that an honest penny might be turned, by taking an adventure. I suppose there are no shares in your fresh-water prize-money?" "Anan?"

"I take it for granted the king gets all in these sogering parties and ambushments, as you call them?"

"I know nothing about that, Master Cap. I take my share of the lead and powder, if any falls into our hands, and say nothing to the king about it. If any one fares better, it is not I; though it is time I did begin to think of a house and furniture, and a home."

Although the Pathfinder did not dare to look at Mabel while he made this direct allusion to his change of life, he would have given the world to know whether she were listening, and what was the expression of her countenance. Mabel little suspected the nature of the allusion, however; and her countenance was perfectly unembarrassed, as she turned her eyes towards the river, where the appearance of some movement on board the Scud began to be visible.

"Jasper is bringing the cutter out," observed the guide, whose look was drawn in the same direction, by the fall of some heavy article on the deck. "The lad sees the signs of wind, no doubt, and wishes to be ready for it."

"Ay, and now we shall have an opportunity of learning seamanship," returned Cap, with a sneer. "There is a nicety in getting a craft under her canvas, that shows the thorough-bred mariner as much as anything else. It's like a soger buttoning his coat, and one can see whether he begins at the top or the bottom.

"I will not say that Jasper is equal to your seafarers below," observed Pathfinder, across whose upright mind an unworthy feeling of envy or jealousy never passed; "but he is a bold boy, and manages his cutter as skilfully as any man can desire, on this lake at least. You didn't find him backward at the Oswego Falls, Master Cap, where fresh water contrives to tumble down hill with little difficulty."

Cap made no other answer than a dissatisfied ejaculation, and then a general silence followed, all on the bastion studying the movements of the cutter with the interest that was natural to their own future connection with the vessel. It was still a dead calm, the surface of the lake literally glittering with the last rays of the sun. The Scud had been warped up to a kedge that lay a hundred yards above the points of the outlet, where she had room to manœuvre in the river, which then formed the harbor of Oswego. But the total want of air

prevented any such attempt, and it was soon evident that the light vessel was to be taken through the passage under her sweeps. Not a sail was loosened, but as soon as the kedge was tripped, the heavy fall of the sweeps was heard, when the cutter, with her head up stream, began to sheer towards the centre of the current; on reaching which, the efforts of the men ceased, and she drifted towards the outlet. In the narrow pass itself, her movement was rapid, and in less than five minutes the Scud was floating outside of the two low gravelly points that intercepted the waves of the lake. No anchor was let go, but the vessel continued to set off from the land, until her dark hull was seen resting on the glassy surface of the lake, fully a quarter of a mile beyond the low bluff which formed the eastern extremity of what might be called the outer harbor, or roadstead. Here the influence of the river current ceased, and she became virtually stationary.

"She seems very beautiful to me, uncle," said Mabel, whose gaze had not been averted from the cutter for a single moment, while it had been thus changing its position; "I dare say you can find faults in her appearance, and in the way she is managed; but to my ignorance both are perfect!"

‘Ay—ay; she drops down with the current well enough, girl, and so would a chip. But when you come to niceties, an old tar like myself has no need of spectacles, to find fault."

"Well, Master Cap," put in the guide, who seldom heard anything to Jasper's prejudice without manifesting a disposition to interfere, "I've heard old and experienced salt-water mariners confess that the Scud is as pretty a craft as floats. I know nothing of such matters myself, but one may have his own notions about a ship, even though they be wrong notions; and it would take more than one witness to persuade me Jasper does not keep his boat in good order."

"I do not say the cutter is downright lubberly, Master Pathfinder; but she has faults, and great faults."

"And what are they, uncle? if he knew them, Jasper would be glad to mend them."

"What are they? Why, fifty; ay, for that matter, a hundred. very material and manifest faults.

"Do name them, sir, and Pathfinder will mention them to his friend."

"Name them? it is no easy matter to call off the stars, for the simple reason that they are so numerous. Name them, indeed! Why

my pretty niece, Miss Magnet, what do you think of that main-boom now? To my ignorant eyes, it is topped at least a foot too high; and then the pennant is foul; and-and-ay, d—, if there isn't a topsail gasket adrift; and it wouldn't surprise me at all if there should prove to be a round turn in that hawser, if the kedge were to be let go this instant! Faults, indeed! No seaman could look at her a moment, without seeing that she is as full of faults as a servant that has asked for his discharge."

"This may be very true, uncle, though I much question if Jasper knows of them. I do not think he would suffer these things, Pathfinder, if they were pointed out to him."

"Let Jasper manage his own cutter, Mabel; let him manage his own cutter. His gifts lie thataway, and I'll answer for it, no one can teach him how to keep the Scud out of the hands of the Frontenackers, or their devilish Mingo friends. Who cares for round turns in kedges, and for hawsers that are topped too high, Master Cap, so long as the craft sails well, and keeps clear of the Frenchers? I will trust Jasper against all the seafarers of the coast up here on the lakes, but I do not say he has any gift for the ocean, for there he has never been tried.”

