had　stranded；　he　took　them　in　tow　again；　and；　making　a
  few　stretches；　brought　them　into　the　leeward　passage。
  Here　all　the　savages　instantly　embarked；　when　Jasper　took
  the　boats　in　tow　a　third　time；　and；　running　off　before　the
  wind；　he　soon　set　them　adrift　full　a　mile　to　leeward　of　the
  island。　　The　Indians　were　furnished　with　but　a　single　oar
  in　each　boat　to　steer　with；　the　young　sailor　well　knowing
  that　by　keeping　before　the　wind　they　would　land　on　the
  shores　of　Canada　in　the　course　of　the　morning。
  Captain　Sanglier；　Arrowhead；　and　June　alone　remained；
  when　this　disposition　had　been　made　of　the　rest　of　the
  party：　the　former　having　certain　papers　to　draw　up　and
  sign　with　Lieutenant　Muir；　who　in　his　eyes　possessed　the
  virtues　which　are　attached　to　a　commission；　and　the　lat…
  ter　preferring；　for　reasons　of　his　own；　not　to　depart　in　com…
  pany　with　his　late　friends；　the　Iroquis。　　Canoes　were　de…
  tained　for　the　departure　of　these　three；　when　the　proper
  moment　should　arrive。
  In　the　meantime；　or　while　the　_Scud_　was　running　down
  with　the　boats　in　tow；　Pathfinder　and　Cap；　aided　by　proper
  assistants；　busied　themselves　with　preparing　a　breakfast；
  most　of　the　party　not　having　eaten　for　four…and…twenty
  hours。　　The　brief　space　that　passed　in　this　manner　before
  the　_Scud_　came…to　again　was　little　interrupted　by　discourse；
  though　Pathfinder　found　leisure　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　Ser…
  geant；　to　say　a　few　friendly　words　to　Mabel；　and　to　give
  such　directions　as　he　thought　might　smooth　the　passage　of
  the　dying　man。　　As　for　Mabel　herself；　he　insisted　on　her
  taking　some　light　refreshment；　and；　there　no　longer　ex…
  isting　any　motive　for　keeping　it　there；　he　had　the　guard
  removed　from　the　block；　in　order　that　the　daughter　might
  have　no　impediment　to　her　attentions　to　her　father。　　These
  little　arrangements　completed；　our　hero　returned　to　the
  fire；　around　which　he　found　all　the　remainder　of　the　party
  assembled；　including　Jasper。
  CHAPTER　XXVI。
  You　saw　but　sorrow　in　its　waning　form；
  A　working　sea　remaining　from　a　storm；
  Where　now　the　weary　waves　roll　o'er　the　deep；
  And　faintly　murmur　ere　they　fall　asleep。
  DRYDEN。
  Men　accustomed　to　a　warfare　like　that　we　have　been　de…
  scribing　are　not　apt　to　be　much　under　the　influence　of　the
  tender　feelings　while　still　in　the　field。　　Notwithstanding
  their　habits；　however；　more　than　one　heart　was　with　Mabel
  in　the　block；　while　the　incidents　we　are　about　to　relate
  were　in　the　course　of　occurrence；　and　even　the　indispen…
  sable　meal　was　less　relished　by　the　hardiest　of　the　soldiers
  than　it　might　have　been　had　not　the　Sergeant　been　so　near
  his　end。
  As　Pathfinder　returned　from　the　block；　he　was　met　by
  Muir；　who　led　him　aside　in　order　to　hold　a　private　discourse。
  The　manner　of　the　Quartermaster　had　that　air　of　supere…
  rogatory　courtesy　about　it　which　almost　invariably　denotes
  artifice；　for；　while　physiognomy　and　phrenology　are　but　lame
  sciences　at　the　best；　and　perhaps　lead　to　as　many　false　as
  right　conclusions；　we　hold　that　there　is　no　more　infallible
