CHAPTER XIV

"'A stranger animal,' cries one,
'Sure never liv'd beneath the sun;
A lizard's body lean and long,
A fish's head, a serpent's tongue,
Its foot, with triple claw disjoined;
And what a length of tail behind!'"

James Merrick, "The Chameleon," 11.21-26.

THE first act of the Delaware, on rejoining his friend, was to proceed
gravely to disencumber himself of his civilized attire, and to stand forth an
Indian warrior again. The protest of Deerslayer was met by his communicating
the fact that the presence of an Indian in the hut, was known to the
Iroquois, and that maintaining the disguise would be more likely to direct
suspicions to his real object, than if he came out openly as a member of a
hostile tribe. When the latter understood the truth, and was told that he had
been deceived in supposing the chief had succeeded in entering the Ark
undiscovered, he cheerfully consented to the change, since further attempt at
concealment was useless. A gender feeling than the one avowed, however, lay
at the bottom of the Indian's desire to appear as a son of the forest. He had
been told that Hist was on the op­posite shore, and nature so far triumphed
over all distinctions of habit, and tribes and people, as to reduce this
young savage warrior to the level of a feeling which would have been found in
the most refined inhabitant of a town, under similar cir­cumstances. There
was a mild satisfaction in believing that she he loved could see him, and as
he walked out on the platform in his scanty, native attire, an Apollo of the
wilderness, a hun­dred of the tender fancies that fleet through lovers'
brains, beset his imagination and softened his heart.
All this was lost on Deerslayer, who was no great adept in the mysteries of
Cupid, but whose mind was far more occupied with the concerns that forced
themselves on his attention, than with any of the truant fancies of love. He
soon recalled his

companion, therefore, to a sense of their actual condition, by summoning him
to a sort of council of war, in which they were to settle their future
course. In the dialogue that followed, the parties mutually made each other
acquainted with what had passed in their several interviews. Ghingachgook was
told the history of the treaty about the ransom, and Deerslayer heard the
whole of Hetty's communications. The latter listened with generous interest
to his friend's hopes, and promised cheerfully all the assistance he could
lend.
"Tis our main ar'n'd, Sarpent, as you know, this battling for the castle and
old Hutter's darters, coming in as a sort of accident. Yes-yes- I'll be
actyve in helping little Hist, who's not only one of the best and handsomest
maidens of the tribe, but the very best and handsomest. I've always
encouraged you, chief, in that liking, and it's proper, too, that a great and
an­cient race like your'n shouldn't come to an end. If a woman of red skin
and red gifts could get to be near enough to me to wish her for a wife, I'd
s'arch for just such another, but that can never be; no, that can never be.
I'm glad Hetty has met with Hist, howsever, for though the first is a little
short of wit and under­standing, the last has enough for both. Yes, Sarpent-"
laughing heartily-"put 'em together, and two smarter gals is'n't to be found
in all York Colony!"

"I will go to the Iroquois camp," returned the Delaware, gravely. "No one
knows Chingachgook but Wah1, and a treaty for lives and scalps should be made
by a chiefi Give me the strange beasts, and let me take a canoe."

Deerslayer dropped his head, and played with the end of a fish-pole in the
water, as he sate dangling his legs over the edge of the platform, like a man
who was lost in thought, by the sudden occurrence of a novel idea. Instead of
directly answer­ing the proposal of his friend, he began to soliloquize, a
cir­cumstance however that in no manner rendered his words more true, as he
was remarkable for saying what he thought, whether the remarks were addressed
to himself, or to any one else.

"Yes- yes-" he said- "this must be what they call love! I've heard say that
it sometimes upsets reason altogether, leav­ing a young man as helpless, as
to calculation and caution, as a brute beast. To think that the Sarpent
should be so lost to

season, and cunning, and wisdom! We must, sartainly, manage to get Hist off,
and have 'em married as soon as we get back to the tribe, or this war will be
of no more use to the chief, than a hunt a little oncommon extr'ornary. Yes-
yes-he'll never be the man he was, till this matter is off his mind, and he
comes to his senses like all the rest of mankind. Sarpent, you can't be in
airnest, and therefore I shall say but little to your of­fer. But you're a
chief, and will soon be sent out on the war­path at head of the parties, and
I'll just ask if you'd think of putting your forces into the inimy's hands,
afore the battle is fou't?"

