The Deerslayer

by James Fenimore Cooper

  Chapter XVII.

  "There, ye wise saints, behold your light, your star, Ye would be dupes and victims and ye are. Is it enough? or, must I, while a thrill Lives in your sapient bosoms, cheat you still?"

  Thomas Moore, Lalla Rookh, "The Veiled Prophet of Khorassan"

  The fire, the canoe, and the spring, near which Deerslayer commenced hisretreat, would have stood in the angles of a triangle of tolerably equalsides. The distance from the fire to the boat was a little less than thedistance from the fire to the spring, while the distance from the springto the boat was about equal to that between the two points first named.This, however, was in straight lines, a means of escape to which thefugitives could not resort. They were obliged to have recourse toa detour in order to get the cover of the bushes, and to follow thecurvature of the beach. Under these disadvantages, then, the huntercommenced his retreat, disadvantages that he felt to be so much thegreater from his knowledge of the habits of all Indians, who rarely failin cases of sudden alarms, more especially when in the midst of cover,immediately to throw out flankers, with a view to meet their foes at allpoints, and if possible to turn their rear. That some such course wasnow adopted he believed from the tramp of feet, which not only came upthe ascent, as related, but were also heard, under the first impulse,diverging not only towards the hill in the rear, but towards theextremity of the point, in a direction opposite to that he was aboutto take himself. Promptitude, consequently became a matter of the lastimportance, as the parties might meet on the strand, before the fugitivecould reach the canoe.

  Notwithstanding the pressing nature of the emergency, Deerslayerhesitated a single instant, ere he plunged into the bushes that linedthe shore. His feelings had been awakened by the whole scene, and asternness of purpose had come over him, to which he was ordinarilya stranger. Four dark figures loomed on the ridge, drawn against thebrightness of the fire, and an enemy might have been sacrificed at aglance. The Indians had paused to gaze into the gloom, in search of thescreeching hag, and with many a man less given to reflection than thehunter, the death of one of them would have been certain. Luckily he wasmore prudent. Although the rifle dropped a little towards the foremostof his pursuers, he did not aim or fire, but disappeared in thecover. To gain the beach, and to follow it round to the place whereChingachgook was already in the canoe, with Hist, anxiously waiting hisappearance, occupied but a moment. Laying his rifle in the bottom of thecanoe, Deerslayer stooped to give the latter a vigorous shove from theshore, when a powerful Indian leaped through the bushes, alighting likea panther on his back. Everything was now suspended by a hair; a falsestep ruining all. With a generosity that would have rendered a Romanillustrious throughout all time, but which, in the career of one sosimple and humble, would have been forever lost to the world butfor this unpretending legend, Deerslayer threw all his force into adesperate effort, shoved the canoe off with a power that sent it ahundred feet from the shore, as it might be in an instant, and fellforward into the lake, himself, face downward; his assailant necessarilyfollowing him.

  Although the water was deep within a few yards of the beach, it was notmore than breast high, as close in as the spot where the two combatantsfell. Still this was quite sufficient to destroy one who had sunk, underthe great disadvantages in which Deerslayer was placed. His hands werefree, however, and the savage was compelled to relinquish his hug,to keep his own face above the surface. For half a minute there was adesperate struggle, like the floundering of an alligator that has justseized some powerful prey, and then both stood erect, grasping eachother's arms, in order to prevent the use of the deadly knife inthe darkness. What might have been the issue of this severe personalstruggle cannot be known, for half a dozen savages came leaping intothe water to the aid of their friend, and Deerslayer yielded himself aprisoner, with a dignity that was as remarkable as his self-devotion.

