〃I　make　no　doubt；　Master　Pathfinder；〃　he　answered；
  when　these　thoughts　had　found　time　to　glance　through
  his　mind；　〃that　we　shall　reach　port　in　safety。　　What　dis…
  tance　may　we　now　be　from　the　fort？〃
  〃Little　more　than　fifteen　miles；　and　swift　miles　too；　as
  the　river　runs；　if　the　Mingos　let　us　go　clear。〃
  〃And　I　suppose　the　woods　wilL　stretch　along　starboard
  and　larboard；　as　heretofore？〃
  〃Anan？〃
  〃I　mean　that　we　shall　have　to　pick　our　way　through
  these　damned　trees。〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　you　will　go　in　the　canoe；　and　the　Oswego
  has　been　cleared　of　its　flood…wood　by　the　troops。　　It　will
  be　floating　down　stream；　and　that；　too；　with　a　swift　cur…
  rent。〃
  〃And　what　the　devil　is　to　prevent　these　minks　of　which
  you　speak　from　shooting　us　as　we　double　a　headland；　or
  are　busy　in　steering　clear　of　the　rocks？〃
  〃The　Lord！　　He　who　has　so　often　helped　others　in
  greater　difficulties。　　Many　and　many　is　the　time　that　my
  head　would　have　been　stripped　of　hair；　skin；　and　all；　hadn't
  the　Lord　fi't　of　my　side。　　I　never　go　into　a　skrimmage；
  friend　mariner；　without　thinking　of　this　great　ally；　who
  can　do　more　in　battle　than　all　the　battalions　of　the　60th；
  were　they　brought　into　a　single　line。〃
  〃Ay；　ay；　this　may　do　well　enough　for　a　scouter；　but　we
  seamen　like　our　offing；　and　to　go　into　action　with　nothing
  in　our　minds　but　the　business　before　us　　plain　broadside
  and　broadside　work；　and　no　trees　or　rocks　to　thicken　the
  water。〃
  〃And　no　Lord　too；　I　dare　to　say；　if　the　truth　were
  known。　　Take　my　word　for　it；　Master　Cap；　that　no　battle
  is　the　worse　fi't　for　having　the　Lord　on　your　side。　　Look
  at　the　head　of　the　Big　Sarpent；　there；　you　can　see　the
  mark　of　a　knife　all　along　by　his　left　ear：　now　nothing　but
  a　bullet　from　this　log　rifle　of　mine　saved　his　scalp　that
  day；　for　it　had　fairly　started；　and　half　a　minute　more
  would　have　left　him　without　the　war…lock。　　When　the
  Mohican　squeezes　my　hand；　and　intermates　that　I　be…
  friended　him　in　that　matter；　I　tell　him　no；　it　was　the　Lord
  who　led　me　to　the　only　spot　where　execution　could　be
  done；　or　his　necessity　be　made　known；　on　account　of　the
  smoke。　　Sartain；　when　I　got　the　right　position；　I　finished
  the　affair　of　my　own　accord。　　For　a　friend　under　the
  tomahawk　is　apt　to　make　a　man　think　quick　and　act　at
  once；　as　was　my　case；　or　the　Sarpent's　spirit　would　be
  hunting　in　the　happy　land　of　his　people　at　this　very　mo…
  ment。〃
  〃Come；　come；　Pathfinder；　this　palaver　is　worse　than
  being　skinned　from　stem　to　stem；　we　have　but　a　few　hours
  of　sun；　and　had　better　be　drifting　down　this　said　current
  of　yours　while　we　may。　　Magnet　dear；　are　you　not　ready
  to　get　under　way？〃
  Magnet　started；　blushed　brightly；　and　made　her　prep…
  arations　for　immediate　departure。　　Not　a　syllable　of　the
  discourse　just　related　had　she　heard；　for　Eau…douce；　as
  young　Jasper　was　oftener　called　than　anything　else；　had
  been　filling　her　ears　with　a　description　of　the　yet　distant
  part　towards　which　she　was　journeying；　with　accounts　of
  her　father；　whom　she　had　not　seen　since　a　child；　and　with