  evidence　of　insincerity　of　purpose；　short　of　overt　acts；　than
  a　face　that　smiles　when　there　is　no　occasion；　and　the　tongue
  that　is　out　of　measure　smooth。　　Muir　had　much　of　this
  manner　in　common；　mingled　with　an　apparent　frankness
  that　his　Scottish　intonation　of　voice；　Scottish　accent；　and
  Scottish　modes　of　expression　were　singularly　adapted　to
  sustain。　　He　owed　his　preferment；　indeed；　to　a　long…exer…
  cised　deference　to　Lundie　and　his　family；　for；　while　the
  Major　himself　was　much　too　acute　to　be　the　dupe　of　one
  so　much　his　inferior　in　real　talents　and　attainments；　most
  persons　are　accustomed　to　make　liberal　concessions　to　the
  flatterer；　even　while　they　distrust　his　truth　and　are　per…
  fectly　aware　of　his　motives。　　On　the　present　occasion；　the
  contest　in　skill　was　between　two　men　as　completely　the
  opposites　of　each　other　in　all　the　leading　essentials　of　char…
  acter　as　very　well　could　be。　　Pathfinder　was　as　simple　as
  the　Quartermaster　was　practised；　he　was　as　sincere　as　the
  other　was　false；　and　as　direct　as　the　last　was　tortuous。
  Both　were　cool　and　calculating；　and　both　were　brave；
  though　in　different　modes　and　degrees；　Muir　never　expos…
  ing　his　person　except　for　effect；　while　the　guide　included
  fear　among　the　rational　passions；　or　as　a　sensation　to　be
  deferred　to　only　when　good　might　come　of　it。
  〃My　dearest　friend；〃　Muir　commenced；　　〃for　ye'll　be
  dearer　to　us　all；　by　seventy　and　sevenfold；　after　your　late
  conduct　than　ever　ye　were；　　ye've　just　established　yourself
  in　this　late　transaction。　　It's　true　that　they'll　not　be　mak…
  ing　ye　a　commissioned　officer；　for　that　species　of　prefair…
  ment　is　not　much　in　your　line；　nor　much　in　your　wishes；
  I'm　thinking；　but　as　a　guide；　and　a　counsellor；　and　a　loyal
  subject；　and　an　expert　marksman；　yer　renown　may　be　said
  to　be　full。　　I　doubt　if　the　commander…in…chief　will　carry
  away　with　him　from　America　as　much　credit　as　will　fall　to
  yer　share；　and　ye　ought　just　to　set　down　in　content　and
  enjoy　yoursal'　for　the　remainder　of　yer　days。　　Get　mar…
  ried；　man；　without　delay；　and　look　to　your　precious　happi…
  ness；　for　ye've　no　occasion　to　look　any　longer　to　your
  glory。　　Take　Mabel　Dunham；　for　Heaven's　sake；　to　your
  bosom；　and　ye'll　have　both　a　bonnie　bride　and　a　bonnie
  reputation。〃
  〃Why；　Quartermaster；　this　is　a　new　piece　of　advice　to
  come　from　your　mouth。　　They've　told　me　I　had　a　rival　in
  you。〃
  〃And　ye　had；　man；　and　a　formidible　one；　too；　I　can　tell
  you；　　one　that　has　never　yet　courted　in　vain；　and　yet　one
  that　has　courted　five　times。　　Lundie　twits　me　with　four；
  and　I　deny　the　charge；　but　he　little　thinks　the　truth　would
  outdo　even　his　arithmetic。　　Yes；　yes；　ye　had　a　rival；　Path…
  finder；　but　ye've　one　no　longer　in　me。　　Ye've　my　hearty
  wishes　for　yer　success　with　Mabel；　and　were　the　honest
  Sergeant　likely　to　survive；　ye　might　rely　on　my　good　word
  with　him；　too；　for　a　certainty。〃
  〃I　feel　your　friendship；　Quartermaster；　I　feel　your
  friendship；　though　I　have　no　great　need　of　any　favor　with
  Sergeant　Dunham；　who　has　long　been　my　friend。　　I　be…
  lieve　we　may　look　upon　the　matter　to　be　as　sartain　as　most
