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 his
retreat, would have stood in the angles of a triangle of tolerably equal
sides. The distance from the fire to the boat was a little less than the
distance from the fire to the spring, while the distance from the spring to
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 the fugitives
could not resort. They were obliged to have recourse to a detour in order to
get the cover of the bushes, and to follow the curvature of the beach. Under
these disadvantages, then, the hunter commenced his retreat, disadvantages
that he felt to be so much the greater from his knowledge of the habits of
all Indians, who rarely fail in 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 all points, and if possible to turn their rear. That some such
course was now adopted he believed from the tramp of feet, which not only
came up the ascent, as related, but were also heard, under the first impulse,
diverging not only towards the hill in the rear, but towards the extremity of
the point, in a direction opposite to that he was about to take himself.
Promptitude, consequently became a matter of the last importance, as the
parties might meet on the strand, before the fugitive could reach the canoe.

Notwithstanding the pressing nature of the emergency, Deerslayer hesitated a
single instant, ere he plunged into the bushes that lined the shore. His
feelings had been awakened by the whole scene, and a sternness of purpose had
come over him, to which he was ordinarily a stranger. Four dark figures
loomed on the ridge, drawn against the brightness of the fire, and an enemy
might have been sacrificed at a glance. The In­dians had paused to gaze into
the gloom, in search of the screeching hag, and with many a man less given to
reflection than the hunter, the death of one of them would have been
cer­tain. Luckily he was more prudent. Although the rifle dropped a little
towards the foremost of his pursuers, he did not aim or fire, but disappeared
in the cover. To gain the beach, and to follow it round to the place where
Chingachgook was already in the canoe, with Hist, anxiously waiting his
appearance, oc­cupied but a moment. Laying his rifle in the bottom of the
canoe, Deerslayer stooped to give the latter a vigorous shove from the shore,
when a powerful Indian leaped through the bushes, alighting like a panther on
his back. Every thing was now suspended by a hair; a false step ruining all.
With a generosity that would have rendered a Roman illustrious throughout all
time, but which, in the career of one so simple and humble, would have been
forever lost to the world but for this unpretending legend, Deerslayer threw
all his force into a desperate effort, shoved the canoe off with a power that
sent it a hundred feet from the shore, as it might be in an instant, and fell
forward into the lake, himself, face downward; his assailant necessarily
following him.

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

To quit the lake and lead their new captive to the fire, oc­cupied the
Indians but another minute. So much engaged were they all with the struggle
and its consequences, that the canoe was unseen, though it still lay so near
the shore as to render every syllable that was uttered, perfectly
intelligible to the Delaware and his betrothed; and the whole party left the
spot, some continuing the pursuit after Hist, along the beach, though most
proceeded to the light. Here Deerslayer's an­tagonist so far recovered his
breath and his recollection, for he had been throttled nearly to
strangulation, as to relate the manner in which the girl had got off. It was
now too late to assail the other fugitives, for no sooner was his friend led
into the bushes, than the Delaware placed his 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, he found himself sur­rounded by no less than eight grim
savages, among whom was his old acquaintance Rivenoak. As soon as the latter
caught a glimpse 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 on the opposite side of the lake, was in their hands, and subject to
their mercy, or vengeance. There was no little admiration mingled in the
ferocious looks that were thrown on the prisoner; an admira­tion that was 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 and terrible reputation
that Deer-slayer, or Hawkeye, as he was afterwards called, enjoyed among all
the tribes of New York and Canada; a reputation that was certainly more
limited in its territorial and numerical extent, than those which are
possessed in civilized life, but which was compensated for what it wanted in
these par­ticulars, perhaps, by its greater justice, and the total absence of
mystification and management.

