“Everything is ready, your honor.  The draft is made, and I understood that the canoe which got in last night brought a message to say that the party already below is looking out for the relief.”

“It did; and you must sail the day after to-morrow, if not to-morrow night.  It will be wise, perhaps, to sail in the dark.”

“So Jasper thinks, Major Duncan; and I know no one more to be depended on in such an affair than young Jasper Western.”

“Young Jasper Eau-douce!” said Lundie, a slight smile gathering around his usually stern mouth.  “Will that lad be of your party, Sergeant?”

“Your honor will remember that the Scud never quits port without him.”

“True; but all general rules have their exceptions.  Have I not seen a seafaring person about the fort within the last few days?”

“No doubt, your honor; it is Master Cap, a brother-in-law of mine, who brought my daughter from below.”

“Why not put him in the Scud for this cruise, Sergeant, and leave Jasper behind?  Your brother-in-law would like the variety of a fresh-water cruise, and you would enjoy more of his company.”

“I intended to ask your honor’s permission to take him along; but he must go as a volunteer.  Jasper is too brave a lad to be turned out of his command without a reason, Major Duncan; and I’m afraid brother Cap despises fresh water too much to do duty on it.”

“Quite right, Sergeant, and I leave all this to your own discretion.  Eau-douce must retain his command, on second thoughts.  You intend that Pathfinder shall also be of the party?”

“If your honor approves of it.  There will be service for both the guides, the Indian as well as the white man.”

“I think you are right.  Well, Sergeant, I wish you good luck in the enterprise; and remember the post is to be destroyed and abandoned when your command is withdrawn.  It will have done its work by that time, or we shall have failed entirely, and it is too ticklish a position to be maintained unnecessarily.  You can retire.”

Sergeant Dunham gave the customary salute, turned on his heels as if they had been pivots, and had got the door nearly drawn to after him, when he was suddenly recalled.

“I had forgotten, Sergeant, the younger officers have begged for a shooting match, and to-morrow has been named for the day.  All competitors will be admitted, and the prizes will be a silver-mounted powder horn, a leathern flask ditto,” reading from a piece of paper, “as I see by the professional jargon of this bill, and a silk calash for a lady.  The latter is to enable the victor to show his gallantry by making an offering of it to her he best loves.”

“All very agreeable, your honor, at least to him that succeeds.  Is the Pathfinder to be permitted to enter?”

“I do not well see how he can be excluded, if he choose to come forward.  Latterly, I have observed that he takes no share in these sports, probably from a conviction of his own unequalled skill.”