"Wah!" ejaculated the Indian.

"Ay - Wah! - I know well enough it's Wah!, and altogether Wab! - Ra'ally,
Sarpent, I'm consamed and mortified about you! I never heard so weak an idee
come from a chief, and he, too, one that's already got a name for being wise,
young and inexper'enced as he is. Canoe you sha'n't have, so long as the
v'ice of fri'ndship and warning can count for any thing."

"My pale-face friend is right. A cloud came over the face of Chingachgook,
and weakness got into his mind, while his eyes were dim. My brother has a
good memoi-y for good deeds, and a weak memory for bad. He will forget."

"Yes, that's easy enough. Say no more about it chief, but if another of them
clouds blow near you, do your endivours to get out of its way. Clouds are bad
enough in the weather, but when they come to the reason, it gets to be
serious. Now, sit down by me here, and let us calculate our movements a
little, for we shall soon either have a truce and a peace, or we shall come
to an ac"yve, and bloody war. You see the vagabonds can make logs sarve their
turn, as well as the best raftsmen on the rivers, and it would be no great
expl'ite for them to invade us in a body. I've been thinking of the wisdom of
putting all old Tom's stores into the Ark, of barring and locking up the
Cas­tle, and of taking to the Ark, altogether. That is moveable, and by
keeping the sail up, and shifting places, we might worry through a great many
nights, without them Canada wolves finding a way into our sheep fold!"

Chingachgook listened to this plan, with approbation. Did the negotiation
fail, there was now little hope that the night would pass without an assault,
and the enemy had sagacity enough to understand that, in carrying the castle,
they would probably become masters of all it contained, the offered ran­som
included, and still retain the advantages they had hitherto gained. Some
precaution of the sort appeared to be absolutely necessary, for now the
numbers of the Iroquois were known, a night attack could scarcely be
successfully met. It would be im­possible to prevent the enemy from getting
possession of the canoes and the Ark, and the latter itself would be a hold
in which the assailants would be as effectually protected against bullets as
were those in the building. For a few minutes, both the men thought of
sinking the Ark, in the shallow water, of bringing the canoes into the house,
and of depending altogether on the castle for protection. But reflection
satisfied them that, in the end, this expedient would fail. It was so easy to
collect logs on the shore, and to construct a raft of almost any size, that
it was certain the Iroquois, now they had turned their attention to such
means, would resort to them seriously, so long as there was the certainty of
success by perseverance. After deliberating maturely, and placing all the
considerations fairly before them, the two young beginners in the art of
forest warfare, settled down into the opinion that the Ark offered the only
available means of security. This decision was no sooner come to, than it was
communicated to Judith. The girl had no serious objection to make, and all
four set about the measures necessary to carrying the plan into execution.
The reader will readily understand that Floating Tom's worldly goods were of
no great amount. A couple of beds, some wearing apparel, the arms and
ammunition, a few cook­ing utensils, with the mysterious and but half
examined chest formed the principal items. These were all soon removed, the
Ark having been hauled on the eastern side of the building, so that the
transfer could be made without being seen from the shore. It was thought
unnecessary to disturb the heavier and coarser articles of furniture, as they
were not required in the Ark, and were of but little value in themselves. As
great cau­tion was necessary in removing the different objects, most of which
were passed out of a window with a view to conceal what was going on, it
required two or three hours before all could be effected. By the expiration
of that time, the raft made its appearance, moving from the shore. Deerslayer
immediately had recourse to the glass, by the aid of which he perceived that
two warriors were on it, though they appeared to be unarmed. The progress of
the raft was slow, a circumstance that formed one of the great advantages
that would be possessed by the scow, in any future collision between them,
the movements of the latter being comparatively swift and light. As there was
time to make the dispositions for the reception of the two dangerous
visiters, every thing was prepared for them, long before they had got near
enough to be hailed. The Serpent, and the girls retired into the building,
where the former stood near the door, well pro­vided with rifles, while
Judith watched the proceedings without through a loop. As for Deerslayer, he
had brought a stool to the edge of the platform, at the point towards which
the raft was advancing, and taken his seat with his rifle leaning carelessly
between his legs.

