It was in the power of those behind the bushes, by placing their eyes near the leaves, to find many places to look through while one at a little distance lost this advantage.  To those who watched his motions from behind their cover, and they were all in the canoes, it was evident that Jasper was totally at a loss to imagine where the Pathfinder had secreted himself.  When fairly round the curvature in the shore, and out of sight of the fire he had lighted above, the young man stopped and began examining the bank deliberately and with great care.  Occasionally he advanced eight or ten paces, and then halted again, to renew the search.  The water being much shallower than common, he stepped aside, in order to walk with greater ease to himself and came so near the artificial plantation that he might have touched it with his hand.  Still he detected nothing, and was actually passing the spot when Pathfinder made an opening beneath the branches, and called to him in a low voice to enter.

“This is pretty well,” said the Pathfinder, laughing; “though pale-face eyes and red-skin eyes are as different as human spy-glasses.  I would wager, with the Sergeant’s daughter here, a horn of powder against a wampum-belt for her girdle, that her father’s rijiment should march by this embankment of ours and never find out the fraud!  But if the Mingoes actually get down into the bed of the river where Jasper passed, I should tremble for the plantation.  It will do for their eyes, even across the stream, however, and will not be without its use.”

“Don’t you think, Master Pathfinder, that it would be wisest, after all,” said Cap, “to get under way at once, and carry sail hard down stream, as soon as we are satisfied that these rascals are fairly astern of us?  We seamen call a stern chase a long chase.”

“I wouldn’t move from this spot until we hear from the Sarpent with the Sergeant’s pretty daughter here in our company, for all the powder in the magazine of the fort below.  Sartain captivity or sartain death would follow.  If a tender fa’n, such as the maiden we have in charge, could thread the forest like old deer, it might, indeed, do to quit the canoes; for by making a circuit we could reach the garrison before morning.”

“Then let it be done,” said Mabel, springing to her feet under the sudden impulse of awakened energy.  “I am young, active, used to exercise, and could easily out-walk my dear uncle.  Let no one think me a hindrance.  I cannot bear that all your lives should be exposed on my account.”

“No, no, pretty one; we think you anything but a hindrance or anything that is unbecoming, and would willingly run twice this risk to do you and the honest Sergeant a service.  Do I not speak your mind, Eau-douce?”

“To do her a service!” said Jasper with emphasis.  “Nothing shall tempt me to desert Mabel Dunham until she is safe in her father’s arms.”

“Well said, lad; bravely and honestly said, too; and I join in it, heart and hand.  No, no! you are not the first of your sex I have led through the wilderness, and never but once did any harm befall any of them:  —­ that was a sad day, certainly, but its like may never come again.”