  To quit the lake and lead their new captive to the fire occupied theIndians but another minute. So much engaged were they all with thestruggle and its consequences, that the canoe was unseen, though itstill lay so near the shore as to render every syllable that was utteredperfectly intelligible to the Delaware and his betrothed; and the wholeparty left the spot, some continuing the pursuit after Hist, along thebeach, though most proceeded to the light. Here Deerslayer's antagonistso far recovered his breath and his recollection, for he had beenthrottled nearly to strangulation, as to relate the manner in which thegirl had got off. It was now too late to assail the other fugitives, forno sooner was his friend led into the bushes than the Delaware placedhis paddle into the water, and the light canoe glided noiselessly away,holding its course towards the centre of the lake until safe from shot,after which it sought the Ark. When Deerslayer reached the fire, hefound himself surrounded by no less than eight grim savages, amongwhom was his old acquaintance Rivenoak. As soon as the latter caught aglimpse of the captive's countenance, he spoke apart to his companions,and a low but general exclamation of pleasure and surprise escaped them.They knew that the conqueror of their late friend, he who had fallen onthe opposite side of the lake, was in their hands, and subject to theirmercy, or vengeance. There was no little admiration mingled in theferocious looks that were thrown on the prisoner; an admiration thatwas as much excited by his present composure, as by his past deeds.This scene may be said to have been the commencement of the great andterrible reputation that Deerslayer, or Hawkeye, as he was afterwardscalled, enjoyed among all the tribes of New York and Canada; areputation that was certainly more limited in its territorial andnumerical extent, than those which are possessed in civilized life, butwhich was compensated for what it wanted in these particulars, perhaps,by its greater justice, and the total absence of mystification andmanagement.

  The arms of Deerslayer were not pinioned, and he was left the free useof his hands, his knife having been first removed. The only precautionthat was taken to secure his person was untiring watchfulness, and astrong rope of bark that passed from ankle to ankle, not so muchto prevent his walking, as to place an obstacle in the way of hisattempting to escape by any sudden leap. Even this extra provisionagainst flight was not made until the captive had been brought to thelight, and his character ascertained. It was, in fact, a complimentto his prowess, and he felt proud of the distinction. That he might bebound when the warriors slept he thought probable, but to be boundin the moment of capture showed that he was already, and thus early,attaining a name. While the young Indians were fastening the rope, hewondered if Chingachgook would have been treated in the same manner, hadhe too fallen into the hands of the enemy. Nor did the reputation of theyoung pale-face rest altogether on his success in the previouscombat, or in his discriminating and cool manner of managing the latenegotiation, for it had received a great accession by the occurrencesof the night. Ignorant of the movements of the Ark, and of the accidentthat had brought their fire into view, the Iroquois attributed thediscovery of their new camp to the vigilance of so shrewd a foe. Themanner in which he ventured upon the point, the abstraction or escape ofHist, and most of all the self-devotion of the prisoner, united tothe readiness with which he had sent the canoe adrift, were so manyimportant links in the chain of facts, on which his growing fame wasfounded. Many of these circumstances had been seen, some had beenexplained, and all were understood.

  While this admiration and these honors were so unreservedly bestowed onDeerslayer, he did not escape some of the penalties of his situation.He was permitted to seat himself on the end of a log, near the fire,in order to dry his clothes, his late adversary standing opposite,now holding articles of his own scanty vestments to the heat, and nowfeeling his throat, on which the marks of his enemy's fingers were stillquite visible. The rest of the warriors consulted together, near athand, all those who had been out having returned to report that no signsof any other prowlers near the camp were to be found. In this stateof things, the old woman, whose name was Shebear, in plain English,approached Deerslayer, with her fists clenched and her eyes flashingfire. Hitherto, she
had been occupied with screaming, an employmentat which she had played her part with no small degree of success, buthaving succeeded in effectually alarming all within reach of a pair oflungs that had been strengthened by long practice, she next turned herattention to the injuries her own person had sustained in the struggle.These were in no manner material, though they were of a nature to arouseall the fury of a woman who had long ceased to attract by means of thegentler qualities, and who was much disposed to revenge the hardshipsshe had so long endured, as the neglected wife and mother of savages, onall who came within her power. If Deerslayer had not permanently injuredher, he had temporarily caused her to suffer, and she was not a personto overlook a wrong of this nature, on account of its motive.

  "Skunk of the pale-faces," commenced this exasperated and semi-poeticfury, shaking her fist under the nose of the impassable hunter, "you arenot even a woman. Your friends the Delawares are only women, and you aretheir sheep. Your own people will not own you, and no tribe of redmenwould have you in their wigwams; you skulk among petticoated warriors.You slay our brave friend who has left us?--No--his great soul scornedto fight you, and left his body rather than have the shame of slayingyou! But the blood that you spilt when the spirit was not looking on,has not sunk into the ground. It must be buried in your groans. Whatmusic do I hear? Those are not the wailings of a red man!--no redwarrior groans so much like a hog. They come from a pale-facethroat--a Yengeese bosom, and sound as pleasant as girlssinging--Dog--skunk--woodchuck-mink--hedgehog--pig--toad--spider--yengee--"

