  earth。
  〃That　was　the　Sarpent's　voice；〃　said　Pathfinder；　as　soon
  as　the　second　piece　was　discharged。　　〃I　know　the　crack　of
  his　rifle　as　well　as　I　do　that　of　Killdeer。　　'Tis　a　good　bar…
  rel；　though　not　sartain　death。　　Well；　well；　with　Chingach…
  gook　and　Jasper　on　the　water；　and　you　and　I　in　the　block；
  friend　Cap；　it　will　be　hard　if　we　don't　teach　these　Mingo
  scamps　the　rationality　of　a　fight。〃
  All　this　time　the　_Scud_　was　in　motion。　　As　soon　as　he
  had　reached　the　end　of　the　island；　Jasper　sent　his　prizes
  adrift；　and　they　went　down　before　the　wind　until　they
  stranded　on　a　point　half　a　mile　to　leeward。　　He　then　wore；
  and　came　stemming　the　current　again；　through　the　other
  passage。　　Those　on　the　summit　of　the　block　could　now
  perceive　that　something　was　in　agitation　on　the　deck　of
  the　_Scud_；　and；　to　their　great　delight；　just　as　the　cutter
  came　abreast　of　the　principal　cove；　on　the　spot　where　most
  of　the　enemy　lay；　the　howitzer　which　composed　her　sole
  armament　was　unmasked；　and　a　shower　of　case…shot　was
  sent　hissing　into　the　bushes。　　A　bevy　of　quail　would　not
  have　risen　quicker　than　this　unexpected　discharge　of　iron
  hail　put　up　the　Iroquois；　when　a　second　savage　fell　by　a
  messenger　sent　from　Killdeer；　and　another　went　limping
  away　by　a　visit　from　the　rifle　of　Chingachgook。　　New
  covers　were　immediately　found；　however；　and　each　party
  seemed　to　prepare　for　the　renewal　of　the　strife　in　another
  form。　　But　the　appearance　of　June；　bearing　a　white　flag；
  and　accompanied　by　the　French　officer　and　Muir；　stayed
  the　hands　of　all；　and　was　the　forerunner　of　another　parley。
  The　negotiation　that　followed　was　held　beneath　the
  blockhouse；　and　so　near　it　as　at　once　to　put　those　who
  were　uncovered　completely　at　the　mercy　of　Pathfinder's
  unerring　aim。　　Jasper　anchored　directly　abeam；　and　the
  howitzer；　too；　was　kept　trained　upon　the　negotiators：　so
  that　the　beseiged　and　their　friends；　with　the　exception　of
  the　man　who　held　the　match；　had　no　hesitation　about　ex…
  posing　their　persons。　　Chingachgook　alone　lay　in　ambush；
  more；　however；　from　habit　than　distrust。
  〃You've　triumphed；　Pathfinder；〃　called　out　the　Quarter…
  master；　〃and　Captain　Sanglier　has　come　himself　to　offer
  terms。　　You'll　no'　be　denying　a　brave　enemy　honorable
  retreat；　when　he　has　fought　ye　fairly；　and　done　all　the
  credit　he　could　to　king　and　country。　　Ye　are　too　loyal　a
  subject　yourself　to　visit　loyalty　and　fidelity　with　a　heavy
  judgment。　　I　am　authorized　to　offer；　on　the　part　of　the
  enemy；　an　evacuation　of　the　island；　a　mutual　exchange　of
  prisoners；　and　a　restoration　of　scalps。　　In　the　absence　of
  baggage　and　artillery；　little　more　can　be　done。〃
  As　the　conversation　was　necessarily　carried　on　in　a　high
  key；　both　on　account　of　the　wind　and　of　the　distance；　all
  that　was　said　was　heard　equally　by　those　in　the　block　and
  those　in　the　cutter。
  〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　Jasper？〃　called　out　Path…
  finder。　　〃You　hear　the　proposal。　　Shall　we　let　the　vaga…
  bonds　go？　or　shall　we　mark　them；　as　they　mark　their
