llow."

"That is easily said, but not so easily done," returned the guide. "We
shall be more exposed in the river than by following the woods; and then
there is the Oswego rift below us, and I am far from sartain that Jasper
himself can carry a boat safely through it in the dark. What say you,
lad, as to your own skill and judgment?"

"I am of Master Cap's opinion about using the canoe. Mabel is too tender
to walk through swamps and among roots of trees in such a night as this
promises to be, and then I always feel myself stouter of heart and truer
of eye when afloat than when ashore."

"Stout of heart you always be, lad, and I think tolerably true of eye
for one who has lived so much in broad sunshine and so little in the
woods. Ah's me! The Ontario has no trees, or it would be a plain to
delight a hunter's heart! As to your opinion, friends, there is much for
and much against it. For it, it may be said water leaves no trail--"

"What do you call the wake?" interrupted the pertinacious and dogmatical
Cap.

"Anan?"

"Go on," said Jasper; "Master Cap thinks he is on the ocean--water
leaves no trail--"

"It leaves none, Eau-douce, hereaway, though I do not pretend to say
what it may leave on the sea. Then a canoe is both swift and easy when
it floats with the current, and the tender limbs of the Sergeant's
daughter will be favored by its motion. But, on the other hand, the
river will have no cover but the clouds in the heavens; the rift is a
ticklish thing for boats to venture into, even by daylight; and it is
six fairly measured miles, by water, from this spot to the garrison.
Then a trail on land is not easy to be found in the dark. I am troubled,
Jasper, to say which way we ought to counsel and advise."

"If the Serpent and myself could swim into the river and bring off the
other canoe," the young sailor replied, "it would seem to me that our
safest course would be the water."

"If, indeed! and yet it might easily be done, as soon as it is a little
darker. Well, well, I am not sartain it will not be the best. Though,
were we only a party of men, it would be like a hunt to the lusty and
brave to play at hide-and-seek with yonder miscreants on the other
shore, Jasper," continued the guide, into whose character there entered
no ingredient which belonged to vain display or theatrical effect, "will
you undertake to bring in the canoe?"

"I will undertake anything that will serve and protect Mabel,
Pathfinder."