  Here the old woman, having expended her breath and exhausted herepithets, was fain to pause a moment, though both her fists were shakenin the prisoner's face, and the whole of her wrinkled countenance wasfilled with fierce resentment. Deerslayer looked upon these impotentattempts to arouse him as indifferently as a gentleman in our own stateof society regards the vituperative terms of a blackguard: the one partyfeeling that the tongue of an old woman could never injure a warrior,and the other knowing that mendacity and vulgarity can only permanentlyaffect those who resort to their use; but he was spared any furtherattack at present, by the interposition of Rivenoak, who shoved asidethe hag, bidding her quit the spot, and prepared to take his seat atthe side of his prisoner. The old woman withdrew, but the hunter wellunderstood that he was to be the subject of all her means of annoyance,if not of positive injury, so long as he remained in the power of hisenemies, for nothing rankles so deeply as the consciousness that anattempt to irritate has been met by contempt, a feeling that is usuallythe most passive of any that is harbored in the human breast. Rivenoakquietly took the seat we have mentioned, and, after a short pause, hecommenced a dialogue, which we translate as usual, for the benefit ofthose readers who have not studied the North American languages.

  "My pale-face friend is very welcome," said the Indian, with a familiarnod, and a smile so covert that it required all Deerslayer's vigilanceto detect, and not a little of his philosophy to detect unmoved; "he iswelcome. The Hurons keep a hot fire to dry the white man's clothes by."

  "I thank you, Huron--or Mingo, as I most like to call you," returned theother, "I thank you for the welcome, and I thank you for the fire. Eachis good in its way, and the last is very good, when one has been in aspring as cold as the Glimmerglass. Even Huron warmth may be pleasant,at such a time, to a man with a Delaware heart."

  "The pale-face--but my brother has a name? So great a warrior would nothave lived without a name?"

  "Mingo," said the hunter, a little of the weakness of human natureexhibiting itself in the glance of his eye, and the colour on hischeek--"Mingo, your brave called me Hawkeye, I suppose on account of aquick and sartain aim, when he was lying with his head in my lap, aforehis spirit started for the Happy Hunting Grounds."

  "'Tis a good name! The hawk is sure of his blow. Hawkeye is not a woman;why does he live with the Delawares?"

  "I understand you, Mingo, but we look on all that as a sarcumvention ofsome of your subtle devils, and deny the charge. Providence placed meamong the Delawares young, and, 'bating what Christian usages demand ofmy colour and gifts, I hope to live and die in their tribe. Still I donot mean to throw away altogether my natyve rights, and shall strive todo a pale-face's duty, in red-skin society."

  "Good; a Huron is a red-skin, as well as a Delaware. Hawkeye is more ofa Huron than of a woman."

  "I suppose you know, Mingo, your own meaning; if you don't I make noquestion 'tis well known to Satan. But if you wish to get any thingout of me, speak plainer, for bargains can not be made blindfolded, ortongue tied."

  "Good; Hawkeye has not a forked tongue, and he likes to say what hethinks. He is an acquaintance of the Muskrat," this was the name bywhich all the Indians designated Hutter--"and has lived in his wigwam.But he is not a friend. He wants no scalps, like a miserable Indian, butfights like a stout-hearted pale-face. The Muskrat is neither white, norred. Neither a beast nor a fish. He is a water snake; sometimes in thespring and sometimes on the land. He looks for scalps, like an outcast.Hawkeye can go back and tell him how he has outwitted the Hurons, how hehas escaped, and when his eyes are in a fog, when he can't see as faras from his cabin to the shore, then Hawkeye can open the door for theHurons. And how will the plunder be divided? Why, Hawkeye, will carryaway the most, and the Hurons will take what he may choose to leavebehind him. The scalps can go to Canada, for a pale-face has nosatisfaction in them."

  "Well, well, Rivenoak--for so I hear 'em tarm you--This is plainEnglish, enough, though spoken in Iroquois. I understand all you mean,now, and must say it out-devils even Mingo deviltry! No doubt, 'twouldbe easy enough to go back and tell the Muskrat that I had got away fromyou, and gain some credit, too, by the expl'ite."

  "Good. That is what I want the pale-face to do."

  "Yes--yes--That's plain enough. I know what you want me to do, withoutmore words. When inside the house, and eating the Muskrat's bread, andlaughing and talking with his pretty darters, I might put his eyes intoso thick a fog, that he couldn't even see the door, much less the land."

  "Good! Hawkeye should have been born a Huron! His blood is not more thanhalf white!"