  sheep　in　the　settlements；　that　we　may　know　them　again？〃
  〃What　has　befallen　Mabel　Dunham？〃　demanded　the
  young　man；　with　a　frown　on　his　handsome　face；　that　was
  visible　even　to　those　on　the　block。　　〃If　a　hair　of　her
  head　has　been　touched；　it　will　go　hard　with　the　whole　Iro…
  quois　tribe。〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　she　is　safe　below；　nursing　a　dying　parent；　as
  becomes　her　sex。　　We　owe　no　grudge　on　account　of　the
  Sergeant's　hurt；　which　comes　of　lawful　warfare；　and　as
  for　Mabel　　〃
  〃She　is　here！〃　exclaimed　the　girl　herself；　who　had
  mounted　to　the　roof　the　moment　she　found　the　direction
  things　were　taking；　　〃she　is　here！　and；　in　the　name　of　our
  holy　religion；　and　of　that　God　whom　we　profess　to　wor…
  ship　in　common；　let　there　be　no　more　bloodshed！　　Enough
  has　been　spilt　already；　and　if　these　men　will　go　away；
  Pathfinder　　if　they　will　depart　peaceably；　Jasper　　oh；　do
  not　detain　one　of　them！　　My　poor　father　is　approaching
  his　end；　and　it　were　better　that　he　should　draw　his　last
  breath　in　peace　with　the　world。　　Go；　go；　Frenchmen　and
  Indians！　we　are　no　longer　your　enemies；　and　will　harm
  none　of　you。〃
  〃Tut；　tut；　Magnet！〃　put　in　Cap；　〃this　sounds　religious；
  perhaps；　or　like　a　book　of　poetry；　but　it　does　not　sound
  like　common　sense。　　The　enemy　is　just　ready　to　strike；
  Jasper　is　anchored　with　his　broadside　to　bear；　and；　no
  doubt；　with　springs　on　his　cables；　Pathfinder's　eye　and
  hand　are　as　true　as　the　needle；　and　we　shall　get　prize…
  money；　head…money；　and　honor　in　the　bargain；　if　you　will
  not　interfere　for　the　next　half…hour。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　Pathfinder；　〃I　incline　to　Mabel's　way　of
  thinking。　　There　_has_　been　enough　blood　shed　to　answer
  our　purpose　and　to　sarve　the　king；　and　as　for　honor；　in
  that　meaning；　it　will　do　better　for　young　ensigns　and　re…
  cruits　than　for　cool…headed；　obsarvant　Christian　men。
  There　is　honor　in　doing　what's　right；　and　unhonor　in　doing
  what's　wrong；　and　I　think　it　wrong　to　take　the　life　even
  of　a　Mingo；　without　a　useful　end　in　view；　I　do；　and　nght
  to　hear　reason　at　all　times。　　So；　Lieutenant　Muir；　let　us
  know　what　your　friends　the　Frenchers　and　Indians　have
  to　say　for　themselves。〃
  〃My　friends！〃　said　Muir；　starting；　〃you'll　no'　be　calling
  the　king's　enemies　my　friends；　Pathfinder；　because　the
  fortune　of　war　has　thrown　me　into　their　hands？　　Some　of
  the　greatest　warriors；　both　of　ancient　aud　modern　times；
  have　been　prisoners　of　war；　and　yon　is　Master　Cap；　who
  can　testify　whether　we　did　not　do　all　that　men　could　de…
  vise　to　escape　the　calamity。〃
  〃Ay；　ay；〃　drily　answered　Cap；　〃escape　is　the　proper
  word。　　We　ran　below　aud　hid　ourselves；　and　so　discreetly；
  that　we　might　have　remained　in　the　hole　to　this　hour；　had
  it　not　been　for　the　necessity　of　re…stowing　the　bread　lockers。
  You　burrowed　on　that　occasion；　Quartermaster；　as　handily
  as　a　fox；　and　how　the　d…l　you　knew　so　well　where　to
  find　the　spot　is　a　matter　of　wonder　to　me。　　A　regular　skulk
  on　board　ship　does　not　trail　aft　more　readily　when　the　jib