  things　in　war…time；　for；　Mabel　and　her　father　consenting；
  the　whole　55th　couldn't　very　well　put　a　stop　to　it。　　Ah's
  me！　the　poor　father　will　scarcely　live　to　see　what　his　heart
  has　so　long　been　set　upon。〃
  〃But　he'll　have　the　consolation　of　knowing　it　will　come
  to　pass；　in　dying。　　Oh；　it's　a　great　relief；　Pathfinder；　for
  the　parting　spirit　to　feel　certain　that　the　beloved　ones　left
  behind　will　be　well　provided　for　after　its　departure。　　All
  the　Mistress　Muirs　have　duly　expressed　that　sentiment
  with　their　dying　breaths。〃
  〃All　your　wives；　Quartermaster；　have　been　likely　to　feel
  this　consolation。〃
  〃Out　upon　ye；　man！　　I'd　no'　thought　ye　such　a　wag。
  Well；　well；　pleasant　words　make　no　heart…burnings　be…
  tween　auld　fri'nds。　　If　I　cannot　espouse　Mabel；　ye'll　no
  object　to　my　esteeming　her；　and　speaking　well　of　her；　and
  of　yoursal'；　too；　on　all　suitable　occasions　and　in　all　com…
  panies。　　But；　Pathfinder；　ye'll　easily　understan'　that　a　poor
  deevil　who　loses　sucha　bride　will　probably　stand　in　need
  of　some　consolation？〃
  〃Quite　likely；　quite　likely；　Quartermaster；〃　returned
  the　simple…minded　guide；　〃I　know　the　loss　of　Mabel　would
  be　found　heavy　to　be　borne　by　myself。　　It　may　bear　hard
  on　your　feelings　to　see　us　married；　but　the　death　of　the
  Sergeant　will　be　likely　to　put　it　off；　and　you'll　have　time
  to　think　more　manfully　of　it；　you　will。〃
  〃I'll　bear　up　against　it；　yes；　I'll　bear　up　against　it；
  though　my　heart…strings　crack！　and　ye　might　help　me；
  man；　by　giving　me　something　to　do。　　Ye'll　understand
  that　this　expedition　has　been　of　a　very　peculiar　nature；
  for　here　am　I；　bearing　the　king's　commission；　just　a　volun…
  teer；　as　it　might　be；　while　a　mere　orderly　has　had　the
  command。　　I've　submitted　for　various　reasons；　though　my
  blood　has　boiled　to　be　in　authority；　while　ye　war'　battling；；
  for　the　honor　of　the　country　and　his　Majesty's　rights　　〃
  〃Quartermaster；〃　interrupted　the　guide；　〃you　fell　so
  early　into　the　enemy's　hands　that　your　conscience　ought
  to　be　easily　satisfied　on　that　score；　so　take　my　advice；　and
  say　nothing　about　it。〃
  〃That's　just　my　opinion；　Pathfinder；　we'll　all　say　noth…
  ing　about　it。　　Sergeant　Dunham　is　_hors　de　combat_　　〃
  〃Anan？〃　said　the　guide。
  〃Why；　the　Sergeant　can　command　no　longer；　and　it　will
  hardly　do　to　leave　a　corporal　at　the　head　of　a　victorious
  party　like　this；　for　flowers　that　will　bloom　in　a　garden
  will　die　on　a　heath；　and　I　was　just　thinking　I　would　claim
  the　authority　that　belongs　to　one　who　holds　a　lieutenant's
  commission。　　As　for　the　men；　they'll　no　dare　to　raise　any
  objaction；　and　as　for　yoursal'；　my　dear　friend；　now　that
  ye've　so　much　honor；　and　Mabel；　and　the　consciousness　of
  having　done　yer　duty；　which　is　more　precious　than　all；　I
  expect　to　find　an　ally　rather　than　one　to　oppose　the
  plan。〃
  〃As　for　commanding　the　soldiers　of　the　55th；　Lieuten…
  ant；　it　is　your　right；　I　suppose；　and　no　one　here　will　be
  likely　to　gainsay　it；　though　you've　been　a　prisoner　of　war；
  and　there　are　men　who　might　stand　out　ag'in　giving　up
  their　authority　to　a　prisoner　released　b