  "There you're out, Huron; yes, there you're as much out, as if youmistook a wolf for a catamount. I'm white in blood, heart, natur' andgifts, though a little red-skin in feelin's and habits. But when oldHutter's eyes are well befogged, and his pretty darters perhaps in adeep sleep, and Hurry Harry, the Great Pine as you Indians tarm him, isdreaming of any thing but mischief, and all suppose Hawkeye is acting asa faithful sentinel, all I have to do is set a torch somewhere in sightfor a signal, open the door, and let in the Hurons, to knock 'em all onthe head."

  "Surely my brother is mistaken. He cannot be white! He is worthy to be agreat chief among the Hurons!"

  "That is true enough, I dares to say, if he could do all this. Now,harkee, Huron, and for once hear a few honest words from the mouth of aplain man. I am Christian born, and them that come of such a stock, andthat listen to the words that were spoken to their fathers and will bespoken to their children, until 'arth and all it holds perishes, cannever lend themselves to such wickedness. Sarcumventions in war, maybe, and are, lawful; but sarcumventions, and deceit, and treachery amongfri'inds are fit only for the pale-face devils. I know that there arewhite men enough to give you this wrong idee of our natur', but suchbe ontrue to their blood and gifts, and ought to be, if they are not,outcasts and vagabonds. No upright pale-face could do what you wish,and to be as plain with you as I wish to be, in my judgment no uprightDelaware either. With a Mingo it may be different."

  The Huron listened to this rebuke with obvious disgust, but he had hisends in view, and was too wily to lose all chance of effecting them bya precipitate avowal of resentment. Affecting to smile, he seemed tolisten eagerly, and he then pondered on what he had heard.

  "Does Hawkeye love the Muskrat?" he abruptly demanded; "Or does he lovehis daughters?"

  "Neither, Mingo. Old Tom is not a man to gain my love, and, as for thedarters, they are co
mely enough to gain the liking of any young man,but there's reason ag'in any very great love for either. Hetty is a goodsoul, but natur' has laid a heavy hand on her mind, poor thing."

  "And the Wild Rose!" exclaimed the Huron--for the fame of Judith'sbeauty had spread among those who could travel the wilderness, as wellas the highway by means of old eagles' nests, rocks, and riven treesknown to them by report and tradition, as well as among the whiteborderers, "And the Wild Rose; is she not sweet enough to be put in thebosom of my brother?"

  Deerslayer had far too much of the innate gentleman to insinuateaught against the fair fame of one who, by nature and position was sohelpless, and as he did not choose to utter an untruth, he preferredbeing silent. The Huron mistook the motive, and supposed thatdisappointed affection lay at the bottom of his reserve. Still bent oncorrupting or bribing his captive, in order to obtain possession of thetreasures with which his imagination filled the Castle, he persevered inhis attack.

  "Hawkeye is talking with a friend," he continued. "He knows thatRivenoak is a man of his word, for they have traded together, and tradeopens the soul. My friend has come here on account of a little stringheld by a girl, that can pull the whole body of the sternest warrior?"

  "You are nearer the truth, now, Huron, than you've been afore, since webegan to talk. This is true. But one end of that string was not fast tomy heart, nor did the Wild Rose hold the other."

  "This is wonderful! Does my brother love in his head, and not in hisheart? And can the Feeble Mind pull so hard against so stout a warrior?"

  "There it is ag'in; sometimes right, and sometimes wrong! The string youmean is fast to the heart of a great Delaware; one of Mohican stock infact, living among the Delawares since the disparsion of his own people,and of the family of Uncas--Chingachgook by name, or Great Sarpent.He has come here, led by the string, and I've followed, or rather comeafore, for I got here first, pulled by nothing stronger than fri'ndship;which is strong enough for such as are not niggardly of their feelin's,and are willing to live a little for their fellow creatur's, as well asfor themselves."

  "But a string has two ends--one is fast to the mind of a Mohican; andthe other?"

  "Why the other was here close to the fire, half an hour since.Wah-ta-Wah held it in her hand, if she didn't hold it to her heart."

  "I understand what you mean, my brother," returned the Indian gravely,for the first time catching a direct clue to the adventures of theevening. "The Great Serpent, being strongest, pulled the hardest, andHist was forced to leave us."

  "I don't think there was much pulling about it," answered the other,laughing, always in his silent manner, with as much heartiness as if hewere not a captive, and in danger of torture or death--"I don't thinkthere was much pulling about it; no I don't. Lord help you, Huron!He likes the gal, and the gal likes him, and it surpassed Huronsarcumventions to keep two young people apart, where there was so stronga feelin' to bring 'em together."

