likely to be taken in by these clumsy contrivances, which were most probably intended for the Scotch, who are cunning enough in some particulars, though any thing but witches when Indian sarcumventions are in the wind."

"Do you think my father and his men may yet be deceived?" said Mabel, quickly.

"Not if I can prevent it, Mabel. You say the Sarpent is on the look-out, too; so there is a double chance of our succeeding in letting him know his danger; though it is by no means sartain by which channel the party may come."

Pathfinder," said our heroine solemnly, for the frightful scenes she had witnessed had clothed death with unusual horrors-"Pathfinder, you have professed love for me—a wish to make me your wife?"

I did ventur' to speak on that subject, Mabel, and the sarjeant has even lately said that you are kindly disposed; but I am not a man to persecute the thing I love."

"Hear me, Pathfinder-I respect you-honour you-revere you save my father from this dreadful death, and I can worship you. Here is my hand, as a solemn pledge for my faith, when you come to claim it.'

"Bless you-bless you, Mabel; this is more than I desarve -more, I fear, than I shall know how to profit by, as I ought. It was not wanting, however, to make me sarve the sarjeant. We are old comrades, and owe each other a life —though I fear me, Mabel, being a father's comrade is not always the best recommendation with the daughter!"

"You want no other recommendation than your own acts —your courage—your fidelity-all that you do and say, Pathfinder, my reason approves, and the heart will, nay, it shall follow."

"This is a happiness I little expected this night; but we are in God's hands, and he will protect us in his own way. These are sweet words, Mabel, but they were not wanting to make me do all that man can do, in the present circumstances; they will not lessen my endeavours, neither."

"Now we understand each other, Pathfinder-" Mabel added, hoarsely, "let us not lose one of the precious moments, which may be of incalculable value. Can we not get

your canoe, and go and meet my father?"
That is not the course I advise. I don't know by which

channel the sarjeant will come, and there are twenty; rely on it, the Sarpent will be winding his way through them all. No-no-my advice is to remain here. The logs of this block-house are still green, and it will not be easy to set them on fire; and I can make good the place, bating a burning, ag'in a tribe. The Iroquois nation cannot dislodge me from this fortress, so long as we can keep the flames off it. The sarjeant is now 'camped on some island, and will not come in until morning. If we hold the block, we can give him timely warning, by firing rifles for instance; and should he determine to attack the savages, as a man of his temper will be very likely to do, the possession of this building will be of great account in the affair. No-no-my judgment says remain, if the object be to sarve the sarjeant; though escape for our two selves will be no very difficult matter."

Stay," murmured Mabel-"stay, for God's sake, Pathfinder. Any thing-every thing, to save my father!"

"Yes, that is natur'. I am glad to hear you say this, Mabel, for I own a wish to see the sarjeant fairly supported. As the matter now stands, he has gained himself credit; and could he once drive off these miscreants, and make an honourable retreat, laying the huts and block in ashes, no doubt, no doubt, Lundie would remember it and sarve him accordingly. Yes, yes, Mabel, we must not only save the sarjeant's life, but we must save his reputation."

"No blame can rest on my father, on account of the surprise of this island!”

"There's no telling-there's no telling; military glory is a most unsartain thing. I've seen the Delawares routed, when they desarved more credit, than, at other times, when they've carried the day. A man is wrong to set his head on success of any sort, and worst of all, on success in war. I know little of the settlements, or of the notions that men hold in them; but, up hereaway, even the Indians rate a warrior's character according to his luck. The principal thing with a soldier, is never to be whipt; nor do I think mankind stops long to consider how the day was won, or lost. For my part, Mabel, I make it a rule when facing the inimy, to give him as good as I can send, and to try to be moderate as 1 can, when we get the better; as for feeling moderate, after a defeat, little need be said on that score, as a flogging is one

of the most humbling things in natur'. The parsons preach about humility, in the garrisons; but if humility would make Christians, the king's troops ought to be saints, for they've done little, as yet, this war, but take lessons from the French, beginning at Fort du Quesne, and ending at Ty!"

"My father could not have suspected that the position of the island was known to the enemy," resumed Mabel, whose thoughts were running on the probable effect of the recent events, on the serjeant.

"That is true; nor do I well see how the Frenchers found it out. The spot is well chosen, and it is not an easy matter, even for one who has travelled the road to and from it, to find it again. There has been treachery, I fear; yes, yes, there must have been treachery !"

"Oh! Pathfinder, can this be!"

"Nothing is easier, Mabel, for treachery comes as nat❜ral to some men, as eating. Now, when I find a man, all fair words, I look close to his deeds; for when the heart is right, and really intends to do good, it is generally satisfied to let the conduct speak, instead of the tongue.".