The arms of Deerslayer were not pinioned, and he was left the free use of his
hands, his knife having been first removed. The only precaution that was
taken to secure his person was untiring watchfulness, and a strong rope of
bark that passed from ancle to ancle, not so much to prevent his walking, as
to place an obstacle in the way of his attempting to escape by any sudden
leap. Even this extra provision against flight was not made, until the
captive had been brought to the light, and his character ascertained. It was,
in fact, a compliment to his prow­ess, and he felt proud of the distinction.
That he might be bound when the warriors slept he thought probable, but to be
bound in the moment of capture, showed that he was already, and thus early,
attaining a name. While the young Indians were fastening the rope, he
wondered if Chingachgook would have been treated in the same manner, had he
too fallen into the hands of the enemy. Nor did the reputation of the young
pale face rest altogether on his success in the previous combat, or in his
discriminating and cool manner of managing the late negotiation, for it had
received a great accession by the occur­rences of the night. Ignorant of the
movements of the Ark, and of the accident that had brought their fire into
view, the Iro­quois attributed the discovery of their new camp to the
vigilance of so shrewd a foe. The manner in which he ventured upon the point,
the abstraction or escape of Hist, and most of all the self-devotion of the
prisoner, united to the readiness with which he had sent the canoe adrift,
were so many impor­tant links in the chain of facts, on which his growing
fame was founded. Many of these circumstances had been seen, some had been
explained, and all were understood.

While this admiration, and these honors were so unreservedly bestowed on
Deerslayer, 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 now feeling his throat, on which
the marks of his enemy's fingers were still quite visi­ble. The rest of the
warriors consulted together, near at hand, all those who had been out having
returned to report that no signs of any other prowlers near the camp were to
be found. In this state of things, the old woman, whose name was Shebear, in
plain English, approached Deerslayer, with her fists clenched and her eyes
flashing fire. Hitherto, she had been occupied with screaming, an employment
at which she had played her part with no small degree of success, but having
succeeded in effectually alarming all within reach of a pair of lungs that
had been strengthened by long practice, she next turned her atten­tion to the
injuries her own person had sustained in the strug­gle. These were in no
manner material, though they were of a nature to arouse all the fury of a
woman who had long ceased to attract by means of the gentler qualities, and
who was much disposed to revenge the hardships she had so long endured, as
the neglected wife and mother of savages, on all who came within her power.
If Deerslayer had not permanently injured her, he had temporarily caused her
to suffer, and she was not a person to overlook a wrong of this nature, on
account of its motive.

"Skunk of the pale-faces -" commenced this exasperated and semi-poetic fury,
shaking her fist under the nose of the im­passable hunter, "you are not even
a woman. Your friends the Delawares are only women, and you are their sheep.
Your own people will not own you, and no tribe of red men would have you in
their wigwams; you skulk among petticoated war­riors. You slay our brave
friend who has left us? - No- his great soul scorned to fight you, and left
his body rather than have the shame of slaying you! 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. What music do I hear? Those are not the
wailings of a red man! - no red war­rior groans so much like a hog. They come
from a pale face throat - a Yengeese bosom, and sound as pleasant as girls
singing - Dog - skunk - wood-chuck - mink - hedge-hog- pig-toad-spider-
yengee -"

Here the old woman having expended her breath, and ex­hausted her epithets,
was fain to pause a moment, though both her fists were shook 'in the
prisoner's face, and the whole of her wrinkled countenance was filled with
fierce resentment. Deer­slayer looked upon these impotent attempts to arouse
him, as indifferently as a gentleman in our own state of society, regards the
vituperative terms of a blackguard: the one party feeling that the tongue of
an old woman could never injure a warrior, and the other knowing that
mendacity and vulgarity can only permanently affect those who resort to their
use; but he was spared any further attack at present, by the interposi­tion
of Rivenoak, who shoved aside the hag, bidding her quit the spot, and
prepared to take his seat at the side of his prisoner. The old woman
withdrew, but the hunter well understood 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 his enemies, for nothing rankles so deeply as the con­sciousness
that an attempt to irritate has been met by con­tempt, a feeling that is
usually the most passive of any that is harbored in the human breast.
Rivenoak quietly took the seat we have mentioned, and, after a short pause,
he commenced a dialogue, which we translate as usual, for the benefit of
those readers who have not studied the North American languages.