Cap smiled condescendingly, but he did not think it necessary to push his criticisms any further just at that moment. His air and manner gradually became more supercilious and lofty, though he now wished to seem indifferent to any discussions on points of which one of the parties was entirely ignorant. By this time the cutter had begun to drift at the mercy of the currents of the lake, her head turning in all directions, though slowly, and not in a way to attract particular attention. Just at this moment the jib was loosened and hoisted, and presently the canvas swelled towards the land, though no evidences of air were yet to be seen on the surface of the water. Slight, however, as was the impulsion, the light hull yielded, and in another minute the Scud was seen standing across the current of the river, with a movement so easy and moderate as to be scarcely perceptible. When out of the stream, she struck an eddy, and shot up towards the land, under the eminence where the fort stood, when Jasper dropped his kedge.

"Not lubberly done!" muttered Cap, in a sort of soliloquy, "not over-lubberly, though he should have put his helm a-starboard instead of a-port, for the vessel ought always to come-to with her head off

shore, whether she is a league from the land or only a cable's length, since it has a careful look; and looks are something in this world."

"Jasper is a handy lad," suddenly observed Sergeant Dunham at his brother-in-law's elbow; "and we place great reliance on his skill in our expeditions. But come, one and all; we have but half an hour more of daylight to embark in, and the boats will be ready for us by the time we are ready for them."

On this intimation the whole party separated, each to find those trifles which had not been shipped already. A few taps of the drum gave the necessary signal to the soldiers, and in a minute all were in motion.

CHAPTER XIII

"The goblin now the fool alarms,

Hags meet to mumble o'er their charms,
The night-mare rides the dreaming ass,
And fairies trip it on the grass."

COTTON.

HE embarkation of so small a party was a matter of no great delay or embarrassment. The whole force confided to the care of Sergeant Dunham consisted of but ten privates and two non-commissioned officers though it was soon positively known that Mr. Muir was to accompany the expedition. The quartermaster, however, went as a volunteer, while some duty connected with his own department, as had been arranged between him and his commander, was the avowed object. To these must be added the Pathfinder and Cap, with Jasper and his subordinates, one of whom was a boy. The males of the entire party, consequently, consisted of less than twenty men, and of a lad of fourteen. Mabel and the wife of a common soldier were the only females.

Sergeant Dunham carried off his command in a large batteau, and then returned for his final orders, and to see that his brother-inlaw and daughter were properly attended to. Having pointed out to Cap the boat that he and Mabel were to use, he ascended the hill, to seek his last interview with Lundie. The major was on the bastion so often mentioned: leaving him and the sergeant together for a short time, we will return to the beach.

It was nearly dark when Mabel found herself in the boat that was to carry her off to the cutter. So very smooth was the surface of the lake, that it was not found necessary to bring the batteaux into the river to receive their freights, but the beach outside being totally without surf, and the water as tranquil as that of a pond, everybody embarked there. As Cap had said, there was no heaving and setting, no working of vast lungs, nor any respiration of an ocean; for, on Ontario, unlike the Atlantic, gales were not agitating the element at one point, while calms prevailed at another. This the distances did not permit; and it is the usual remark of mariners, that the sea gets up faster and goes down sooner, on all the great lakes of the west, than on the different seas of their acquaintance. When the boat left the land, therefore, Mabel would not have known that she was afloat on so broad a sheet of water, by any movement that is usual to such circumstances. The oars had barely time to give a dozen strokes, when the boat lay at the cutter's side.

Jasper was in readiness to receive his passengers, and, as the deck of the Scud was but two or three feet above the water, no difficulty was experienced in getting on board her. As soon as this was effected, the young man pointed out to Mabel and her companion the accommodations prepared for their reception, and they took possession of them. The little vessel contained four apartments below, all between decks having been expressly constructed with a view to the transportation of officers and men, with their wives and families. First in rank was what was called the after-cabin, a small apartment that contained four berths, and which enjoyed the advantage of possessing small windows, for the admission of air and light. This was uniformly devoted to females, whenever any were on board; and as Mabel and her companion were alone, they had ample space and accommodation. The main cabin was larger, and lighted from above. It was now appropriated to the uses of the quartermaster, the sergeant, Cap, and Jasper; the Pathfinder roaming through any part of the cutter he pleased, the female apartment excepted. The corporals and common soldiers occupied the space beneath the main hatch, which had a deck for such a purpose; while the crew were berthed, as usual, in the forecastle. Although the cutter did not measure quite fifty tons, the draft of officers and men was so light, that there was ample room for all on board, there being space enough to accommodate treble the number, if necessary.