  the　manner　of　life　of　those　who　lived　in　the　frontier　gar…
  risons。　　Unconsciously　she　had　become　deeply　interested；
  and　her　thoughts　had　been　too　intently　directed　to　these
  matters　to　allow　any　of　the　less　agreeable　subjects　dis…
  cussed　by　those　so　near　to　reach　her　ears。　　The　bustle　of
  departure　put　an　end　to　the　conversation；　and；　the　bag…
  gage　of　the　scouts　or　guides　being　trifling；　in　a　few　minutes
  the　whole　party　was　ready　to　proceed。　　As　they　were　about
  to　quit　the　spot；　however；　to　the　surprise　of　even　his
  fellow…guides；　Pathfinder　collected　a　quantity　of　branches
  and　threw　them　upon　the　embers　of　the　fire；　taking　care
  even　to　see　that　some　of　the　wood　was　damp；　in　order　to
  raise　as　dark　and　dense　a　smoke　as　possible。
  〃When　you　can　hide　your　trail；　Jasper；〃　said　he；　〃a
  smoke　at　leaving　an　encampment　may　do　good　instead　of
  harm。　　If　there　are　a　dozen　Mingos　within　ten　miles　of
  us；　some　on　'em　are　on　the　heights；　or　in　the　trees；　look…
  ing　out　for　smokes；　let　them　see　this；　and　much　good　may
  it　do　them。　　They　are　welcome　to　our　leavings。〃
  〃But　may　they　not　strike　and　follow　on　our　trail？〃
  asked　the　youth；　whose　interest　in　the　hazard　of　his　situa…
  tion　had　much　increased　since　the　meeting　with　Magnet。
  〃We　shall　leave　a　broad　path　to　the　river。〃
  〃The　broader　the　better；　when　there；　it　will　surpass
  Mingo　cunning；　even；　to　say　which　way　the　canoe　has　gone
  …　up　stream　or　down。　　Water　is　the　only　thing　in　natur'
  that　will　thoroughly　wash　out　a　trail；　and　even　water　will
  not　always　do　it　when　the　scent　is　strong。　　Do　you　not　see；
  Eau…douce；　that　if　any　Mingos　have　seen　our　path　below
  the　falls；　they　will　strike　off　towards　this　smoke；　and　that
  they　will　naturally　conclude　that　they　who　began　by　going
  up　stream　will　end　by　going　up　stream。　　If　they　know
  anything；　they　now　know　a　party　is　out　from　the　fort；　and
  it　will　exceed　even　Mingo　wit　to　fancy　that　we　have　come
  up　here　just　for　the　pleasure　of　going　back　again；　and
  that；　too；　the　same　day；　and　at　the　risk　of　our　scalps。〃
  〃Certainly；〃　added　Jasper；　who　was　talking　apart　with
  the　Pathfinder；　as　they　moved　towards　the　wind…row；
  〃they　cannot　know　anything　about　the　Sergeant's　daugh…
  ter；　for　the　greatest　secrecy　has　been　observed　on　her　ac…
  count。〃
  〃And　they　will　learn　nothing　here；〃　returned　Path…
  finder；　causing　his　companion　to　see　that　he　trod　with　the
  utmost　care　on　the　impression　left　on　the　leaves　by　the
  little　foot　of　Mabel；　〃unless　this　old　salt…water　fish　has
  been　taking　his　niece　about　in　the　wind…row；　like　a　fa'n
  playing　by　the　side　of　the　old　doe。〃
  〃Buck；　you　mean；　Pathfinder。〃
  〃Isn't　he　a　queerity？　　Now　I　can　consort　with　such　a
  sailor　as　yourself；　Eau…douce；　and　find　nothing　very　con…
  trary　in　our　gifts；　though　yours　belong　to　the　lakes　and
  mine　to　the　woods。　　Hark'e；　Jasper；〃　continued　the　scout；
  laughing　in　his　noiseless　manner；　〃suppose　we　try　the
  temper　of　his　blade　and　run　him　over　the　falls？〃
  〃And　what　would　be　done　with　the　pretty　niece　in　the
  meanwhile？〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　no　harm　shall　come　to　her；　she　must　walk
