ss, if you please. But, did I think of
marrying at all, I do believe a man whose affections have already been
tried by three or four wives would scarcely be my choice."

The Sergeant nodded at the guide, as much as to say, You see how the
land lies; and then he had sufficient consideration for his daughter's
feelings to change the subject.

"Neither you nor Mabel, brother Cap," he resumed, "can have any legal
authority with the little garrison I leave behind on the island; but you
may counsel and influence. Strictly speaking, Corporal M'Nab will be the
commanding officer, and I have endeavored to impress him with a sense
of his dignity, lest he might give way too much to the superior rank of
Lieutenant Muir, who, being a volunteer, can have no right to interfere
with the duty. I wish you to sustain the Corporal, brother Cap; for
should the Quartermaster once break through the regulations of the
expedition, he may pretend to command me, as well as M'Nab."

"More particularly, should Mabel really cut him adrift while you are
absent. Of course, Sergeant, you'll leave everything that is
afloat under my care? The most d----ble confusion has grown out of
misunderstandings between commanders-in-chief, ashore and afloat."

"In one sense, brother, though in a general way, the Corporal is
commander-in-chief. The Corporal must command; but you can counsel
freely, particularly in all matters relating to the boats, of which I
shall leave one behind to secure your retreat, should there be occasion.
I know the Corporal well; he is a brave man and a good soldier; and one
that may be relied on, if the Santa Cruz can be kept from him. But then
he is a Scotchman, and will be liable to the Quartermaster's influence,
against which I desire both you and Mabel to be on your guard."

"But why leave us behind, dear father? I have come thus far to be a
comfort to you, and why not go farther?"

"You are a good girl, Mabel, and very like the Dunhams. But you must
halt here. We shall leave the island to-morrow, before the day dawns,
in order not to be seen by any prying eyes coming from our cover, and
we shall take the two largest boats, leaving you the other and one bark
canoe. We are about to go into the channel used by the French, where
we shall lie in wait, perhaps a week, to intercept their supply-boats,
which are about to pass up on their way to Frontenac, loaded, in
particular, with a heavy amount of Indian goods."

"Have you looked w