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21 - The Last Of The Mohicans - James Cooper · Thrilling Adventures - Daily

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty one. Quote if you find a man there,
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  Speaker 1: he shall die a fleas death. Unquote from the merryland
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  Speaker 1: wives of Windsor. The party had landed on the border
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  Speaker 1: of a region that is even to this day less
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  Speaker 1: known to the inhabitants of the States than the deserts
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  Speaker 1: of Arabia or the steps of Tartary. It was the
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  Speaker 1: sterile and rugged district which separates the tributaries of Champlain
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  Speaker 1: from those of the Hudson, the Mohawk, and the Saint Lawrence.
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  Speaker 1: Since the period of our tale, the active spirit of
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  Speaker 1: the country has surrounded it with a belt of rich
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  Speaker 1: and thriving settlements, though none but the Hunter or the
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  Speaker 1: Savage is ever known even now to penetrate its wild recesses.
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  Speaker 1: As Hawkeye and the Mohicans had, however, often traversed the
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  Speaker 1: mountains and valleys of this vast wilderness, they did not
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  Speaker 1: hesitate to plunge into its depth with the freedom of men,
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  Speaker 1: accustomed to its privations and defaceiculties. For many hours, the
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  Speaker 1: travelers toiled on their laborious way, guided by a star
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  Speaker 1: or following the direction of some watercourse, until the scout
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  Speaker 1: called a halt, and holding a short consultation with the Indians,
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  Speaker 1: they lighted their fire and made the usual preparations to
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  Speaker 1: pass the remainder of night, where they then were imitating
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  Speaker 1: the example and emulating the confidence of their more experienced associates,
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  Speaker 1: Monroe and Duncan slept without fear, if not without uneasiness.
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  Speaker 1: The dews were suffered to exhale, and the sun had
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  Speaker 1: dispersed the mist and was shedding a strong and clear
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  Speaker 1: light in the forest when the travelers resumed their journey.
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  Speaker 1: After proceeding a few miles, the progress of Hawkeye, who
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  Speaker 1: led the advance, became more deliberate and watchful. He often
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  Speaker 1: stopped to examine the trees, nor did he cross a
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  Speaker 1: rivulet without attentively considering the quantity, the velocity, and the
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  Speaker 1: color of its waters. Distrusting his own judgment, his appeals
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  Speaker 1: to the opinion of Chingotchkok were frequent and earnest. During
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  Speaker 1: one of these conferences, Heyward observed that Uncas stood a patient, silent,
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  Speaker 1: though as he imagined an interested listener. He was strongly
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  Speaker 1: tempted to address the young chief and demand his opinion
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  Speaker 1: of their progress, But the calm and dignified demeanor of
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  Speaker 1: the native induced him to believe that, like himself, the
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  Speaker 1: other was wholly dependent on the sagacity and intelligence of
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  Speaker 1: the seniors of the party. At last, the scout spoke
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  Speaker 1: in English and at once explained the embarrassment of their situation.
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  Speaker 1: When I found that the home path of the Hurons
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  Speaker 1: run north, he said, it did not need the judgment
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  Speaker 1: of many long years to tell that they would follow
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  Speaker 1: the valleys and keep between the waters the Hudson and
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  Speaker 1: the Horican, until they might strike the springs of the
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  Speaker 1: Canadian streams, which would lead them into the heart of
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  Speaker 1: the country of the Frenchers. Yet here are we within
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  Speaker 1: a short range of the Sakkaroons, and not a sign
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  Speaker 1: of a trail have we crossed. Human nature is weak,
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  Speaker 1: and it is possible we may have not taken the
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  Speaker 1: proper scent. Heaven protect us from such an air, exclaimed Duncan.
