第118章

To tell you the truth, my friend, he is conscious it should never have been attempted; but he has too much of the old laird's obstinacy about him to own an error, though it be as manifest as the morning star."The Quartermaster then continued to reason with his companion, in order to induce him to quit the island with-out delay, using such arguments as first suggested them-selves, sometimes contradicting himself, and not unfre-quently urging at one moment a motive that at the next was directly opposed by another.The Pathfinder, simple as he was, detected these flaws in the Lieutenant's philos-ophy, though he was far from suspecting that they pro-ceeded from a desire to clear the coast of Mabel's suitor.

He did not exactly suspect the secret objects of Muir, but he was far from being blind to his sophistry.The result was that the two parted, after a long dialogue, unconvinced, and distrustful of each other's motives, though the distrust of the guide, like all that was connected with the man, partook of his own upright, disinterested, and ingenuous nature.

A conference that took place soon after between Sergeant Dunham and the Lieutenant led to more consequences.

When it was ended, secret orders were issued to the men, the blockhouse was taken possession of, the huts were oc-cupied, and one accustomed to the movements of soldiers might have detected that an expedition was in the wind.

In fact, just as the sun was setting, the Sergeant, who had been much occupied at what was called the harbor, came into his own hut, followed by Pathfinder and Cap; and as he took his seat at the neat table which Mabel had pre-pared for him, he opened the budget of his intelligence.

"You are likely to be of some use here, my child," the old soldier commenced, "as this tidy and well-ordered supper can testify; and I trust, when the proper moment arrives, you will show yourself to be the descendant of those who know how to face their enemies.""You do not expect me, dear father, to play Joan of Arc, and to lead the men to battle?""Play whom, child? Did you ever hear of the person Mabel mentions, Pathfinder?""Not I, Sergeant; but what of that? I am ignorant and unedicated, and it is too great a pleasure to me to listen to her voice, and take in her words, to be particular about persons.""I know her," said Cap decidedly; "she sailed a priva-teer out of Morlaix in the last war; and good cruises she made of them."Mabel blushed at having inadvertently made an allusion that went beyond her father's reading, to say nothing of her uncle's dogmatism, and, perhaps, a little at the Path-finder's simple, ingenuous earnestness; but she did not forbear the less to smile.

"Why, father, I am not expected to fall in with the men, and to help defend the island?""And yet women have often done such things in this quarter of the world, girl, as our friend, the Pathfinder here, will tell you.But lest you should be surprised at not seeing us when you awake in the morning, it is proper that I now tell you we intend to march in the course of this very night.""_We_, father! and leave me and Jennie on this island alone?""No, my daughter; not qnite as unmilitary as that.We shall leave Lieutenant Muir, brother Cap, Corporal M'Nab, and three men to compose the garrison during our ab-sence.Jennie will remain with you in this hut, and brother Cap will occupy my place.""And Mr.Muir?" said Mabel, half unconscious of what she uttered, though she foresaw a great deal of unpleasant persecution in the arrangement.

"Why, he can make love to you, if you like it, girl; for he is an amorous youth, and, having already disposed of four wives, is impatient to show how much he honors their memories by taking a fifth.""The Quartermaster tells me," said Pathfinder inno-cently, "that when a man's feelings have been harassed by so many losses, there is no wiser way to soothe them than by ploughing up the soil anew, in such a manner as to leave no traces of what have gone over it before.""Ay, that is just the difference between ploughing and harrowing," returned the Sergeant, with a grim smile.

"But let him tell Mabel his mind, and there will be an end of his suit.I very well know that _my_ daughter will never be the wife of Lieutenant Muir."This was said in a way that was tanatmount to declaring that no daughter of his ever _should_ become the wife of the person in question.Mabel had colored, trembled, half laughed, and looked uneasy; but, rallying her spirit, she said, in a voice so cheerful as completely to conceal her agitation, "But, father, we might better wait until Mr.

Muir manifests a wish that your daughter would have him, or rather a wish to have your daughter, lest we get the fable of sour grapes thrown into our faces.""And what is that fable, Mabel?" eagerly demanded Pathfinder, who was anything but learned in the ordinary lore of white men."Tell it to us, in your own pretty way; I daresay the Sergeant never heard it."Mabel repeated the well-known fable, and, as her suitor had desired, in her own pretty way, which was a way to keep his eyes riveted on her face, and the whole of his honest countenance covered with a smile.