"My paleface friend is very welcome," said the Indian, with a familiar nod,
and a smile so covert that it required all Deer-slayer's vigilance to detect,
and not a little of his philosophy to detect unmoved-"he is welcome. 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 the
other-"I thank you for the welcome, and I thank you for the fire. Each is
good in its way, and the last is very good, when one has been in a spring as
cold as the Glimmerglass. Even Huron warmth may be pleasant, at such a time,
to a man with a Delaware heart."

"The paleface-but my brother has a name? So great a warrior would not have
lived without a name?"

"Mingo," said the hunter, a little of the weakness of human nature exhibiting
itself in the glance of his eye, and the colour on his cheek-"Mingo, your
brave, called me Hawkeye, I sup­pose on account of a quick and sartain aim,
when he was lying with his head in my lap, afore his 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 of some
of your subtle devils, and deny the charge. Providence placed me among the
Delawares young, and, 'bating what christian usages demand of my colour and
gifts, I hope to live and die in their tribe. Still I do not mean to throw
away altogether, my natyve rights, and shall strive to do a pale face's duty,
in red skin society."

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

"I suppose you know, Mingo, your own meaning; if you do'n't I make no
question t'is well known to Satan. But if you wish to get any thing out of
me, speak plainer, for bargains can not be made blindfolded, or tongue tied."

"Good; Hawkeye has not a forked tongue, and he likes to say what he thinks.
He is an acquaintance of the Muskrat;" this was the name by which 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, but fights like a stout-
hearted pale face. The Muskrat is neither white, nor red. Neither a beast nor
a fish. He is a water snake; sometimes in the spring and sometimes on the
land. He looks for scalps, like an out-cast. Hawkeye can go back and tell him
how he has out­witted the Hurons, how he has escaped, and when his eyes are
in a fog, when he ca'n't see as far as from his cabin to the shore, then
Hawkeye can open the door for the Hurons. And how will the plunder be
divided? Why, Hawkeye, will carry away the most, and the Hurons will take
what he may choose to leave behind him. The scalps can go to Canada, for a
pale-face has no satisfaction in them."

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

"Good. That is what I want the paleface to do."

"Yes - yes - That's plain enough. I know what you want me to do, without more
words. When inside the house, and eating the Muskrat's bread, and laughing
and talking with his pretty darters, I might put his eyes into so thick a
fog, that he could'n't even see the door, much less the land."

"Good! Hawkeye should have been born a Huron! His blood is not more than half
white!"
"There you're out, Huron; yes,' there you're as much out, as if you mistook a
wolf for a catamount. I'm white in blood, heart, natur' and gifts, though a
little red skin in feelin's and habits. But when old Hutters eyes are well
be-fogged, and his pretty darters perhaps in a deep sleep, and Hurry Harry,
the Great Pine as you Indians tarm him, is dreaming of any thing but
mischief, and all suppose Hawkeye is acting as a faithful sentinel, all I
have to do is set a torch somewhere in sight for a signal, open the door,
andet in the Hurons, to knock 'em all on the head."

"Surely my brother is mistaken he cannot be white! He is worthy to be a great
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 a plain I am I
am christian born, and them that come of such a stock and that listen to the
words that were spoken to their fathers and will be spoken to their children,
until 'arth, and all it holds perishes, can never lend themselves to such
wickedness Sarcumventions in war, may be, and are, lawful; but
sarcumventions, and deceit, and treachery, among fri'inds are fit only for
the pale-face devils. I know that there are white men enough, to give you
this wrong idee of our natur', but suchre ontrue to their blood and gifts,
and ought to be, if they are not, out casts 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 upright Delaware either. With a Mingo it may be different."

