the retreat, I shall despair of nothing. God send that
the lad may not run along side of the bank, and fall into an ambushment, as
befel the sarjeant!«
    »Ay; there's the danger. There ought to have been signals concerted, and an
anchorage ground buoyed out, and even a quarantine station, or a Lazaretto would
have been useful could we have made these Minks-ho! respect the laws. If the lad
fetches up, as you say, any where in the neighborhood of this island, we may
look upon the cutter as lost. And, after all, Master Pathfinder; ought we not to
set down this same Jasper as a secret ally of the French, rather than as a
friend of our own? - I know the Serjeant views the matter in that light, and I
must say this whole affair looks like treason!«
    »We shall soon know, we shall soon know, Master Cap, for there, indeed,
comes the cutter, clear of the other island, and five minutes must settle the
matter. It would be no more than fair, howsever, if we could give the boy some
sign in the way of warning. It is not right that he should fall into the trap,
without a notice that it has been laid.«
    Anxiety and suspense, notwithstanding, prevented either from attempting to
make any signal. It was not easy, truly, to see how it could be done, for the
Scud came foaming through the channel, on the weather side of the island, at a
rate that scarce admitted of the necessary time. Nor was any one visible on her
deck, to make signs to; even her helm seemed deserted, though her course was as
steady as her progress was rapid.
    Cap stood in silent admiration of a spectacle so unusual. But as the Scud
drew nearer, his practised eye detected the helm in play, by means of tiller
ropes, though the person who steered was concealed. As the cutter had
weather-boards of some little height, the mystery was explained, no doubt
remaining that her people lay behind the latter, in order to be protected from
the rifles of the enemy. As this fact showed that no force, beyond that of the
small crew, could be on board, Pathfinder received his companion's explanation
with an ominous shake of the head.
    »This proves that the Sarpent has not reached Oswego,« he said, »and that we
are not to expect succor from the garrison. I hope Lundie has not taken it into
his head to displace