  "And Hawkeye and Chingachgook came into our camp on this errand, only?"

  "That's a question that'll answer itself, Mingo! Yes, if a questioncould talk it would answer itself, to your parfect satisfaction. Forwhat else should we come? And yet, it isn't exactly so, neither; for wedidn't come into your camp at all, but only as far as that pine, there,that you see on the other side of the ridge, where we stood watchingyour movements, and conduct, as long as we liked. When we were ready,the Sarpent gave his signal, and then all went just as it should, downto the moment when yonder vagabond leaped upon my back. Sartain; we comefor that, and for no other purpose, and we got what we come for; there'sno use in pretending otherwise. Hist is off with a man who's the nextthing to her husband, and come what will to me, that's one good thingdetarmined."

  "What sign, or signal, told the young maiden that her lover was nigh?"asked the Huron with more curiosity than it was usual for him to betray.

  Deerslayer laughed again, and seem'd to enjoy the success of theexploit, with as much glee as if he had not been its victim.

  "Your squirrels are great gadabouts, Mingo," he cried stilllaughing--"yes, they're sartainly great gadabouts! When other folk'ssquirrels are at home and asleep, yourn keep in motion among the trees,and chirrup and sing, in a way that even a Delaware gal can understandtheir musick! Well, there's four legged squirrels, and there's twolegged squirrels, and give me the last, when there's a good tight stringatween two hearts. If one brings 'em together, t'other tells when topull hardest!"

  The Huron looked vexed, though he succeeded in suppressing any violentexhibition of resentment. He now quitted his prisoner and, joiningthe rest of the warriors, he communicated the substance of what he hadlearned. As in his own case, admiration was mingled with anger at theboldness and success of their enemies. Three or four of them ascendedthe little acclivity and gazed at the tree where it was understood theadventurers had posted themselves, and one even descended to it, andexamined for foot prints around its roots, in order to make sure thatthe statement was true. The result confirmed the story of the captive,and they all returned to the fire with increased wonder and respect. Themessenger who had arrived with some communication from the party above,while the two adventurers were watching the camp, was now despatchedwith some answer, and doubtless bore with him the intelligence of allthat had happened.

  Down to this moment, the young Indian who had been seen walking incompany with Hist and another female had made no advances to anycommunication with Deerslayer. He had held himself aloof from hisfriends, even, passing near the bevy of younger women, who wereclustering together, apart as usual, and conversed in low tones on thesubject of the escape of their late companion. Perhaps it would be trueto say that these last were pleased as well as vexed at what had justoccurred. Their female sympathies were with the lovers, while theirpride was bound up in the success of their own tribe. It is possible,too, that the superior personal advantages of Hist rendered herdangerous to some of the younger part of the group, and they were notsorry to find she was no longer in the way of their own ascendency. Onthe whole, however, the better feeling was most prevalent, for neitherthe wild condition in which they lived, the clannish prejudices oftribes, nor their hard fortunes as Indian women, could entirely conquerthe inextinguishable leaning of their sex to the affections. One of thegirls even laughed at the disconsolate look of the swain who might fancyhimself deserted, a circumstance that seemed suddenly to arouse hisenergies, and induce him to move towards the log, on which the prisonerwas still seated, drying his clothes.

  "This is Catamount!" said the Indian, striking his hand boastfully onhis naked breast, as he uttered the words in a manner to show how muchweight he expected them to carry.

  "This is Hawkeye," quietly returned Deerslayer, adopting the name bywhich he knew he would be known in future, among all the tribes of theIroquois. "My sight is keen; is my brother's leap long?"

  "From here to the Delaware villages. Hawkeye has stolen my wife; he mustbring her back, or his scalp will hang on a pole, and dry in my wigwam."

  "Hawkeye has stolen nothing, Huron. He doesn't come of a thieving breed,nor has he thieving gifts. Your wife, as you call Wah-ta-Wah, will neverbe the wife of any red-skin of the Canadas; her mind is in the cabin ofa Delaware, and her body has gone to find it. The catamount is actyve Iknow, but its legs can't keep pace with a woman's wishes."

  "The Serpent of the Delawares is a dog--he is a poor bull trout thatkeeps in the water; he is afraid to stand on the hard earth, like abrave Indian!"