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  Speaker 1: Let us retrace our steps and examine as we go
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  Speaker 1: with keener eyes. Has Uncas no counsel to offer in
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  Speaker 1: such a strait. The young Mohican cast a glance at
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  Speaker 1: his father, but maintaining his quiet and reserved mien, he
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  Speaker 1: continued silent. Chinchkotchkok had caught the look, and, motioning with
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  Speaker 1: his hand, he bade him speak. The moment this permission
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  Speaker 1: was accorded, the countenance of Uncas changed from its grave
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  Speaker 1: composure to a gleam of intelligence and joy. Bounding forward
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  Speaker 1: like a deer, he sprang up the side of a
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  Speaker 1: little ecclivat a few rods in advance, and stood exultingly
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  Speaker 1: over a spot of fresh earth that looked as though
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  Speaker 1: it had been recently upturned by the passage of some
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  Speaker 1: heavy animal. The eyes of the whole party followed the
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  Speaker 1: unexpected movement and read their success in the air of
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  Speaker 1: triumph that the youth assumed tis the trail, exclaimed the scout,
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  Speaker 1: advancing to the spot. The lad is quick of sight
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  Speaker 1: and keen of wit for his years. Tis extraordinary that
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  Speaker 1: he should have withheld his knowledge for so long, muttered
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  Speaker 1: Duncan at his elbow. It would have been more wonderful
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  Speaker 1: had he spoken without a bidding. No. No, your young
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  Speaker 1: white who gathers his learning from books and can measure
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  Speaker 1: what he knows by the page, may conceit that his knowledge,
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  Speaker 1: like his legs, outruns that of his father's. But where
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  Speaker 1: experience is the master, the scholar is made to know
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  Speaker 1: the value of years, and respects them accordingly. See said uncas,
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  Speaker 1: pointing north and south at the evident marks of the
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  Speaker 1: broad trail on either side of him. The dark hair
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  Speaker 1: has gone toward the forest. How never ran on a
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  Speaker 1: more beautiful scent, responded the scout, dashing forward at once
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  Speaker 1: on the indicated route. We are favored, greatly favored, and
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  Speaker 1: can follow with high noses. I here are both your
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  Speaker 1: waddling beast. This huron travels like a white general. The
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  Speaker 1: fellow is stricken with a judgment and is mad. Look
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  Speaker 1: sharp for wheels, sagamore, he continued, looking back and laughing
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  Speaker 1: in his newly awakened satisfaction. We shall soon have the
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  Speaker 1: full journeying in a coach, and that with three of
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  Speaker 1: the best pair of eyes on the borders in his rear.
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  Speaker 1: The spirits of the scout and the astonishing success of
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  Speaker 1: the chase, in which a circuitous distance of more than
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  Speaker 1: forty miles had been passed, did not fail to impart
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  Speaker 1: a portion of hope to the whole party. Their advance
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  Speaker 1: was rapid and made with as much confidence as a
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  Speaker 1: traveler would proceed along a wide highway. If a rock
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  Speaker 1: or a rivulet or a bit of earth harder than
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  Speaker 1: common severed the links of the clue. They followed. The
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  Speaker 1: true eye of the scout recovered them at a distance,
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  Speaker 1: and seldom rendered the delay of a single moment necessary.
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  Speaker 1: Their progress was much facilitated by the certainty that Magua
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  Speaker 1: had found it necessary to journey through the valleys, a
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  Speaker 1: circumstance which rendered the general direction of the route shore.
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  Speaker 1: Nor had the Huron entirely neglected the arch uniformly practiced
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  Speaker 1: by the natives when retiring in front of an enemy.
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  Speaker 1: False trails and sudden turnings were frequent wherever a brook
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  Speaker 1: or the formation of the ground rendered them feasible, But
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  Speaker 1: his pursuers were rarely deceived, and never failed to detect
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  Speaker 1: their air before they had lost either time or distance
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  Speaker 1: on them the deceptive track. By the middle of the afternoon,
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  Speaker 1: they had passed the sakaroons and were following the route
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  Speaker 1: of the declining sun. After descending an eminence to a
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  Speaker 1: low bottom through which a swift stream glided, they suddenly
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  Speaker 1: came to a place where the party of le Renaud
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  Speaker 1: had made a halt. Extinguished brands were laying around a spring.
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  Speaker 1: The offals of a deer were scattered about the place,
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  Speaker 1: and the trees bore evident marks of having been browsed
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  Speaker 1: by the horses. At a little distance, Hayward discovered and
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  Speaker 1: contemplated with tender emotion the small bower under which he
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  Speaker 1: was fain to believe that Cora and Alice had reposed.
