er?"

"There can be no harm in giving you some idea of what we are going to
do. Being so old a sailor, Master Cap, you've heard, no doubt, of such a
port as Frontenac?"

"Who hasn't? I will not say I've ever been inside the harbor, but I've
frequently been off the place."

"Then you are about to go upon ground with which you are acquainted.
These great lakes, you must know, make a chain, the water passing out of
one into the other, until it reaches Erie, which is a sheet off here to
the westward, as large as Ontario itself. Well, out of Erie the water
comes, until it reaches a low mountain like, over the edge of which it
passes."

"I should like to know how the devil it can do that?"

"Why, easy enough, Master Cap," returned Pathfinder, laughing, "seeing
that it has only to fall down hill. Had I said the water went _up_ the
mountain, there would have been natur' ag'in it; but we hold it no great
matter for water to run down hill--that is, _fresh_ water."

"Ay, ay, but you speak of the water of a lake's coming down the side of
a mountain; it's in the teeth of reason, if reason has any teeth."

"Well, well, we will not dispute the point; but what I've seen I've
seen. After getting into Ontario, all the water of _all_ the lakes
passes down into the sea by a river; and in the narrow part of the
sheet, where it is neither river nor lake, lie the islands spoken of.
Now Frontenac is a post of the Frenchers above these same islands; and,
as they hold the garrison below, their stores and ammunition are sent up
the river to Frontenac, to be forwarded along the shores of this and the
other lakes, in order to enable the enemy to play his devilries among
the savages, and to take Christian scalps."

"And will our presence prevent these horrible acts?" demanded Mabel,
with interest.

"It may or it may not, as Providence wills. Lundie, as they call him,
he who commands this garrison, sent a party down to take a station among
the islands, to cut off some of the French boats; and this expedition of
ours will be the second relief. As yet they've not done much, though two
bateaux loaded with Indian goods have been taken; but a runner came in
last week, and brought such tidings that the Major is about to make a
last effort to circumvent the knaves. Jasper knows the way, and we shall
be in good hands, for the Sergeant is prudent, and of the first quality
at an ambushment; yes, he is both prudent and alert."

"Is this all?" said C