As the raft drew nearer, every means possessed by the party in the castle was
resorted to, in order to ascertain if their visiters had any fire arms.
Neither Deerslayer nor Chingach­gook could discover any, but Judith,
unwilling to trust to sim­ple eye-sight, thrust the glass through the loop,
and directed it towards the hemlock boughs that lay between the two logs of
the raft, forming a sort of flooring, as well as a seat for the use of the
rowers. When the heavy moving craft was within fifty feet of him, Deerslayer
hailed the Hurons, directing them to cease rowing, it not being his intention
to permit them to land. Compliance, of course, was necessary, and the two
grim-looking warriors instantly quitted their seats, though the raft
continued slowly to approach, until it had driven in much nearer to the
platform.

"Are ye chiefs?" demanded Deerslayer with dignity-"Are ye chiefs? -Or have
the Mingos sent me warriors without names, on such an ar'n'd? If so, the
sooner ye go back, the sooner them will be likely to come that a warrior can
talk with."
"Hugh!" exclaimed the elder of the two on the raft, rolling his glowing eyes
over the different objects that were visible in and about the Castle, with a
keenness that showed how little escaped him. "My brother is very proud, but
Rivenoak (we use the literal translation of the term, writing as we do in
English) is a name to make a Delaware turn pale."

"That's true, or it's a lie, Rivenoak, as it may be; but I am not likely to
turn pale, seeing that I was born pale. What's your ar'n'd, and why do you
come among light bark canoes, on logs that are not even dug out?"

"The Iroquois are not ducks, to walk on water! Let the pale faces give them a
canoe, and they'll come in a canoe."

"That's more rational, than likely to come to pass. We have but four canoes,
and being four persons that's only one for each of us. We thank you for the
offer, howsever, though we ask leave not to accept it. You are welcome,
Iroquois, on your logs."

"Thanks- My young pale face warrior- he has got a name - how do the chiefs
call him?"

Deerslayer hesitated a moment, and a gleam of pride and human weakness came
over him. He smiled, muttered be­tween his teeth, and then looking up
proudly, he said- "Mingo, like all who are young and actyve, I've been known
by different names, at different times. One of your warriors whose spirit
started for the Happy Grounds of your people, as lately as yesterday morning,
thought I desarved to be known by the name of Hawkeye, and this because my
sight happened to be quicker than his own, when it got to be life or death,
at­ween us."

Chingachgook, who was attentively listening to all that passed, heard and
understood this proof of passing weakness in his friend, and on a future
occasion he questioned him more closely concerning the transaction on the
point, where Deer­slayer had first taken human life. When he had got the
whole truth, he did not fail to communicate it to the tribe, from which time
the young hunter was universally known among the Delawares, by an appellation
so honorably earned. As this, however, was a period posterior to all the
incidents of this tale, we shall continue to call the young hunter by the
name under which he has been first introduced to the reader. Nor was the
Iroquois less struck with the vaunt of the white man. He knew of the death of
his comrade, and had no dif­ficulty in understanding the allusion, the
intercourse between the conqueror and his victim on that occasion, having
been seen by several savages on the shore of the lake, who had been stationed
at different points just within the margin of bushes to watch the drifting
canoes, and who had not time to reach the scene of action, ere the victor had
retired. The effect on this rude being of the forest, was an exclamation of
surprise; then such a smile of courtesy, and wave of the hand, succeeded, as
would have done credit to Asiatic diplomacy. The two Iro­quois spoke to each
other, in low tones, and both drew near the end of the raft that was closest
to the platform.