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

"Does Hawkeye love the Muskrat he abruptly demanded. "Or does he love his
daughters
"Neither, Mingo. Old Tom is not a man to gain my love, and, as for the
darters, the are comely enough to gain the lik­ing of any young man but
here's reason ag'in any very great love for either. Hetty is a god soul, but
natur' has laid a heavy hand on her mind, poor thing

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

Deerslayer had far too much of the innate gentleman to in­sinuate aught
against the fair fame of one who, by nature and position was so helpless, and
as he did not choose to utter an untruth, he preferred being silent. The
Huron mistook the motive, and supposed that disappointed affection lay at the
bottom of his reserve. Still bent on corrupting, or bribing his captive, in
order to obtain possession of the treasures with which his imagination filled
the Castle, he persevered in his at­tack.

"Hawkeye is talking with a friend," he continued. "He knows that Rivenoak is
a man of his word, for they have traded together, and trade opens the soul.
My friend has come here, on account of a littlie string held 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 we began
to talk. This is true. But one end of that string was not fast to my heart,
nor did the Wild Rose hold the other."

"This is wonderful! Does my brother love in his head, and not in his heart?
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 you
mean, is fast to the heart of a great Delaware; one of Mohican stock in fact,
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 come afore, 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 as for themselves."

"But a string has two ends - one is fast to the mind of a Mohican; and the
other?"- "Why the other was here close to the fire, half an hour since. Wah-
ta!-Wah held it in her hand, if she did'n'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 the evening. "The
Great Serpent, being strongest, pulled the hardest, and Hist was forced to
leave us.

"I do'n't think there was much pulling about it," answered the other,
laughing, always in his silent manner, with as much heartiness as if he were
not a captive, and in danger of torture or death-"I do'n't think there was
much pulling about it; no I do'n't. Lord help you, Huron! He likes the gal,
and the gal hikes him, and it surpassed Huron sarcumventions to keep two
young people, apart, where there was so strong a 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 question could
talk it would answer itself, to your parfect satisfaction. For what else
should we come? And yet, it Is'n't exactly so, neither; for we did'n'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 watching your 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, down to the moment when yonder
vagabond leaped upon my back. Sartain; we come for that, and for no other
purpose, and we got what we come for; there's no use in pretending
other­wise. Hist is off with a man who's the next thing to her hus­band, and
come what will to me, that's one good thing detar­mined."

"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 the exploit,
with as much glee, as if he had not been its vic­tim.

"Your squirrels are great gadabouts, Mingo," he cried still laughing-"yes,
they're sartainly, great gadabouts! When other folk's squirrels 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 understand their musick! Well, there's four
legged squirrels, and there's two legged squirrels, and give me the last,
when there's a good tight string atween two hearts. If one brings 'em
together, t'other tells when to pull hardest!"

The Huron look'd vexed, though he succeeded in suppress­ing any violent
exhibition of resentment. He now quitted his prisoner, and joining the rest
of the warriors, he com­municated the substance of wheat he had learned. As
in his own case, admiration was mingled with anger, at the boldness and
success of their enemies. Three or four of them ascended the little acclivity
and gazed at the tree where it was understood the adventurers had posted
themselves, and one even des­cended to it, and examined for foot prints
around its roots, in order to make sure that the statement was true. The
result confirmed the story of the captive, and they all returned to the fire,
with increased wonder and respect. The messenger who had arrived with some
communication from the party above, while the two adventurers were watching
the camp, was now despatched with some answer, and doubtless bore with him
the intelligence of all that had happened.

Down to this moment, the young Indian who had been seen walking in company
with Hist and another female, had made no advances to any communication with
Deerslayer. He had held himself aloof from his friends even, passing near the
bevy of younger women, who were clustering together, apart as usual, and
conversed in low tones on the subject of the escape of their late companion.
Perhaps it would be true to say, that these last were pleased as well as
vexed at what had just occur-red. Their female sympathies were with the
lovers, while their pride was bound up in the success of their own tribe. It
is possible too, that the superior personal advantages of Hist, rendered her
dangerous to some of the younger part of the group, and they were not sorry
to find she was no longer in the way of their own ascendency. On the whole,
however, the better feeling was most prevalent, for neither the wild
condi­tion in which they lived, the clannish prejudices of tribes, nor their
hard fortunes as Indian women , could entirely conquer the inextinguishable
leaning of their sex to the affections. One of the girls even laughed at the
disconsolate look of the swain who might fancy himself deserted, a
circumstance that seemed suddenly to arouse his energies, and induce him to
move towards the log, on which the prisoner was still seated, drying his
clothes.