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  Speaker 1: But while the earth was trodden, and the footsteps of
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  Speaker 1: both men and beast were so plainly visible around the place,
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  Speaker 1: the trail appeared to have suddenly ended. It was easy
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  Speaker 1: to follow the tracks of the Narragansetts, but they seemed
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  Speaker 1: only to have wandered without guides or any other object
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  Speaker 1: than the pursuit of food. At length, Uncas, who with
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  Speaker 1: his father had endeavored to trace the route of the horses,
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  Speaker 1: came upon a sign of their presence that was quite
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  Speaker 1: recent before following the cue, he communicated his success to
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  Speaker 1: his companions, and while the latter were consulting on the circumstances,
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  Speaker 1: the youth reappeared, leading the two fillies, with their saddles
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  Speaker 1: broken and the housing soiled, as if they had been
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  Speaker 1: permitted to run at will for several days. What would
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  Speaker 1: this prove? Said Duncan, turning pale and glancing his eyes
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  Speaker 1: around him as if he feared the brush and leaves
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  Speaker 1: were about to give him some horrid secret, that our
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  Speaker 1: march is come to a quick end, and that we
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  Speaker 1: are in an enemy's country, returned the scout. Had the
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  Speaker 1: knave been pressed and the gentle ones wanted horses to
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  Speaker 1: keep up with the party, he might have taken their scalps.
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  Speaker 1: But without an enemy at his heels, and with such
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  Speaker 1: rugged beast as these, he would not hurt a hair
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  Speaker 1: on their heads. I know your thoughts, and shame be
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  Speaker 1: it to our color that you have reason for them.
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  Speaker 1: But he who thinks that even a Mingo would ill
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  Speaker 1: treat a woman unless it be to tomahawk her knows
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  Speaker 1: nothing of Indian nature or the laws of the woods. No, No,
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  Speaker 1: I have heard that the French Indians had come into
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  Speaker 1: these hills to hunt the moose, and we are getting
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  Speaker 1: with incent of their camp. Why should they not. The
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  Speaker 1: morning and evening guns of tie may be heard any
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  Speaker 1: day among these mountains, for the Frenchers are running a
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  Speaker 1: new line between the provinces of the King and the Canadas.
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  Speaker 1: It is true that the horses are here, but the
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  Speaker 1: hurons are gone. Let us then hunt for the path
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  Speaker 1: by which they parted. Hawkeye and the Mohicans now applied
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  Speaker 1: themselves to their task. In good earnest, a circle of
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  Speaker 1: a few hundred feet in circumference was drawn, and each
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  Speaker 1: of the party took a segment for his portion. The examination, however,
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  Speaker 1: resulted in no discovery. The impressions of footsteps were numerous,
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  Speaker 1: but they all appeared like those of men who had
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  Speaker 1: wondered about the spout. Without any design to quit it again,
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  Speaker 1: the scout and his companions made the circuit of the
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  Speaker 1: halting place, each slowly following the other, until they assembled
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  Speaker 1: in the center once more, no wiser than when they
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  Speaker 1: had started. Such cunning is not without its deviltry, exclaimed
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  Speaker 1: Hawkeye when he met the disappointed looks of his assistance.
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  Speaker 1: We must get down to it, sagamore, beginning at the
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  Speaker 1: spring and going over the ground by inches. The Huron
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  Speaker 1: shall never brag in his tribe that he has a
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  Speaker 1: foot which leaves no print. Setting the example himself, the
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  Speaker 1: scout engaged in the scrutiny with renewed zeal. Not a
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  Speaker 1: leaf was left unturned, The sticks were removed, and the
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  Speaker 1: stones lifted. For Indian cunning was known frequently to adopt
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  Speaker 1: these objects as cuts, laving with the utmost patience and
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  Speaker 1: industry to conceal such footstep as they proceed. Still no
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  Speaker 1: discovery was made at length Uncas, whose activity had enabled
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  Speaker 1: him to achieve his portion of the task. The soonest
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  Speaker 1: raked the earth across the turbid little riel, which ran
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  Speaker 1: from the spring, and diverted its course into another channel.
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  Speaker 1: As soon as its narrow bed below the dam was dry,
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  Speaker 1: he stooped over it with a keen and curious eye.