"My brother, Hawkeye, has sent a message to the Hurons," resumed Rivenoak,
"and it has made their hearts very glad. They hear he has images of beasts
with two tails! Will he show them to his friends."

"Inimies would be truer," returned Deerslayer, "but sound is n't sense, and
does little harm. Here is One of the images; I toss it to you under faith of
treaties. If it's not returned, the ri­fle will settle the p'int atween us."

The Iroquois seemed to acquiesce in the conditions, and Deerslayer arose and
prepared to toss one of the elephants to the raft, both parties using all the
precaution that was necessary to prevent its loss. As practice renders men
expert in such things, the little piece of ivory was soon successfully
transferred from one hand to the other, and then followed another scene on
the raft, in which astonishment and delight got the mastery of Indian
stoicism. These two grim old war­riors manifested even more feeling, as they
examined the curiously wrought chess-man, than had been betrayed by the boy;
for, in the case of the latter, recent schooling had inter­posed its
influence; while the men, like all who are sustained by well established
characters, were not ashamed to let some of their emotions be discovered. For
a few minutes they ap­parently lost the consciousness of their situation, in
the intense scrutiny they bestowed on a material so fine, work so highly
wrought, and an animal so extraordinary. The lip of the moose is, perhaps,
the nearest approach to the trunk of the elephant that is to be found in the
American forest, but this resemblance was far from being sufficiently
striking to bring the new creature within the range of their habits and
ideas, and the more they studied the image, the greater was their
astonishment. Nor did these children of the forest mistake the structure on
the back of the elephant for a part of the animal. They were familiar with
horses and oxen, and had seen towers in the Canadas, and found nothing
surprising in creatures of burthen. Still, by a very natural association,
they supposed the carving meant to represent, that the animal they saw, was
of a strength sufficient to carry a fort on its back; a circumstance that, in
no degree, lessened their wonder.

"Has my pale face brother any more such beasts?" at last the senior of the
Iroquois asked, in a sort of petitioning manner.

"There's more where them came from, Mingo," was the answer; "one is enough,
howsever, to buy off fifty scalps."

"One of my prisoners is a great warrior-tall as a pine- strong as the moose-
active as a deer-fierce as the panther! Some day he'll be a great chief, and
lead the army of King George!"

"Tut-tut-Mingo; Hurry Harry is Hurry Harry, and you'll never make more than a
corporal of him, if you do that. He's tall enough, of a sartainty; but that's
of no use, as he only hits his head ag'in the branches as he goes through the
forest. He's strong too, but a strong body is'n't a strong head, and the
king's generals are not chosen for their sinews; he's swift, if you will, but
a rifle bullet is swifter; and as for f'erceness, it's no great ricommend to
a soldier; they that think they feel the stoutest, often givin' out at the
pinch. No-no-you'll niver make Hurry's scalp pass for more than a good head
of curly hair, and a rattle pate beneath it!"

"My old prisoner very wise - king of the lake - great war­rior, wise
counsellor!"

"Well, there's them that might gainsay all this, too, Mingo. A very wise man
would'n't be apt to be taken in so foolish a manner as befel Master Hutter,
and if he gives good counsel, he must have listened to very bad, in that
affair. There's only one king of this lake, and he's a long way off, and
is'n't likely ever to see it. Floating Tom is some such king of this region,
as the wolf that prowls through the woods, is king of the forest. A beast
with two tails is well worth two such scalps!"

"But my brother has another beast? - He will give two -holding up as many
fingers-"for old father?"

