but idle since we reached the
garrison," returned the other, sighing; "and it is well that the lad
should tell me of it: the idler needs a rebuke--yes, he needs a rebuke."

"Rebuke, Pathfinder! I never dreamt of saying anything disagreeable, and
least of all would I think of rebuking you, because a solitary spy and
an Indian or two have escaped us. Now I know where you were, I think
your absence the most natural thing in the world."

"I think nothing of what you said, Jasper, since it was deserved. We are
all human, and all do wrong."

"This is unkind, Pathfinder."

"Give me your hand, lad, give me your hand. It wasn't you that gave the
lesson; it was conscience."

"Well, well," interrupted Cap; "now this latter matter is settled to the
satisfaction of all parties, perhaps you will tell us how it happened to
be known that there were spies near us so lately. This looks amazingly
like a circumstance."

As the mariner uttered the last sentence, he pressed a foot slily on
that of the Sergeant, and nudged the guide with his elbow, winking at
the same time, though this sign was lost in the obscurity.

"It is known, because their trail was found next day by the Serpent,
and it was that of a military boot and a moccasin. One of our hunters,
moreover, saw the canoe crossing towards Frontenac next morning."

"Did the trail lead near the garrison, Jasper?" Pathfinder asked in
a manner so meek and subdued that it resembled the tone of a rebuked
schoolboy. "Did the trail lead near the garrison, lad?"

"We thought not; though, of course, it did not cross the river. It was
followed down to the eastern point, at the river's mouth, where what
was doing in port, might be seen; but it did not cross, as we could
discover."

"And why didn't you get under weigh, Master Jasper," Cap demanded, "and
give chase? On Tuesday morning it blew a good breeze; one in which this
cutter might have run nine knots."

"That may do on the ocean, Master Cap," put in Pathfinder, "but it would
not do here. Water leaves no trail, and a Mingo and a Frenchman are a
match for the devil in a pursuit."

"Who wants a trail when the chase can be seen from the deck, as Jasper
here said was the case with this canoe? and it mattered nothing if there
were twenty of your Mingos and Frenchmen, with a good British-built
bottom in their wake. I'll engage, Master Eau-douce, had you given me
a call that said Tuesday morning, that we should have overhauled the
blac