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  Speaker 1: A cry of exultation immediately announced the success of the
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  Speaker 1: young warrior. The whole party crowded to the spot where
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  Speaker 1: Uncas pointed out the impression of a moccasin in the
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  Speaker 1: moist of Luvian. This lad will be an honor to
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  Speaker 1: his people, said Hawkeye, regarding the trail with as much
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  Speaker 1: admiration as a naturalist would expend on the tusk of
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  Speaker 1: a mammoth, or the rib of a mastodon eye, and
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  Speaker 1: a thorn in the side of the hurons. Yet that
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  Speaker 1: is not the footstep of an inn. The weight is
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  Speaker 1: too much on the heel, and the toes are squared,
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  Speaker 1: as though one of the French dancers had been in
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  Speaker 1: pigeon winging his tribe. Run back, Uncas, and bring me
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  Speaker 1: the size of the singer's foot. You will find a
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  Speaker 1: beautiful print of it, just opposite Yon Rock again the hillside.
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  Speaker 1: While the youth was engaged in this commission, the scout
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  Speaker 1: and chinchotchcook were attentively considering the impressions. The measurements agreed,
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  Speaker 1: and the former unhesitatingly pronounced that the footstep was that
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  Speaker 1: of David, who had once more been made to exchange
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  Speaker 1: his shoes for moccasin. I can now read the whole
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  Speaker 1: of it as plainly as if I had seen the
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  Speaker 1: arts of lips of teel. He added. The singer, being
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  Speaker 1: a man whose gifts lay chiefly in his throat and feet,
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  Speaker 1: was made to go first, and the others have trod
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  Speaker 1: in his steps, imitating their formation. But cried, duncan I
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  Speaker 1: see no signs of the gentle ones, interrupted the scout out.
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  Speaker 1: The varlet has found a way to carry them, until
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  Speaker 1: he supposed he had thrown any followers off. The scent
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  Speaker 1: my life on it. We see their pretty little feet
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  Speaker 1: again before many rods go by. The whole party now
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  Speaker 1: proceeded following the course of the ril, keeping anxious eyes
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  Speaker 1: on the regular impressions. The water soon flowed into its
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  Speaker 1: bed again, But watching the ground on either side, the
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  Speaker 1: foresters pursued their way, content in knowing that the trail
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  Speaker 1: lay beneath. More than half a mile was passed before
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  Speaker 1: the real rippled close around the base of an extensive
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: and dry rock. Here they paused to make sure that
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  Speaker 1: the Hurons had not quitted the water. It was fortunate
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  Speaker 1: they did so, for the quickened act of uncas soon
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  Speaker 1: found the impression of a foot on a bunch of
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  Speaker 1: moss where it would seem an Indian had inadvertently trodden.
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  Speaker 1: Pursuing the direction given by this discovery, he entered the
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  Speaker 1: neighboring thicket and struck the trail as fresh and obvious
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  Speaker 1: as it had been before they reached the spring. Another
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  Speaker 1: shout announced the good fortune of the youth to his companions,
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  Speaker 1: and at once terminated the search. Aye it has been
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  Speaker 1: planned with Indian judgments, said the scout, when the party
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  Speaker 1: was assembled around the place, and would have blinded white eyes.
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  Speaker 1: Shall we proceed, demanded Heyward. Softly, softly, We know our path,
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  Speaker 1: but it is good to examine the formation of things.
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  Speaker 1: This is my schooling major, and if one neglects the book,
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  Speaker 1: there is little chance of learning from the open land
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  Speaker 1: of Providence. All is plain but one thing, which is
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: the manner that the knave contrived to get the gentle
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  Speaker 1: ones along the blind trail. Even a huron would be
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  Speaker 1: too proud to let their tender feet touch the water.
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  Speaker 1: Will this is this? In explaining the difficulty, said Heyward,
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: pointing toward the fragments of a sort of handbarrow that
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  Speaker 1: had been rudely constructed of bowels and bound together with wives,
• 15:02
  Speaker 1: and which now seem carelessly cast aside as useless tis explained,
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  Speaker 1: cried the delighted Hawkeye. If them varlets have passed a minute,
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  Speaker 1: they have spent hours in striving to fabricating a lying
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  Speaker 1: end to their trail. Well, I've known them to waste
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: the day in the same manner. To his little purpose.
