第119章

"That was like a fox!" cried Pathfinder, when she had ceased; "ay, and like a Mingo, too, cunning and cruel;that is the way with both the riptyles.As to grapes, they are sour enough in this part of the country, even to them that can get at them, though I daresay there are seasons and times and places where they are sourer to them that can't.I should judge, now, my scalp is very sour in Mingo eyes.""The sour grapes will be the other way, child, and it is Mr.Muir who will make the complaint.You would never marry that man, Mabel?""Not she," put in Cap; "a fellow who is only half a soldier after all.The story of them there grapes is quite a circumstance.""I think little of marrying any one, dear father and dear uncle, and would rather talk about it less, if you please.But, did I think of marrying at all, I do be-lieve a man whose affections have already been tried by three or four wives would scarcely be my choice."The Sergeant nodded at the guide, as much as to say, You see how the land lies; and then he had sufficient con-sideration for his daughter's feelings to change the sub-ject.

"Neither you nor Mabel, brother Cap," he resumed, "can have any legal authority with the little garrison Ileave behind on the island; but you may counsel and in-fluence.Strictly speaking, Corporal M'Nab will be the commanding officer, and I have endeavored to impress him with a sense of his dignity, lest he might give way too much to the superior rank of Lieutenant Muir, who, being a volunteer, can have no right to interfere with the duty.

I wish you to sustain the Corporal, brother Cap; for should the Quartermaster once break through the regula-tions of the expedition, he may pretend to command me, as well as M'Nab.""More particularly, should Mabel really cut him adrift while you are absent.Of course, Sergeant, you'll leave everything that is afloat under my care? The most d----ble confusion has grown out of misunderstandings between commanders-in-chief, ashore and afloat.""In one sense, brother, though in a general way, the Corporal is commander-in-chief.The Corporal must com-mand; but you can counsel freely, particularly in all mat-ters relating to the boats, of which I shall leave one behind to secure your retreat, should there be occasion.I know the Corporal well; he is a brave man and a good soldier;and one that may be relied on, if the Santa Cruz can be kept from him.But then he is a Scotchman, and will be liable to the Quartermaster's influence, against which I de-sire both you and Mabel to be on your guard.""But why leave us behind, dear father? I have come thus far to be a comfort to you, and why not go farther?""You are a good girl, Mabel, and very like the Dunhams.

But you must halt here.We shall leave the island to-morrow, before the day dawns, in order not to be seen by any prying eyes coming from our cover, and we shall take the two largest boats, leaving you the other and one bark canoe.We are about to go into the channel used by the French, where we shall lie in wait, perhaps a week, to in-tercept their supply-boats, which are about to pass up on their way to Frontenac, loaded, in particular, with a heavy amount of Indian goods.""Have you looked well to your papers, brother?" Cap anxiously demanded."Of course you know a capture on the high seas is piracy, unless your boat is regularly com-missioned, either as a public or a private armed cruiser.""I have the honor to hold the Colonel's appointment as sergeant-major of the 55th," returned the other, drawing himself up with dignity, "and that will be sufficient even for the French king.If not, I have Major Duncan's writ-ten orders."

"No papers, then, for a warlike cruiser?""They must suffice, brother, as I have no other.It is of vast importance to his Majesty's interests, in this part of the world, that the boats in question should be captured and carried into Oswego.They contain the blankets, trink-ets, rifles, ammunition, in short, all the stores with which the French bribe their accursed savage allies to commit their unholy acts, setting at nought our holy religion and its precepts, the laws of humanity, and all that is sacred and dear among men.By cutting off these supplies we shall derange their plans, and gain time on them; for the arti-cles cannot be sent across the ocean again this autumn.""But, father, does not his Majesty employ Indians also?"asked Mabel, with some curiosity.

"Certainly, girl, and he has a right to employ them --God bless him! It's a very different thing whether an Eng-lish man or a Frenchman employs a savage, as everybody can understand.""But, father, I cannot see that this alters the case.If it be wrong in a Frenchman to hire savages to fight his enemies, it would seem to be equally wrong in an Eng-lishman._You_ will admit this, Pathfinder?""It's reasonable, it's reasonable; and I have never been one of them that has raised a cry ag'in the Frenchers for doing the very thing we do ourselves.Still it is worse to consort with a Mingo than to consort with a Delaware.

If any of that just tribe were left, I should think it no sin to send them out ag'in the foe.""And yet they scalp and slay young and old, women and children!""They have their gifts, Mabel, and are not to be blamed for following them; natur' is natur', though the different tribes have different ways of showing it.For my part Iam white, and endeavor to maintain white feelings.""This is all unintelligible to me," answered Mabel.

"What is right in King George, it would seem, ought to be right in King Louis."As all parties, Mabel excepted, seemed satisfied with the course the discussion had taken, no one appeared to think it necessary to pursue the subject.Supper was no sooner ended than the Sergeant dismissed his guests, and then held a long and confidential dialogue with his daughter.