"Floating Tom is no father of mine, but he'll fare none the worse for that.
As for giving two beasts for his scalp, and each beast with two tails, it is
quite beyond reason. Think yourself well off, Mingo, if you make a much worse
trade."
By this time the self-command of Rivenoak had got the bet­ter of his wonder,
and he began to fall back on his usual habits of cunning, in order to drive
the best bargain he could. It would be useless to relate more than the
substance of the desultory dialogue that followed, in which the Indian
manifested no little management, in endeavoring to recover the ground lost
under the influence of surprise. He even af­fected to doubt whether any
original for the image of the beast existed, and asserted that the oldest
Indian had never heard a tradition of any such animal. Little did either of
them imagine, at the time, that long ere a century elapsed, the progress of
civilization would bring even much more extraordinary and rare animals into
that region, as curiosities to be gazed at by the curious, and that the
particular beast, about which the disputants contended, would be seen laying
its sides, and swimming in the very sheet of water, on which they had met. *
As is not uncommon on such occasions, one of the parties got a little warm,
in the course of the discussion, for Deerslayer met all the arguments and
prevarication of his subtle opponent, with his own cool directness of manner,
and unmoved love of truth. What an elephant was he knew little better than
the savage, but he perfectly understood that the carved pieces of ivory must
have some such value in the eyes of an Iroquois, as a bag of gold, or a
package of beaver skins would in those of a trader. Under the circumstances,
therefore, he felt it to be pru­dent not to concede too much at first, since
there existed a nearly unconquerable obstacle to making the transfers, even
after the contracting parties had actually agreed upon the terms. Keeping
this difficulty in view, he held the extra chess­men in reserve, as a means
of smoothing any difficulty in the moment of need.

At length the savage pretended that further negotiation was useless, since he
could not be so unjust to his tribe as to part with the honor and emoluments
of two excellent, full grown, male, scalps for a consideration so trifling as
a toy like that he had seen, and he prepared to take his departure. Both
parties now felt as men are wont to feel, when a bargain that each is anxious
to conclude, is on the eve of being broken off, in con­sequence of too much
pertinacity in the way of management. The effect of the disappointment was
very different, however, on the respective individuals. Deerslayer was
mortified, and filled with regret, for he not only felt for the prisoners,
but he also felt deeply for the two girls. The conclusion of the treaty,
therefore, left him melancholy and full of regret. With the savage, his
defeat produced the desire of revenge. In a mo­ment of excitement, he had
loudly announced his intention to say no more, and he felt equally enraged
with himself and with his cool opponent, that he had permitted a pale face to
manifest more indifference and self-command than an Indian chief. When he
began to urge his raft away from the platform, his countenance lowered, and
his eye glowed,even while he af­fected a smile of amity and a gesture of
courtesy, at parting.

It took some little time to overcome the inertia of the logs, and while this
was being done by the silent Indian, Rivenoak stalked over the hemlock boughs
that lay between the logs, in sullen ferocity, eyeing keenly the while, the
hut, the platform, and the person of his late disputant. Once he spoke in
low, quick tones to his companion, and he stirred the boughs with his feet,
like an animal that is restive. At that moment, the watchfulness of
Deerslayer had a little abated, for he sat mus­ing on the means of renewing
the negotiation without giving too much advantage to the other side. It was
perhaps fortunate
for him that the keen and bright eyes ofJudith were as vigilant as ever. At
the instant when the young man was least on his guard, and his enemy was the
most on the alert, she called out, in a warning voice, to the former, most
opportunely, giving the alarm.

"Be on your guard, Deerslayer," the girl cried- "I see rifles with the glass,
beneath the hemlock brush, and the Iroquois is loosening them with his feet!"
It would seem that the enemy had carried their artifices so far as to employ
an agent who understood English. The pre­vious dialogue had taken place in
his own language, but it was evident, by the sudden manner in which his feet
ceased their treacherous occupation, and in which the countenance of Rivenoak
changed from sullen ferocity to a smile of courtesy, that the call of the
girl was understood. Signing to his companion to cease his efforts to set
the logs in motion, he advanced to the end of the raft which was nearest to
the platform, and spoke.

"Why should Rivenoak and his brother leave any cloud be­tween them," he said.
"They are both wise, both brave, and both generous; they ought to part
friends. One beast shall be the price of one prisoner."

