which no reason had been publicly
given, they soon yielded an implicit and cheerful obedience to the new
one.

"This bit of fresh water, after all, brother Dunham, has some spirit, I
find," cried Cap about noon, rubbing his hands in pure satisfaction at
finding himself once more wrestling with the elements. "The wind
seems to be an honest old-fashioned gale, and the seas have a fanciful
resemblance to those of the Gulf Stream. I like this, Sergeant, I like
this, and shall get to respect your lake, if it hold out twenty-four
hours longer in the fashion in which it has begun."

"Land, ho!" shouted the man who was stationed on the forecastle.

Cap hurried forward; and there, sure enough, the land was visible
through the drizzle, at the distance of about half a mile, the cutter
heading directly towards it. The first impulse of the old seaman was
to give an order to "stand by, to ware off shore;" but the cool-headed
soldier restrained him.

"By going a little nearer," said the Sergeant, "some of us may recognize
the place. Most of us know the American shore in this part of the lake;
and it will be something gained to learn our position."

"Very true, very true; if, indeed, there is any chance of that we will
hold on. What is this off here, a little on our weather-bow? It looks
like a low headland."

"The garrison, by Jove!" exclaimed the other, whose trained eye sooner
recognized the military outlines than the less instructed senses of his
connection.

The Sergeant was not mistaken. There was the fort, sure enough, though
it looked dim and indistinct through the fine rain, as if it were seen
in the dusk of evening or the haze of morning. The low, sodded, and
verdant ramparts, the sombre palisades, now darker than ever with water,
the roof of a house or two, the tall, solitary flagstaff, with its
halyards blown steadily out into a curve that appeared traced in
immovable lines in the air, were all soon to be seen though no sign of
animated life could be discovered. Even the sentinel was housed; and at
first it was believed that no eye would detect the presence of their
own vessel. But the unceasing vigilance of a border garrison did not
slumber: one of the look-outs probably made the interesting discovery;
a man or two were seen on some elevated stands, and then the entire
ramparts next the lake were dotted with human beings.

The whole scene was one in which sublimity was singularly relieved by
the picturesque. The