this, Master Cap," returned Pathfinder; "but
I daresay some of it may be true. I want no thunder and lightning to
remind me of my God, nor am I as apt to bethink on most of all His
goodness in trouble and tribulations as on a calm, solemn, quiet day in
a forest, when His voice is heard in the creaking of a dead branch or in
the song of a bird, as much in my ears at least as it is ever heard in
uproar and gales. How is it with you, Eau-douce? you face the tempests
as well as Master Cap, and ought to know something of the feelings of
storms."

"I fear that I am too young and too inexperienced to be able to say much
on such a subject," modestly answered Jasper.

"But you have your feelings!" said Mabel quickly. "You cannot--no one
can live among such scenes without feeling how much they ought to trust
in God!"

"I shall not belie my training so much as to say I do not sometimes
think of these things, but I fear it is not so often or so much as I
ought."

"Fresh water," resumed Cap pithily; "you are not to expect too much of
the young man, Mabel. I think they call you sometimes by a name which
would insinuate all this: Eau-de-vie, is it not?"

"Eau-douce," quietly replied Jasper, who from sailing on the lake had
acquired a knowledge of French, as well as of several of the Indian
dialects. "It is a name the Iroquois have given me to distinguish me
from some of my companions who once sailed upon the sea, and are fond of
filling the ears of the natives with stories of their great salt-water
lakes."

"And why shouldn't they? I daresay they do the savages no harm. Ay, ay,
Eau-deuce; that must mean the white brandy, which may well enough be
called the deuce, for deuced stuff it is!"

"The signification of Eau-douce is sweet-water, and it is the manner
in which the French express fresh-water," rejoined Jasper, a little
nettled.

"And how the devil do they make water out of Eau-in-deuce, when it means
brandy in Eau-de-vie? Besides, among seamen, Eau always means brandy;
and Eau-de-vie, brandy of a high proof. I think nothing of your
ignorance, young man; for it is natural to your situation, and cannot
be helped. If you will return with me, and make a v'y'ge or two on the
Atlantic, it will serve you a good turn the remainder of your days; and
Mabel there, and all the other young women near the coast, will think
all the better of you should you live to be as old as one of the trees
in this forest."

"Nay, nay," interrupt