on the quarter-deck, near enough to
hear occasionally the conversation which passed; but too diffident of
his own claim, and too intent on his duties, to attempt to mingle in it.
The fine blue eyes of Mabel followed his motions in curious expectation,
and more than once the Quartermaster had to repeat his compliments
before she heard them, so intent was she on the little occurrences of
the vessel, and, we might add, so indifferent to the eloquence of her
companion. At length, even Mr. Muir became silent, and there was a deep
stillness on the water. Presently an oar-blade fell in a boat beneath
the fort, and the sound reached the cutter as distinctly as if it had
been produced on her deck. Then came a murmur, like a sigh of the night,
a fluttering of the canvas, the creaking of the boom, and the flap of
the jib. These well-known sounds were followed by a slight heel in the
cutter, and by the bellying of all the sails.

"Here's the wind, Anderson," called out Jasper to the oldest of his
sailors; "take the helm."

This brief order was obeyed; the helm was put up, the cutter's bows fell
off, and in a few minutes the water was heard murmuring under her head,
as the _Scud_ glanced through the lake at the rate of five miles in the
hour. All this passed in profound silence, when Jasper again gave the
order to "ease off the sheets a little and keep her along the land."

It was at this instant that the party from the after-cabin reappeared on
the quarter-deck.

"You've no inclination, Jasper lad, to trust yourself too near our
neighbours the French," observed Muir, who took that occasion to
recommence the discourse. "Well, well, your prudence will never be
questioned by me, for I like the Canadas as little as you can possibly
like them yourself."

"I hug this shore, Mr. Muir, on account of the wind. The land-breeze is
always freshest close in, provided you are not so near as to make a
lee of the trees. We have Mexico Bay to cross; and that, on the present
course, will give us quite offing enough."

"I'm right glad it's not the Bay of Mexico," put in Cap, "which is a
part of the world I would rather not visit in one of your inland craft.
Does your cutter bear a weather helm, master Eau-douce?"

"She is easy on her rudder, master Cap; but likes looking up at the
breeze as well as another, when in lively motion."

"I suppose you have such things as reefs, though you can hardly have
occasion to use them?"

Mabel's bright e