Jasper Western is not one of these," said Mabel, impetuously. "No youth can be more sincere in his manner, or less apt to make the tongue act for the head."

"Jasper Western!-tongue and heart are both right with that lad, depend on it, Mabel; and the notion taken up by Lundie, and the Quarter-Master, and the sarjeant, and your uncle, too, is as wrong, as it would be to think that the sun shone by night, and the stars shone by day. No-no—I'll answer for Eau-douce's honesty with my own scalp, or, at need, with my own rifle."

"Bless you-bless you, Pathfinder!" exclaimed Mabel, extending her own hand, and pressing the iron fingers of her companion, under a state of feeling that far surpassed her own consciousness of its strength. "You are all that is generous-all that is noble; God will reward you for it."

"Ah! Mabel, I fear me, if this be true, I should not covet such a wife as yourself, but would leave you to be sued for, by some gentleman of the garrison, as your desarts require!" "We will not talk of this any more to night," Mabel answered in a voice so smothered, as to seem nearly choked. "We must think less of ourselves, just now, Pathfinder, and

more of our friends. But I rejoice from my soul, that you believe Jasper innocent. Now let us talk of other thingsought we not to release June ?”

"I've been thinking about the woman, for it will not be safe to shut our eyes and leave hers open, on this side of the block-house door. If we put her in the upper room and take away the ladder, she'll be a prisoner at least." "I cannot treat one thus who has saved my life. It would be better to let her depart, for I think she is too much my friend to do any thing to harm me."

"You do not know the race, Mabel; you do not know the race. It's true she is not a full-blooded Mingo, but she consorts with the vagabonds, and must have larned some of their tricks. What is that?"

"It sounds like oars-some boat is passing through the channel!"

Pathfinder closed the trap that led to the lower room, to prevent June from escaping, extinguished the candle, and went hastily to a loop; Mabel looking over his shoulder in breathless curiosity. These several movements consumed a minute or two; and by the time the eye of the scout had got a dim view of things without, two boats had swept past, and shot up to the shore, at a spot some fifty yards beyond the block, where there was a regular landing. The obscurity prevented more from being seen; and Pathfinder whispered to Mabel, that the new comers were as likely to be foes as friends, for he did not think her father could possibly have arrived so soon. A number of men were now seen to quit the boats, and then followed three hearty English cheers, leaving no further doubts of the character of the party. Pathfinder sprang to the trap, raised it, glided down the ladder, and began to unbar the door, with an earnestness that proved how critical he deemed the moment. Mabel had fol lowed, but she rather impeded than aided his exertions, and but a single bar was turned when a heavy discharge of rifles was heard. They were still standing in breathless suspense, as the war-whoop rang in all the surrounding thickets. The door now opened, and both Pathfinder and Mabel rushed into the open air. All human sounds had ceased. After listening half a minute, however, Pathfinder thought he heard a few stifled groans near the boats; but the wind blew so VOL. II.

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fresh, and the rustling of the leaves mingled so much with the murmurs of the passing air, that he was far from certain. But Mabel was borne away by her feelings, and she rushed by him, taking the way towards the boats.

"This will not do, Mabel-" said the scout, in an earnest but low voice, seizing her by an arm,-" this will never do. Sartain death would follow, and that without sarving any one. We must return to the block."

"Father!-my poor, dear, murdered father!" said the girl wildly, though habitual caution, even at that trying moment, induced her to speak low. "Pathfinder, if you love me, let me go to my dear father!"

"This will not do, Mabel.-It is singular that no one speaks; no one returns the fire from the boats-and I have left Killdeer in the block !-But of what use would a rifle be when no one is to be seen!"

At that moment, the quick eye of Pathfinder, which, while he held Mabel firmly in his grasp, had never ceased to roam over the dim scene, caught an indistinct view of five or six dark, crouching forms, endeavouring to steal past him, doubtless with the intention of intercepting their retreat to the block-house. Catching up Mabel and putting her under an arm, as if she were an infant, the sinewy frame of the woodsman was exerted to the utmost, and he succeeded in entering the building. The tramp of his pursuers seemed immediately at his heels. Dropping his burthen, he turned, closed the door, and had fastened one bar, as a rush against the solid mass threatened to force it from the hinges. secure the other bars was the work of an instant.

Το

Mabel now ascended to the first floor, while Pathfinder remained as a sentinel below. Our heroine was in that state in which the body exerts itself, apparently without the control of the mind. She re-lighted the candle mechanically, as her companion had desired, and returned with it below, where he was waiting her re-appearance. No sooner was Pathfinder in possession of the light than he examined the place carefully, to make certain no one was concealed in the fortress, ascending to each floor in succession, after assuring himself that he left no enemy in his rear. The result was the conviction that the block-house now contained no one but Mabel

himself, June having escaped. When perfectly con