Well well, you needn't wait long for that," returned Pathfinder; "for
the Sergeant is about to embark with a party to relieve a post among the
Thousand Islands; and as I heard him say he intended that Mabel should
go along, you can join the company too."

"Is this true, Magnet?"

"I believe it is," returned the girl, a flush so imperceptible as to
escape the observation of her companions glowing on her cheeks; "though
I have had so little opportunity to talk with my dear father that I
am not quite certain. Here he comes, however, and you can inquire of
himself."

Notwithstanding his humble rank, there was something in the mien and
character of Sergeant Dunham that commanded respect: of a tall, imposing
figure, grave and saturnine disposition, and accurate and precise in his
acts and manner of thinking, even Cap, dogmatical and supercilious as
he usually was with landsmen, did not presume to take the same liberties
with the old soldier as he did with his other friends. It was often
remarked that Sergeant Dunham received more true respect from Duncan
of Lundie, the Scotch laird who commanded the post, than most of the
subalterns; for experience and tried services were of quite as much
value in the eyes of the veteran major as birth and money. While the
Sergeant never even hoped to rise any higher, he so far respected
himself and his present station as always to act in a way to command
attention; and the habit of mixing so much with inferiors, whose
passions and dispositions he felt it necessary to restrain by distance
and dignity, had so far colored his whole deportment, that few were
altogether free from its influence. While the captains treated him
kindly and as an old comrade, the lieutenants seldom ventured to dissent
from his military opinions; and the ensigns, it was remarked, actually
manifested a species of respect that amounted to something very like
deference. It is no wonder, then, that the announcement of Mabel put a
sudden termination to the singular dialogue we have just related, though
it had been often observed that the Pathfinder was the only man on that
frontier, beneath the condition of a gentleman, who presumed to treat
the Sergeant at all as an equal, or even with the cordial familiarity of
a friend.

"Good morrow, brother Cap," said the Sergeant giving the military
salute, as he walked, in a grave, stately manner, on the bastion. "My
morning duty has made me seem forgetful of you and Mabel; but w