  is　to　be　stowed；　than　you　went　into　that　same　hole。〃
  〃And　did　ye　no'　follow？　　There　are　moments　in　a　man's
  life　when　reason　ascends　to　instinct　　〃
  〃And　men　descend　into　holes；〃　interrupted　Cap；　laugh…
  ing　in　his　boisterous　way；　while　Pathfinder　chimed　in；　in
  his　peculiar　manner。　　Even　Jasper；　though　still　filled　with
  concern　for　Mabel；　was　obliged　to　smile。　　〃They　say　the
  d…l　wouldn't　make　a　sailor　if　he　didn't　look　aloft；　and
  now　it　seems　he'll　not　make　a　soldier　if　he　doesn't　look
  below！〃
  This　burst　of　merriment；　though　it　was　anything　but
  agreeable　to　Muir；　contributed　largely　towards　keeping
  the　peace。　　Cap　fancied　he　had　said　a　thing　much　better
  than　common；　and　that　disposed　him　to　yield　his　own
  opinion　on　the　main　point；　so　long　as　he　got　the　good　opin…
  ion　of　his　companions　on　his　novel　claim　to　be　a　wit。
  After　a　short　discussion；　all　the　savages　on　the　island　were
  collected　in　a　body；　without　arms；　at　the　distance　of　a　hun…
  dred　yards　from　the　block；　and　under　the　gun　of　the　_Scud_；
  while　Pathfinder　descended　to　the　door　of　the　blockhouse
  and　settled　the　terms　on　which　the　island　was　to　be　finally
  evacuated　by　the　enemy。　　Considering　all　the　circum…
  stances；　the　conditions　were　not　very　discreditable　to　either
  party。　　The　Indians　were　compelled　to　give　up　all　their
  arms；　even　to　their　knives　and　tomahawks；　as　a　measure　of
  precaution；　their　force　being　still　quadruple　that　of　their
  foes。　　The　French　officer；　Monsieur　Sanglier；　as　he　was
  usually　styled；　and　chose　to　call　himself；　remonstrated
  against　this　act　as　one　likely　to　reflect　more　discredit　on
  his　command　than　any　other　part　of　the　affair；　but　Path…
  finder；　who　had　witnessed　one　or　two　Indian　massacres；
  and　knew　how　valueless　pledges　became　when　put　in　op…
  position　to　interest　where　a　savage　was　concerned；　was　ob…
  durate。　　The　second　stipulation　was　of　nearly　the　same
  importance。　　It　compelled　Captain　Sanglier　to　give　up　all
  his　prisoners；　who　had　been　kept　well　guarded　in　the　very
  hole　or　cave　in　which　Cap　and　Muir　had　taken　refuge。
  When　these　men　were　produced；　four　of　them　were　found
  to　be　unhurt；　they　had　fallen　merely　to　save　their　lives；　a
  common　artifice　in　that　species　of　warfare；　and　of　the　re…
  mainder；　two　were　so　slightly　injured　as　not　to　be　unfit　for
  service。　　As　they　brought　their　muskets　with　them；　this
  addition　to　his　force　immediately　put　Pathfinder　at　his
  ease；　for；　having　collected　all　the　arms　of　the　enemy　in　the
  blockhouse；　he　directed　these　men　to　take　possession　of
  the　building；　stationing　a　regular　sentinel　at　the　door。　　The
  remainder　of　the　soldiers　were　dead；　the　badly　wounded
  having　been　instantly　despatched　in　order　to　obtain　the
  much…coveted　scalps。
  As　soon　as　Jasper　was　made　acquainted　with　the　terms；
  and　the　preliminaries　had　been　so　far　observed　as　to　ren…
  der　it　safe　for　him　to　be　absent；　he　got　the　_Scud_　under
  weigh；　and；　running　down　to　the　point　where　the　boats
  had　stranded；　he　took　them　in　tow　again；　and；　making　a
  few　stretches；　brought　them　into　the　leeward　passage。