"This is Gatamount!" said the Indian, striking his hand boastfully on his
naked breast, as he uttered the words in a manner to show how much weight he
expected them to carry.
"This is Hawkeye -" quietly returned Deerslayer, adopting the name by which
he
knew he would be known in future, among all the tribes of the Iroquois. "My
sight is keen- is my brother's leap long?"

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

"Hawkeye has stolen nothing, Huron. He does'n't come of a thieving breed, nor
has he thieving gifts. Your wife, as you call Wah-ta!-Wah, will never be the
wife of any red skin of the Canadas; her mind is in the cabin of a Delaware,
and her body has gone to find it. The catamount is actyve I know, 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-pout, that keeps in
the water; he is afraid to stand on the hard earth, like a brave Indian!"

"Well, well, Huron, that's pretty impudent, considering it's not an hour
since the Sarpent stood within a hundred feet of you, and would have tried
the toughness of your skin with a ri­fle bullet, when I pointed .you out to
him, had'n't I laid the weight of a little judgment on his hand. You may take
in timersome gals in the settlements, with your catamount whine, 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 has never
been on a war path. She will take a man for a husband, and not a fish."

"How do you know that, Catamount; how do you know that," returned Deerslayer
laughing. "She has gone into the lake, you see, and may be she prefars a
trout to a mongrel cat. As for war paths, neither the Sarpent nor I, have
much ex­per'ence, we are ready to own, but if you do n't call this 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 for a wife among the Huron
women; you'll never get one, with a willing mind, from among the Delawares."

Catamount's hand felt for his tomahawk, and when thee fingers reached the
handle, they worked convulsively, as if their owner hesitated between policy
and resentment. At this critical moment Rivenoak approached, and by a gesture
of authority, induced the young man to retire, assuming his former position,
himself, on thee log, at the side of Deerslayer. Here he continued silent for
a little time, maintaining the grave reserve of an Indian chief.

"Hawkeye is right-" the Iroquois at length began; "his sight is so strong
that he can see truth in a dark night, and our eyes have been blinded. He is
an owl, darkness hiding nothing from him. He ought not to strike his friends.
He is right."

"I'm glad you think so, Mingo," returned the other, "for a traitor, in my
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 him, to 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 Manitou and
his colour. The Hurons know that they have a great warrior for their
prisoner, and they will treat him as one. If he is to be tortured, his
torments shall be such as no com­mon man can bear; if he is to be treated as
a friend, it will be the friendship of chiefs."

As the Huron uttered this extraordinary assurance of con­sideration, his eye
furtively glanced at the countenance of his listener, in order to discover
how he stood the compliment, though his gravity and apparent sincerity would
have prevented any man but one practised in artifices, from detec­ting his
motives. Deerslayer belonged to the class of the un­suspicious, and
acquainted with the Indian notions of what constitutes respect, in matters
connected with the treatment of captives, he felt his blood chill at the
announcement, even while he maintained an aspect so steeled that his quick
sighted enemy could discover in it, no signs of weakness.

"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 what I can do,
under torment, for I've never been tried, and no man can say 'till he has
been; but I'll do my endivours not to disgrace the people among whom I got my
training. Howsever, I wish you now to bear witness that I'm altogether of
white blood, and, in a nat'ral way of white gifts too; so, should I be
overcome and forget myself, I hope you'll lay the fault where it properly
belongs, and, in no manner put it on the Delawares, or their allies and
friends the Mohicans. We're all created with more or less weakness, and I'm
afeard it's a pale face's to give in, under great bodily torment, when a red
skin will sing his songs, and boast of his deeds in the very teethe of his
foes."