"And, Mingo," answered the other, delighted to renew the negotiations on
almost any terms, and determined to clinch the bargain if possible by a
little extra liberality, "you'll see that a pale face knows how to pay a full
price, when he trades with an open heart, and an open hand. Keep the beast
that you had forgotten to give back to me, as you was about to start, and
which I forgot to ask for, on account of consarn at parting in anger. Show it
to your chiefs. When you bring us our fri'nds, two more shall be added to it
- and-" hesitating a moment in distrust of the expediency of so great a
concession; then, deciding in its favor- "and, if we see them afore the sun
sets, we may find a fourth to make up an even number."

This settled the matter. Every gleam of discontent vanished from the dark
countenance of the Iroquois, and he smiled as graciously, if not as sweetly,
as Judith Hutter, herself. The piece already in his possession was again
examined, and an ejaculation of pleasure, showed how much he was pleased with
this unexpected termination of the affair. In point of fact, both he and
Deerslayer had momentarily forgotten what had become of the subject of their
discussion, in the warmth of their feelings, but such had not been the case
with Rivenoak's companion. This man retained the piece, and had fully made up
his mind, were it claimed under such circumstances as to render its return
necessary, to drop it in the lake, trusting to his being able to find it,
again, at some future day. This desperate expedient, however, was no longer
necessary, and after repeating the terms of agreement, and professing to
understand them, the two Indians finally took their departure, ving slowly
towards the shore.

any faith be put in such wretches?" asked Judith, when she and Hetty had come
out on the platform, and were stand­ing at the side of Deerslayer, watching
the dull movement of the logs. "Will they not rather keep the toy they have,
and send us off some bloody proofs of their getting the better of us in
cunning, by way of boasting? I've heard of acts as bad as this."

"No doubt-Judith; no manner of doubt, if it was'n't for In­dian natur'. But
I'm no judge of a red skin, if that two tail'd beast does'n't set the whole
tribe in some such stir, as a stick raises in a beehive! Now, there's the
Sarpent; a man with narves like flint, and no more cur'osity in every day
consarns, than is befitting prudence; why he was so overcome with the sight
of the creatur', carved as it is in bone, that I felt ashamed for him! That's
just their gifts, howsever, and one can't well quarrel with a man for his
gifts, when they are lawful. Chin­gachgook will soon get over his weakness,
and remember that he's a chief, and that he comes of a great stock, and has a
renowned name to support and uphold; but, as for yonder scamps, there'll be
no peace among 'em, until they think they've got possession of every thing of
the natur' of that bit of carved bone, that's to be found among Thomas
Hutter's stores!"

"They only know of the elephants, and can have no hopes about the other
things."

"That's true, Judith; still, covetousness is a craving feelin'! They'll say,
if the pale faces have these cur'ous beasts with two tails, who knows but
they've got some with three, or, for that matter, with four! That's what the
schoolmasters call nat'ral arithmetic, and t'will be sartain to beset the
feelin's of savages. They'll never be easy, till the truth is known."

"Do you think, Deerslayer," inquired Hetty, in her simple and innocent
manner, "that the Iroquois wo'n't let father and Hurry go?-I read to them
several of the very best verses in the whole bible, and you see what they
have done, already."
The hunter, as he always did, listened kindly and even affectionately to
Hetty's remarks; then he mused a moment in silence. There was something like
a flush on his cheek, as he answered, after quite a minute had passed.

"I do'n't know whether a white man ought to be ashamed, or not, to own he
can't read, but such is my case, Judith. You are skilful, I find, in all such
matters, while I have only studied the hand of God, as it is seen in the
hills and the valleys, the mountain-tops, the streams, the forests and the
springs. Much l'arning may be got in this way, as well as out of books; and,
yet, I sometimes think it is a white man's gift to read! When I hear from the
mouths of the Moravians, the words of which I-jetty speaks, they raise a
longing in my mind, and I then think I will know how to read 'em myself; but
the game in sum­mer, and the traditions, and lessons in war, and other
matters, have always kept me behind hand."

"Shall I teach you, Deerslayer?" asked Hetty, earnestly. "I'm weak-minded,
they say, but I can read as well as Judith. It might save your life to know
how to read the bible to the savages, and it will certainly save your soul;
for mother told me that, again and again!"