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  Speaker 1: Here we have three pair of moccasins, and two of
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  Speaker 1: little feet. It is amazing that any mortal beings can
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  Speaker 1: journey on limbs so small. Pass me the thong of buckskin, uncas,
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  Speaker 1: and let me take the length of this foot. By
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: the Lord, it is no longer than a child's. And
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  Speaker 1: yet the maidens are tall and comely, that Providence is
• 15:43
  Speaker 1: partial in its gifts for its own wise reasons. The
• 15:47
  Speaker 1: best and most contented of us must allow. The tender
• 15:51
  Speaker 1: limbs of my daughters are unequal to these hardships, said Monroe,
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: looking at the light footsteps of his children with a
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  Speaker 1: parent's love. We shall behind their fainting forms in this desert.
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  Speaker 1: Of that there is little cause for fear, returned the scout,
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  Speaker 1: slowly shaking his head. This is a firm and straight,
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  Speaker 1: though a light step, and not over long. See the
• 16:13
  Speaker 1: heel has hardly touched the ground, and there the dark
• 16:17
  Speaker 1: hairt has made a little jump from rout root. No, no,
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  Speaker 1: my knowledge of it. Neither of them was nigh fainting
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  Speaker 1: here away. Now the singer was beginning to be footstore
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: and leg weary, as is plain by his trail. There
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: you see he slipped. Here, he has traveled wide and tottered.
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  Speaker 1: And there again it looks as though he journeyed on snowshoes. Aye. Aye.
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  Speaker 1: A man who uses his throat altogether can hardly give
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: his legs a proper training. From such undeniable testimony, did
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: the practiced woodsman arrive at the truth with nearly as
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: much certainty and precision as if he had been a
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: witness of all those events which his ingenuity so easy, elucidated,
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  Speaker 1: Cheered by these assurances, and satisfied by a reasoning that
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: was so obvious while it was so simple, the party
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: resumed its course, after making a short halt to take
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: a hurried repast. When the meal was ended, the scout
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: cast a glance upward at the setting sun and pushed
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: forward with a rapidity which compelled Heyward and the still
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: vigorous Monroe to exert all of their muscles to equal
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: Their route now lay along the bottom which has already
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: been mentioned. As the Hurons had made no further efforts
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: to conceal their footsteps, the progress of the pursuers was
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: no longer delaid by uncertainty. Before an hour had elapsed, however,
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: the speed of Hawkeye sensibly abated, and his head, instead
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: of maintaining its former direct and forward look, began to
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: turn suspiciously from side to side, as if he were
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: conscious of approaching danger. He soon stopped again and waited
• 18:01
  Speaker 1: for the whole party to come up. I sent the Hurons,
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: he said, speaking to the Mohicans. Yonder is open sky
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: through the tree tops, and we are getting too nigh
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: their encampment. Sagamore, you will take the hillside to the right,
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: Uncas will bend along the brook to the left, while
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: I will try the trail. If anything should happen, the
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: call will be three croaks of a crow. I saw
• 18:29
  Speaker 1: one of the birds fanning himself in the air just
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: beyond the dead oak, another sign that we are approaching
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: an encampment. The Indians departed their several ways without reply,
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: while Hawkeye cautiously proceeded with the two gentlemen. Heyward soon
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: pressed to the side of their guide, eager to catch
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: any glimpse of those enemies he had pursued with so
• 18:51
  Speaker 1: much toil and anxiety. His companion told him to steal
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: to the edge of the wood, which as usual was
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: fringed with a thicket, and waited his coming, for he
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: wished to examine certain suspicious signs a little on one side.