"We shall see. Hawkeye has a good countenance, and he is tough-But why should
he be tormented, when the Hurons love him? - He is not born their enemy, and
the death of one warrior will not cast a cloud between them forever."

"So much the better, Huron; so much the better. Still I do'n't wish to owe
any thing to a mistake about each other's meaning. It is so much the better
that you bear no malice for thee loss of a warrior who fell in war, and yet
it is ontrue that there is no inmity - lawful inmity I mean - atween us. So
far as I have red skin feelin's at all, I've Delaware feelin's, and I leave
you to judge for yourself how far they are likely to be fri'ndly to the
Mingos"- Deerslayer ceased, for a sort of spectre stood before him, that put
a stop to his words, and, indeed, caused him for a mo­ment to doubt the
fidelity of his boasted vision. Hetty Hutter was standing at the side of the
fire as quietly as if she belonged to the tribe.

As the hunter and the Indian sat watching the emotions that were betrayed 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 advanced to the fire with the
fearlessness that belonged to her simplicity, and which was certainly
justified by the treatment formerly received from the Indians. As soon as
Rivenoak perceived the girl, she was recognised, and calling to two or three
of the younger wariors, thee chief sent them out to reconnoitre, lest her
appearance should be the forerunner of another 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 the Huron's request.
"I do'n't think you'd come ashore ag'in, on the ar'n'd that brought you here
afore."

"Judith told me to come this time, Deerslayer," Hetty replied, ."she paddled
me ashore herself, in a canoe as soon as the Serpent had shown her 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's with her
betrothed, and no longer fears a Mingo husband. In my judgment, Judith,
herself, would lose most of her beauty if she thought she was to 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 the hands of these
miscreants, and with her chosen warrior! Did you say that Judith 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 take more
elephants to let you off, but I've brought the bible with me - that will do
more than all the elephants in father's chest!"

"And your father, good little Hetty-and Hurry; did they know of your ar'n'd?"

"Not they. Both are asleep, and Judith and the Serpent thought it best they
should not be woke, lest they might want to come again after scalps, when
Hist had told them how few warriors, and how many women and children there
were in the camp. Judith would give me no peace, 'till I had come ashore to
see wheat had happened to you."

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

"Judith do n't care for Hurry, though Hurry cares for her," replied Hetty
innocently, but quite positively.

"I've heard you say as much as that afore; yes, I've heard that from you,
afore, gal, and yet it is'n't true. One don't live in a tribe, not to 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 the Delawares, and this
is a mat­ter in which pale-face and red skin gifts are all as one as the
same. When the feelin' begins, the young woman is thought­ful, and has no
eyes or ears onless for the warrior that has taken her fancy; then follows
melancholy and sighing, and such sort of actions; after which, especially if
matters don't come to plain discourse, she often flies round to back biting
and fault finding, blaming the youth for the very things she likes best in
him. Some young creatur's are forward in this way of showing their love, and
I'm of opinion, Judith is one of 'em. Now, I've heard her as much as deny
that Hurry was good-looking, and the young woman who could do that, must be
far gone indeed!"

"Thee young woman who liked Hurry would own that he is handsome. I think
Hurry very handsome, Deerslayer, and I'm sure every body must think so, that
has eyes. Judith do n't like Harry March, and that's the reason she finds
fault with him."

"Well - well - my good little Hetty, have it your own way. If we should talk
from now 'till winter, each would think as at present, and there's no use in
words. I must believe that Judith is much wrapped up in Hurry, and that,
sooner or later, she'll have him; and this, too, all the more from the manner
in which she abuses him; and I dare to say, you think just the contrary. But
mind what I now tell you, gal, and pretend not to know it-" continued this
being, who was so obtuse on a point on which men are usually quick enough to
make discoveries, and so acute in matters that would baffle the observation
of much the greater portion of 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 far to be heard, I can see what he is telling them.
Their orders is to watch your movements, and to find where thee canoe is to
meet you, to take you back to the 'Ark, and then to seize all and what they
can. I'm sorry Judith 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 out-wit the best Indian of them
all. I know lam feeble minded, but I've got some sense, and you'll see how
I'll use it, in getting back, when my errand is done!"