  "Well, well, Huron, that's pretty impudent, considering it's not an hoursince the Sarpent stood within a hundred feet of you, and would havetried the toughness of your skin with a rifle bullet, when I pointed youout to him, hadn't I laid the weight of a little judgment on his hand.You may take in timorsome gals in the settlements, with your catamountwhine, but the ears of a man can tell truth from ontruth."

  "Hist laughs at him! She sees he is lame, and a poor hunter, and he hasnever been on a war path. She will take a man for a husband, and not afish."
>
  "How do you know that, Catamount? how do you know that?" returnedDeerslayer laughing. "She has gone into the lake, you see, and maybe sheprefars a trout to a mongrel cat. As for war paths, neither the Sarpentnor I have much exper'ence, we are ready to own, but if you don't callthis one, you must tarm it, what the gals in the settlements tarm it,the high road to matrimony. Take my advice, Catamount, and s'arch fora wife among the Huron women; you'll never get one with a willing mindfrom among the Delawares."

  Catamount's hand felt for his tomahawk, and when the fingers reachedthe handle they worked convulsively, as if their owner hesitated betweenpolicy and resentment. At this critical moment Rivenoak approached, andby a gesture of authority, induced the young man to retire, assuming hisformer position, himself, on the log at the side of Deerslayer. Here hecontinued silent for a little time, maintaining the grave reserve of anIndian chief.

  "Hawkeye is right," the Iroquois at length began; "his sight is sostrong that he can see truth in a dark night, and our eyes have beenblinded. He is an owl, darkness hiding nothing from him. He ought not tostrike his friends. He is right."

  "I'm glad you think so, Mingo," returned the other, "for a traitor, inmy judgment, is worse than a coward. I care as little for the Muskrat,as one pale-face ought to care for another, but I care too much for himto ambush him in the way you wished. In short, according to my idees,any sarcumventions, except open-war sarcumventions, are ag'in both law,and what we whites call 'gospel', too."

  "My pale-face brother is right; he is no Indian, to forget his Manitouand his colour. The Hurons know that they have a great warrior for theirprisoner, and they will treat him as one. If he is to be tortured, historments shall be such as no common man can bear; if he is to be treatedas a friend, it will be the friendship of chiefs."

  As the Huron uttered this extraordinary assurance of consideration, hiseye furtively glanced at the countenance of his listener, in order todiscover how he stood the compliment, though his gravity and apparentsincerity would have prevented any man but one practised in artifices,from detecting his motives. Deerslayer belonged to the class of theunsuspicious, and acquainted with the Indian notions of what constitutesrespect, in matters connected with the treatment of captives, he felthis blood chill at the announcement, even while he maintained an aspectso steeled that his quick sighted enemy could discover in it no signs ofweakness.

  "God has put me in your hands, Huron," the captive at length answered,"and I suppose you will act your will on me. I shall not boast of whatI can do, under torment, for I've never been tried, and no man can saytill he has been; but I'll do my endivours not to disgrace the peopleamong whom I got my training. Howsever, I wish you now to bear witnessthat I'm altogether of white blood, and, in a nat'ral way of white giftstoo; so, should I be overcome and forget myself, I hope you'll laythe fault where it properly belongs, and in no manner put it on theDelawares, or their allies and friends the Mohicans. We're all createdwith more or less weakness, and I'm afeard it's a pale-face's to givein under great bodily torment, when a red-skin will sing his songs, andboast of his deeds in the very teeth of his foes."

  "We shall see. Hawkeye has a good countenance, and he is tough--but whyshould he be tormented, when the Hurons love him? He is not born theirenemy, and the death of one warrior will not cast a cloud between themforever."

  "So much the better, Huron; so much the better. Still I don't wish toowe any thing to a mistake about each other's meaning. It is so muchthe better that you bear no malice for the loss of a warrior who fellin war, and yet it is ontrue that there is no inmity--lawful inmityI mean--atween us. So far as I have red-skin feelin's at all, I'veDelaware feelin's, and I leave you to judge for yourself how far theyare likely to be fri'ndly to the Mingos--"

  Deerslayer ceased, for a sort of spectre stood before him, that put astop to his words, and, indeed, caused him for a moment to doubt thefidelity of his boasted vision. Hetty Hutter was standing at the side ofthe fire as quietly as if she belonged to the tribe.