  round　the　portage；　at　any　rate；　but　you　and　I　can　try　this
  Atlantic　oceaner；　and　then　all　parties　will　become　better
  acquainted。　　We　shall　find　out　whether　his　flint　will　strike
  fire；　and　he　may　come　to　know　something　of　frontier
  tricks。〃
  Young　Jasper　smiled；　for　he　was　not　averse　to　fun；　and
  had　been　a　little　touched　by　Cap's　superciliousness；　but
  Mabel's　fair　face；　light；　agile　form；　and　winning　smiles；
  stood　like　a　shield　between　her　uncle　and　the　intended
  experiment。
  〃Perhaps　the　Sergeant's　daughter　will　be　frightened；〃
  said　he。
  〃Not　she；　if　she　has　any　of　the　Sergeant's　spirit　in　her。
  She　doesn't　look　like　a　skeary　thing；　at　all。　　Leave　it　to
  me；　then；　Eau…douce；　and　I　will　manage　the　affair　alone。〃
  〃Not　you；　Pathfinder；　you　would　only　drown　both。　　If
  the　canoe　goes　over；　I　must　go　in　it。〃
  〃Well；　have　it　so；　then：　shall　we　smoke　the　pipe　of
  agreement　on　the　bargain？〃
  Jasper　laughed；　nodded　his　head　by　way　of　consent；　and
  then　the　subject　was　dropped；　as　the　party　had　reached
  the　canoe　so　often　mentioned；　and　fewer　words　had　de…
  termined　much　greater　things　between　the　parties。
  CHAPTER　III。
  Before　these　fields　were　shorn　and　till'd；
  Full　to　the　brim　our　rivers　flow'd；
  The　melody　of　waters　fill'd
  The　fresh　and　boundless　wood；
  And　torrents　dash'd；　and　rivulets　play'd；
  And　fountains　spouted　in　the　shade。
  BRYANT。
  It　is　generally　known　that　the　waters　which　flow　into
  the　southern　side　of　Ontario　are；　in　general；　narrow；　slug…
  gish；　and　deep。　　There　are　some　exceptions　to　this　rule；
  for　many　of　the　rivers　have　rapids；　or；　as　they　are　termed
  in　the　language　of　the　region；　〃rifts；〃　and　some　have　falls。
  Among　the　latter　was　the　particular　stream　on　which　our
  adventurers　were　now　journeying。　　The　Oswego　is　formed
  by　the　junction　of　the　Oneida　and　the　Onondaga；　both　of
  wbich　flow　from　lakes；　and　it　pursues　its　way；　through　a
  gently　undulating　country；　some　eight　or　ten　miles；　until
  it　reaches　the　margin　of　a　sort　of　natural　terrace；　down
  which　it　tumbles　some　ten　or　fifteen　feet；　to　another　level；
  across　which　it　glides　with　the　silent；　stealthy　progress　of
  deep　water；　until　it　throws　its　tribute　into　the　broad　re…
  ceptacle　of　the　Ontario。　　The　canoe　in　which　Cap　and　his
  party　had　travelled　from　Fort　Stanwix；　the　last　military
  station　of　the　Mohawk；　lay　by　the　side　of　this　river；　and
  into　it　the　whole　party　now　entered；　with　the　exception　of
  Pathfinder；　who　remained　on　the　land；　in　order　to　shove
  the　light　vessel　off。
  〃Let　her　starn　drift　down　stream；　Jasper；〃　said　the
  man　of　the　woods　to　the　young　mariner　of　the　lake；　who
  had　dispossessed　Arrowhead　of　his　paddle　and　taken　his
  own　station　as　steersman；　〃let　it　go　down　with　the　cur…
  rent。　　Should　any　of　these　infarnals；　the　Mingos；　strike
  our　trail；　or　follow　it　to　this　point　they　will　not　fail　to
  look　for　the　signs　in　the　mud；　and　if　they　discover
  that　we　have　left　the　shore　with　the　nose　of　the　canoe
  up　stream；　it　is　a　natural　belief　to　think　we　went　up
  stream。〃
  This　direction　was　followed；　and；　giving　a　vigorous
  shove；　the　Pathfinder；