"Thankee, Hetty-yes, thankee, with all my heart. These are like to be too
stirring times for much idleness, but, after it's peace, and I come to see
you ag'in on this lake, then I'll give myself up to it, as if 'twas pleasure
and profit, in a single business. Perhaps I ought to be ashamed, Judith, that
'tis so; but truth is truth. As for these Iroquois, tis'n't very likely
they'll forget a beast with two tails, on account of a varse or two from the
bible. I rather expect they'll give up the prisoners, and trust to some
sarcumvenion, or other, to get 'em back, ag'in, with us and all in the castle
and the Ark, in the bargain. Howsever, we must humour the vagabonds, first to
get your father and Hurry out of their hands, and next to keep the peace
atween us, until such time as the Sarpent there, can make out to get off his
betrothed wife. If there's any sudden outbreakin' of anger and ferocity, the
Indians will send off all their women and children to the camp, at once,
whereas, by keeping 'em calm and trustful, we may manage to meet Hist, at the
spot she has mentioned. Rather than have the bargain fall through, now, I'd
throw in haifa dozen of them effigy bow-and-arrow men, such as we've in
plenty in the chist."

Judith cheerfully assented, for she would have resigned even the flowered
brocade, rather than not redeem her father and Please Deerslayer. The
prospects of success were now so encouraging, as to raise the spirits of all
in the castle, though a due watchfulness, of the movements of the enemy was
maintained. Hour passed after hour, notwithstanding, and the sun had once
more begun to fall towards the summits of the western hills, and yet no signs
were seen of the return of the raft. By dint of sweeping the shore with the
glass, Deerslayer at length discovered a place in the dense and dark woods,
where, he entertained no doubt, the Iroquois were assembled in considerable
numbers. It was near the thicket whence the raft had issued, and a little
rill that trickled into the lake, announced the vicinity of a spring. Here,
then, the savages were probably holding their consulta­tion, and the decision
was to be made that went to settle the question of life or death for the
prisoners. There was one ground for hope in spite of the delay, however, that
Deerslayer did not fail to place before his anxious companions. It was far
more probable that the Indians had left their prisoners in the camp, than
that they had encumbered themselves by causing them to follow through the
woods, a party that was out on a merely temporary excursion. If such was the
fact, it required considerable time to send a messenger the necessary
distance, and to bring the two white men to the spot where they were to
embark. Encouraged by these reflections, a new stock of pa­tience was
gathered, and the declension of the sun was viewed with less alarm.

The result justified Deerslayer's conjecture. Not long before the sun had
finally disappeared, the two logs were seen coming out of the thicket, again,
and, as it drew near, Judith announced that her father and Hurry, both of
them pinioned, lay on the bushes in the centre. As before, the two Indians
were rowing. The latter seemed to be conscious that the lateness of the hour
demanded unusual exertions, and contrary to the habits of their people, who
are ever averse to toil, they labored hard at the rude substitutes for oars.
In consequence of this diligence, the raft occupied its old station, in about
half the time that had been taken in the previous visits.

Even after the conditions were so well understood, and mat­ters had proceeded
so far, the actual transfer of the prisoners was not a duty to be executed
without difficulty. The Iroquois were compelled to place great reliance on
the good faith of their foes, though it was reluctantly given; and was
yielded to necessity rather than to confidence. As soon as Hutter and Hurry
should be released, the party in the castle numbered

two to one, as opposed to those on the raft, and escape by flight was out of
the question, as the former had three bark canoes, to say nothing of the
defences of the house and the Ark. All this was understood by both parties,
and it is probable the arrange­ment never could have been completed, had not
the honest countenance and manner of Deerslayer wrought their usual ef­fect
on Rivenoak.

"My brother knows I put faith in him-" said the latter, as he advanced with
Hutter, whose legs had been released to enable the old man to ascend to the
platform. "One scalp-one more beast."

"Stop-Mingo-" interrupted the hunter- "keep your prisoner a moment. I have to
go and seek the means of payment."