  As the hunter and the Indian sat watching the emotions that werebetrayed in each other's countenance, the girl had approached unnoticed,doubtless ascending from the beach on the southern side of the point,or that next to the spot where the Ark had anchored, and had advancedto the fire with the fearlessness that belonged to her simplicity, andwhich was certainly justified by the treatment formerly received fromthe Indians. As soon as Rivenoak perceived the girl, she was recognised,and calling to two or three of the younger warriors, the chief sentthem out to reconnoitre, lest her appearance should be the forerunner ofanother attack. He then motioned to Hetty to draw near.

  "I hope your visit is a sign that the Sarpent and Hist are in safety,Hetty," said Deerslayer, as soon as the girl had complied with theHuron's request. "I don't think you'd come ashore ag'in, on the arr'ndthat brought you here afore."

  "Judith told me to come this time, Deerslayer," Hetty replied, "shepaddled me ashore herself, in a canoe, as soon as the Serpent had shownher Hist and told his story. How handsome Hist is to-night, Deerslayer,and how much happier she looks than when she was with the Hurons!"

  "That's natur' gal; yes, that may be set down as human natur'. She'swith her betrothed, and no longer fears a Mingo husband. In my judgmentJudith, herself, would lose most of her beauty if she thought she wasto bestow it all on a Mingo! Content is a great fortifier of good looks,and I'll warrant you, Hist is contented enough, now she is out of thehands of these miscreants, and with her chosen warrior! Did you say thatJudith told you to come ashore--why should your sister do that?"

  "She bid me come to see you, and to try and persuade the savages to takemore elephants to let you off, but I've brought the Bible with me--thatwill do more than all the elephants in father's chest!"

  "And your father, good little Hetty--and Hurry; did they know of yourarr'nd?"

  "Not they. Both are asleep, and Judith and the Serpent thought itbest they should not be woke, lest they might want to come again afterscalps, when Hist had told them how few warriors, and how many women andchildren there were in the camp. Judith would give me no peace, till Ihad come ashore to see what had happened to you."

  "Well, that's remarkable as consarns Judith! Whey should she feel somuch unsartainty about me?--Ah---I see how it is, now; yes, I see intothe whole matter, now. You must understand, Hetty, that your sister isoneasy lest Harry March should wake, and come blundering here intothe hands of the inimy ag'in, under some idee that, being a travellingcomrade, he ought to help me in this matter! Hurry is a blunderer, Iwill allow, but I don't think he'd risk as much for my sake, as he wouldfor his own."

  "Judith don't care for Hurry, though Hurry cares for her," replied Hettyinnocently, but quite positively.

  "I've heard you say as much as that afore; yes, I've heard that fromyou, afore, gal, and yet it isn't true. One don't live in a tribe, notto see something of the way in which liking works in a woman's heart.Though no way given to marrying myself, I've been a looker on among theDelawares, and this is a matter in which pale-face and red-skin giftsare all as one as the same. When the feelin' begins, the young womanis thoughtful, and has no eyes or ears onless for the warrior that hastaken her fancy; then follows melancholy and sighing, and such sortof actions; after which, especially if matters don't come to plaindiscourse, she often flies round to back biting and fault finding,blaming the youth for the very things she likes best in him. Some youngcreatur's are forward in this way of showing their love, and I'm ofopinion Judith is one of 'em. Now, I've heard her as much as deny thatHurry was good-looking, and the young woman who could do that, must befar gone indeed!"

  "The young woman who liked Hurry would own that he is handsome. I thinkHurry very handsome, Deerslayer, and I'm sure everybody must think so,that has eyes. Judith don't like Harry March, and that's the reason shefinds fault with him."

  "Well--well--my good little Hetty, have it your own way. If we shouldtalk from now till winter, each would think as at present, and there'sno use in words. I must believe that Jud
ith is much wrapped up in Hurry,and that, sooner or later, she'll have him; and this, too, all the morefrom the manner in which she abuses him; and I dare to say, you thinkjust the contrary. But mind what I now tell you, gal, and pretend notto know it," continued this being, who was so obtuse on a point onwhich men are usually quick enough to make discoveries, and so acute inmatters that would baffle the observation of much the greater portionof mankind, "I see how it is, with them vagabonds. Rivenoak has left us,you see, and is talking yonder with his young men, and though too farto be heard, I can see what he is telling them. Their orders is to watchyour movements, and to find where the canoe is to meet you, to takeyou back to the Ark, and then to seize all and what they can. I'm sorryJudith sent you, for I suppose she wants you to go back ag'in."

