were ever printed."

"It is the savages only that play each other such hellish tricks,"
said Master Cap, glancing his eyes about him uneasily at the
apparently endless arches of the forest. "No white man is ever
condemned to undergo these trials."

"Nay, therein you are again mistaken," returned the Pathfinder,
coolly selecting a delicate morsel of the venison as his _bonne
bouche_; "for though these torments belong only to the red-skin
natur', in the way of bearing them like braves, white-skin natur'
may be, and often has been, agonized by them."

"Happily," said Cap, with an effort to clear his throat, "none
of his Majesty's allies will be likely to attempt such damnable
cruelties on any of his Majesty's loyal subjects. I have not
served much in the royal navy, it is true; but I have served, and
that is something; and, in the way of privateering and worrying
the enemy in his ships and cargoes, I've done my full share. But
I trust there are no French savages on this side the lake, and I
think you said that Ontario is a broad sheet of water?"

"Nay, it is broad in our eyes," returned Pathfinder, not caring
to conceal the smile which lighted a face which had been burnt by
exposure to a bright red; "though I mistrust that some may think
it narrow; and narrow it is, if you wish it to keep off the foe.
Ontario has two ends, and the enemy that is afraid to cross it will
be certain to come round it."

"Ah! that comes of your d----d fresh-water ponds!" growled Cap,