“And now you have the advantage of three,” observed the officer, with a sickly smile; “but I fear, Mullins, that if your own be not sufficient for the purpose, ours will be of little service.  You must take counsel from your own experience and knowledge of nautical matters.”

“Why, to be sure, your honour,” and the sailor rolled his quid from one cheek to the other, “I think I may say as how I’ll venture to steer the craft with any man on the Canada lakes, and bring her safe into port too; but seeing as how I’m only a petty officer, and not yet recommended by his worship the governor for the full command, I thought it but right to consult with my superiors, not as to the management of the craft, but the best as is to be done.  What does your honour think of making for the high land over the larboard bow yonder, and waiting for the chance of the night-breeze to take us through the Sinclair?”

“Do whatever you think best,” returned the officer.  “For my part, I scarcely can give an opinion.  Yet how are we to get there?  There does not appear to be a breath of wind.”

“Oh, that’s easily managed; we have only to brail and furl up a little, to hide our cloth from the Ingians, and then send the boats a-head to tow the craft, while some of us lend a hand at her own sweeps.  We shall get close under the lee of the land afore night, and then we must pull up agin along shore, until we get within a mile or so of the head of the river.”

“But shall we not be seen by our enemies?” asked Sir Everard; “and will they not be on the watch for our movements, and intercept our retreat?”

“Now that’s just the thing, your honour, as they’re not likely to do, if so be as we bears away for yon headlands.  I knows every nook and sounding round the lake; and odd enough if I didn’t, seeing as how the craft circumnavigated it, at least, a dozen times since we have been cooped up here.  Poor Captain Danvers! (may the devil damn his murderers, I say, though it does make a commander of me for once;) he used always to make for that ’ere point, whenever he wished to lie quiet; for never once did we see so much as a single Ingian on the headland.  No, your honour, they keeps all at t’other side of the lake, seeing as how that is the main road from Mackina’ to Detroit.”

“Then, by all means, do so,” eagerly returned Captain de Haldimar.  “Oh, Mullins! take us but safely through, and if the interest of my father can procure you a king’s commission, you shall not want it, believe me.”

“And if half my fortune can give additional stimulus to exertion, it shall be shared, with pleasure, between yourself and crew,” observed Sir Everard.