  "All that's settled, Deerslayer," returned the girl, in a low,confidential and meaning manner, "and you may trust me to outwit thebest Indian of them all. I know I am feeble minded, but I've got somesense, and you'll see how I'll use it in getting back, when my errand isdone!"

  "Ahs! me, poor girl; I'm afeard all that's easier said than done.They're a venomous set of riptyles and their p'ison's none the milder,for the loss of Hist. Well, I'm glad the Sarpent was the one to get offwith the gal, for now there'll be two happy at least, whereas had hefallen into the hands of the Mingos, there'd been two miserable, andanother far from feelin' as a man likes to feel."

  "Now you put me in mind of a part of my errand that I had almostforgotten, Deerslayer. Judith told me to ask you what you thought theHurons would do with you, if you couldn't be bought off, and what shehad best do to serve you. Yes, this was the most important part of theerrand--what she had best do, in order to serve you?"

  "That's as you think, Hetty; but it's no matter. Young women are apt tolay most stress on what most touches their feelin's; but no matter; haveit your own way, so you be but careful not to let the vagabonds getthe mastery of a canoe. When you get back to the Ark, tell 'em to keepclose, and to keep moving too, most especially at night. Many hourscan't go by without the troops on the river hearing of this party, andthen your fri'nds may look for relief. 'Tis but a day's march from thenearest garrison, and true soldiers will never lie idle with the foe intheir neighborhood. This is my advice, and you may say to your fatherand Hurry that scalp-hunting will be a poor business now, as the Mingosare up and awake, and nothing can save 'em, 'till the troops come,except keeping a good belt of water atween 'em and the savages."

  "What shall I tell Judith about you, Deerslayer; I know she will send meback again, if I don't bring her the truth about you."

  "Then tell her the truth. I see no reason Judith Hutter shouldn't hearthe truth about me, as well as a lie. I'm a captyve in Indian hands, andProvidence only knows what will come of it! Harkee, Hetty," droppinghis voice and speaking still more confidentially, "you are a little weakminded, it must be allowed, but you know something of Injins. Here I amin their hands, after having slain one of their stoutest warriors, andthey've been endivouring to work upon me through fear of consequences,to betray your father, and all in the Ark. I understand the blackguardsas well as if they'd told it all out plainly, with their tongues. Theyhold up avarice afore me, on one side, and fear on t'other, and thinkhonesty will give way atween 'em both. But let your father and Hurryknow, 'tis all useless; as for the Sarpent, he knows it already."

  "But what shall I tell Judith? She will certainly send me back, if Idon't satisfy her mind."

  "Well, tell Judith the same. No doubt the savages will try the torments,to make me give in, and to revenge the loss of their warrior, but I musthold out ag'in nat'ral weakness in the best manner I can. You may tellJudith to feel no consarn on my account--it will come hard I know,seeing that a white man's gifts don't run to boasting and singing undertorment, for he generally feels smallest when he suffers most--but youmay tell her not to have any consarn. I think I shall make out to standit, and she may rely on this, let me give in, as much as I may, andprove completely that I am white, by wailings, and howlings, and eventears, yet I'll never fall so far as to betray my fri'nds. When it getsto burning holes in the flesh, with heated ramrods, and to hackingthe body, and tearing the hair out by the roots, natur' may get theupperhand, so far as groans, and complaints are consarned, but there thetriumph of the vagabonds will ind; nothing short of God's abandoning himto the devils can make an honest man ontrue to his colour and duty."

  Hetty listened with great attention, and her mild but speakingcountenance manifested a strong sympathy in the anticipated agony of thesupposititious sufferer. At first she seemed at a loss how to act; then,taking a hand of Deerslayer's she affectionately recommended to him toborrow her Bible, and to read it while the savages were inflicting theirtorments. When the other honestly admitted that it exceeded his power toread, she even volunteered to remain with him, and to perform this holyoffice in person. The offer was gently declined, and Rivenoak beingabout to join them, Deerslayer requested the girl to leave him, firstenjoining her again to tell those in the Ark to have full confidence inhis fidelity. Hetty now walked away, and approached the group of femaleswith as much confidence and self-possession as if she were a native ofthe tribe. On the other hand the Huron resumed his seat by the sideof his prisoner, the one continuing to ask questions with all the wilyingenuity of a practised Indian counsellor, and the other baffling himby the very means that are known to be the most efficacious in defeatingthe finesse of the more pretending diplomacy of civilization, or byconfining his answers to the truth, and the truth only.