, and one of great gifts in his way; he may claim a
wife, as well as another.«
    »To be frank with you, Pathfinder, I brought you here to talk about this
very youngster. Major Duncan has received some information which has led him to
suspect that Eau douce is false, and in the pay of the enemy; I wish to hear
your opinion on the subject.«
    »Anan!«
    »I say the Major suspects Jasper of being a traitor - a French spy - or what
is worse, of being bought to betray us. He has received a letter to this effect,
and has been charging me to keep an eye on the boy's movements, for he fears we
shall meet with enemies when we least suspect it, and by his means.«
    »Duncan of Lundie has told you this, Sarjeant Dunham?«
    »He has, indeed, Pathfinder; and though I have been loth to believe any
thing to the injury of Jasper, I have a feeling, which tells me I ought to
distrust him. Do you believe in presentiments, my friend?«
    »In what, Sarjeant?«
    »Presentiments - a sort of secret foreknowledge of events that are about to
happen. The Scotch of our regiment are great sticklers for such things, and my
opinion of Jasper is changing so fast, that I begin to fear there must be some
truth in their doctrines.«
    »But you've been talking with Duncan of Lundie, consarning Jasper, and his
words have raised misgivin's.«
    »Not it - not so, in the least. For, while conversing with the Major, my
feelings were altogether the other way; and I endeavored to convince him, all I
could, that he did the boy injustice. But there is no use in holding out against
a presentiment, I find, and I fear there is something in the suspicion after
all.«
    »I know nothing of presentiments, Sarjeant, but I have known Jasper Eau
douce since he was a boy, and I have as much faith in his honesty, as I have in
my own, or that of the Sarpent, himself.«
    »But the Serpent, Pathfinder, has his tricks and ambushes in war, as well as
another!«
    »Ay, them are his nat'ral gifts, and are such as belong to his people.
Neither red skin nor pale face can deny natur'; but Chingachgook is not a man to
feel a presentiment ag'in.«
    »That I believe, nor should I have thought