"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 off with the gal, for now
there'll be two happy at least, whereas had he fallen into thee hands of thee
Mingos, there'd been two miserable, and another far from feelin' as a man
likes to feel."

"Now you put me in mind of a part of my errand, that I had almost forgotten,
Deerslayer. Judith told me to ask you, what you thought the Hurons would do
with you, if you could'n't be bought off, and what she had best do to serve
you. Yes, this was the most important part of the errand - 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 to lay
most stress on wheat most touches their feelin's; but no matter; have it your
own way, so you be but careful not to let the vagabonds get the mastery of a
canoe. When you get back to the Ark, tell 'em to keep close, and to keep
moving too, most especially at night. Many hours can't go by, without the
troops on the river hearing of this party, and then your fri'nds may look for
relief. Tis but a day's march from the nearest garrison, and true soldiers
will never lie idle with the foe in their neighborhood. This is my advice,
and you may say to your father and Hurry, that scalp-hunting will be a poor
business now, as the Mingos are 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; 1 know she will send me back
again, if I don't bring her the truth about you."

"Then tell her the truth. I see no reason Judith Hutter should n't hear the
truth about me, as well as a lie. I'm a captyve in Indian hands, and
Providence only knows what will come of it! Harkee, Hetty-" dropping his
voice and speaking still more confidentially, "you are a little weak minded,
it must be allowed, but you know something of Injins. Here I am in their
hands, after having slain one of their stoutest warriors, and they've been
endivouring to work upon me through fear of consequences, to betray your
father, and all in the Ark. I understand the blackguards as well as if they'd
told it all out plainly, with their tongues. They hold up avarice afore me,
on one side, and fear on t'other, and think honesty will give way, atween 'em
both. But let your father and Hurry know, 'tis all useless; as for the
Sarpent, he knows it already."

"But what shall I tell Judith?- She will certainly send me back, if I don'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 must hold
out ag'in nat'ral weakness in the best manner I can. You may tell Judith 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 under torment, for he generally
feels smallest when he suffers most-but you may tell her not to have any
consarn. I think I shall make out to stand it, and she may rely on this, let
me give in, as much as I may, and prove completely that I am white, by
wailings, and howl­ings, and even tears, yet I'll never fall so far as to
betray my fri'nds. When it gets to burning holes in the flesh, with heated
ramrods, and to hacking the body, and tearing the hair out by the roots,
natur' may get the upperhand, so far as groans, and complaints are consarned,
but there the triumph of the vagabonds will ind; nothing short of god's
abandoning him to the devils, can make an honest man ontrue to his colour and
duty.

Hetty listened with great attention, and her mild but speak­ing countenance
manifested a strong sympathy in the an­ticipated agony of the supposititious
sufferer. At first she seemed at a loss how to act; then, taking a hand of
Deerslayer's she af­fectionately recommended to him to borrow her bible, and
to read it, while the savages were inflicting their torments. When the other
honestly admitted that it exceeded his power to read, she even volunteered to
remain with him, and to perform this holy office in person. Thee offer was
gently declined, and Rivenoak being about to join them, Deerslayer requested
the girl to leave him, first enjoining her again, to tell those in the Ark to
have full confidence in his fidelity. Hetty now walked away, and approached
the group of females, with as much confidence and self-possession, as if she
were a native of the tribe. On the other hand thee Huron resumed his seat by
the side of his prisoner the one continuing to ask questions with all the
wily ingenuity of a practised Indian counsellor, and thee other baffling him
by thee very means that are known to be the most efficacious in defeating the
finesse of the more pretending diplomacy of civilisation or by confining his
answers to the truth, and thee truth only.

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