t appearance of _bonhomie_ which seems inbred in a
Frenchman.

"Monsieur le Pathfinder," said he, with a very decided accent, though
with a friendly smile, "_un militaire_ honor _le courage, et la
loyaute_. You speak Iroquois?"

"Ay, I understand the language of the riptyles, and can get along with
it if there's occasion," returned the literal and truth-telling guide;
"but it's neither a tongue nor a tribe to my taste. Wherever you find
the Mingo blood, in my opinion, Master Flinty-heart, you find a knave.
Well, I've seen you often, though it was in battle; and I must say it
was always in the van. You must know most of our bullets by sight?"

"Nevvair, sair, your own; _une balle_ from your honorable hand be
sairtaine deat'. You kill my best warrior on some island."

"That may be, that may be; though I daresay, if the truth was known,
they would turn out to be great rascals. No offence to you, Master
Flinty-heart, but you keep desperate evil company."

"Yes, sair," returned the Frenchman, who, bent on saying that which was
courteous himself, and comprehending with difficulty, was disposed to
think he received a compliment, "you too good. But _un brave_ always
_comme ca_. What that mean? ha! what that _jeune homme_ do?"

The hand and eye of Captain Sanglier directed the look of Pathfinder to
the opposite side of the fire, where Jasper, just at that moment, had
been rudely seized by two of the soldiers, who were binding his arms
under the direction of Muir.

"What does that mean, indeed?" cried the guide, stepping forward and
shoving the two subordinates away with a power of muscle that would not
be denied. "Who has the heart to do this to Jasper Eau-douce? And who
has the boldness to do it before my eyes?"

"It is by my orders, Pathfinder," answered the Quartermaster, "and
I command it on my own responsibility. Ye'll no' tak' on yourself
to dispute the legality of orders given by one who bears the king's
commission to the king's soldiers?"

"I'd dispute the king's words, if they came from the king's own mouth,
did he say that Jasper desarves this. Has not the lad just saved all our
scalps, taken us from defeat, and given us victory? No, no, Lieutenant;
if this is the first use that you make of your authority, I, for one,
will not respect it."

"This savors a little of insubordination," answered Muir; "but we can
bear much from Pathfinder. It is true this Jasper has _seemed_ to serve
us in this affair, but we o