This excuse, however, though true in part, was principally a fetch.
Deerslayer left the platform, and entering the house, he directed Judith to
collect all the arms, and to conceal them in her own room. He then spoke
earnestly to the Delaware, who stood on guard as before, near the entrance of
the building, put the three remaining castles in his pocket, and returned.

"You are welcome back, to your old abode, Master Hutter," said Deerslayer, as
he helped the other up on the platform, slily passing into the hand of
Rivenoak, at the same time, another of the castles. "You'll find your darters
right glad to see you, and here's Hetty come herself, to say as much in her
own be­half."
Here the hunter stopped speaking and broke out into a hearty fit of his
silent and peculiar laughter. Hurry's legs were just released, and he had
been placed on his feet. So tightly had the ligatures been drawn, that the
use of his limbs was not im­mediately recovered, and the young giant
presented, in good sooth, a very helpless and a somewhat ludicrous picture.
It was this unusual spectacle, particularly the bewildered countenance, that
excited the merriment of Deerslayer.

'You look like a girdled pine in a clearin', Hurry Harry, that is rocking in
a gale," said Deerslayer, checking his unseason­able mirth, more from
delicacy to the others, than from any respect to the liberated captive. "I'm
glad, howsever, to see that you have'n't had your hair dressed by any of the
Iro­quois barbers, in your late visit to their camp."

"Harkee, Deerslayer," returned the other a little fiercely, "it will be
prudent for you to deal less in mirth, and more in friendship, on this
occasion. Act like a christian, for once, and not like a laughing gal, in a
country school, when the master's back is turned, and just tell me whether
there's any feet, or not, at the end of these legs of mine. I think I can see
them, but as for feelin' they might as well be down on the banks of the
Mohawk, as be where they seem to be."

"You've come off whole, Hurry, and that's not a little," answered the other,
secretly passing to the Indian the re­mainder of the stipulated ransom, and
making an earnest sign, at the same moment, for him to commence his retreat.
"You've come off whole, feet and all, and are only a little numb, from a
tight fit of the withes. Natur'll soon set the blood in motion, and then you
may begin to dance, to celebrate what I call a most wonderful and onexpected
deliverance from a den of wolves."

Deerslayer released the arms of his friends, as each landed, and the two were
now stamping and limping about on the plat­form, growling and uttering
denunciations, as they endea­vored to help the returning circulation. They
had been tethered too long, however, to regain the use of their limbs in a
moment, and the Indians being quite as diligent on their return, as on their
advance, the raft was fully a hundred yards from the castle, when Hurry,
turning accidentally in that direction, discovered how fast it was getting
beyond the reach of his vengeance. By this time, he could move with tolerable
facility, though still numb and awkward. Without considering his own
situation, however, he seized the rifle that leaned against the shoulder of
Deerslayer, and attempted to cock and present it. The young hunter was too
quick for him. Seizing the piece he wrenched it from the hands of the giant,
not, however, until it had gone off in the struggle, when pointed directly
upward. It is probable that Deerslayer could have prevailed in such a
contest, on account of the condition of Hurry's limbs, but the instant the
gun went off, the latter yielded, and stumped towards the house, raising his
legs at each step, quite a foot from the ground, from an uncertainty of the
actual position of his feet. But he had been anticipated by Judith. The whole
stock of Hutter's arms, which had been left in the building, as a resource in
the event of a sudden outbreaking of hostilities, had been removed, and were
already secreted, agreeably to Deerslayer's directions. In consequence of
this precaution, no means offered by which March could put his designs in
execution.

Disappointed in his vengeance, Hurry seated himself, and like Hutter, for
half an hour, he was too much occupied in endeavoring to restore the
circulation, and in regaining the use of his limbs, to indulge in any other
reflections. By the end of this time the raft had disappeared, and night was
beginning to throw her shadows once more over the whole silvan scene. Before
darkness had completely set in, and while the girls were preparing the
evening meal, Deerslayer related to Hutter an outline of events that had
taken place, and gave him a history of the means he had adopted for the
security of his children and property.

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