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: Duncan obeyed, and soon found himself in a situation to
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: command a view which he found as extraordinary as it
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  Speaker 1: was novel. The trees of many acres have been felled,
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: and the glow of a mild summer's evening had fallen
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: on the clearing in beautiful contrast to the gray light
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: of the forest. A short distance from the place where
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: Duncan stood, the stream had seemingly expanded into a little lake,
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: covering most of the lowland from mountain to mountain. The
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: water fell out of this wide basin in a cataract
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: so regular and gentle that it appeared rather to be
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: the work of human hands than fashioned by nature. A
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: hundred earthen dwellings stood on the margin of the lake
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: and even in its waters, as though the latter had
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: overflowed its usual banks. Their rounded roofs, admirably wolded for
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: defense against the weather, denoted more of industry and foresight
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: than natives were wont to bestow on their regular habitations,
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: much less on those occupied for the temporary purposes of
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: hunting and war. In short, the whole village or town,
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: whichever it might be termed, possessed more of method and
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: needless of execution than the white men had been accustomed
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: to believe belonged ordinarily to the Indian habits. It appeared, however,
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: to be deserted, at least, so thought Duncan for many minutes.
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: But at length he fancied he discovered several human forms
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: advancing toward him on all fours and apparently dragging in
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: the train some heavy and he was quick to apprehend
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: some formidable engine. Just then, a few dark looking heads
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: gleamed out of the dwellings, and the place seemed suddenly
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: alive with beings, which, however, glided from cover to cover
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: so swiftly as to allow no opportunity for examining their
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: humors or pursuits. Alarmed at these suspicious and inexplicable movements,
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: he was about to attempt the signal of the crows
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: when the rustling of leaves at hand drew his eyes
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: in another direction. The young man started and recoiled a
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: few paces instinctively when he found himself within a hundred
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: yards of a stranger Indian, recovering his recollection of the instant.
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: Instead of sounding alarm, which might prove fatal to himself,
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: he remained stationary, an attentive observer of the other's motions,
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: an instant of calm observation served to assure Duncan that
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: he was undiscovered. The native, like himself, seemed occupied in
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: considering the low dwellings of the village and the stolen
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: movements of its inhabitants. It was impossible to discover the
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: expression of his features through the grotesque mask of paint
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: under which they were concealed, though Duncan fancied it was
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: rather melancholy than savage. His head was shaved, as usual,
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: with the exception of the crown, from whose tough three
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: or four faded feathers from a hawk's wing were loosely dangling.
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: A ragged calico mantle half encircled his body, while his
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: nether garment was composed of an ordinary shirt, the sleeves
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: of which were made to perform the office that is
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: usually expected by a much more commodious arrangement. His legs were, however,
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: covered with a pair of good deerskin moccasins. Altogether, the
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: appearance of the individual was forlorn and miserable. Duncan was
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: still curiously observing the person of his neighbor when the
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: scout stole silently and cautiously to his side. You see
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: we have reached their settlement or encampment, whispered the young man.
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: Here is one of the savages himself, in a very
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: embarrassing position for our further movements. Hawkeye started and dropped
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: his rifle when directed by the finger of his companion,
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: the stranger came under his view. Then, lowering the dangerous muzzle,
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: he stretched forward his long neck as if to assist
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: a scrutiny that was already intensely keen. The imp is
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: not Uran, he said, nor of any of the Canada tribes.
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: And yet you see by his clothes the knave has
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: been plundering the White i Montcalm has raked the woods
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: for his inroad, and a whooping, murdering set of varrets
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: has he gathered together. Can you see where he has
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: put his rifle or his bow? He appears to have
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: no arms, nor does he seem to be viciously inclined.
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: Unless he communicate the alarm to his fellows, who, as
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: you see, or dodge about the water, we have but
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: little to fear from him. The scout turned to Hayward
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: and regarded him a moment with unconcealed amazement. Then opening
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: his mouth, he indulged in unrestrained and heartfelt laughter, though
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: in that silent and peculiar manner which Danger had so
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: long taught him to practice. Repeating the words fellows who
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: are deluging about the water, he added, so much for
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: schooling and passing a boyhood in the settlements. The knave
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: has long legs, though, and shall not be trusted. Do
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: you keep him under your rifle while I creep in
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: behind through the bush and take him alive? Fire on
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: no account. Hayward had already permitted his companion to bury
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: part of his person in the thicket. When stretching forth
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: his arm, he arrested him in order to ask, if
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: I see you in danger, may I not risk a shot?
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: Hawkeye regarded him a moment like one who knew not
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: how to take the question. Then, nodding his head, he answered,
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: still laughing, though inaudibly, fire Old Platoon Major. In the
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: next moment, he was concealed by the leaves. Duncan waited
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: several minutes in feverish impatience before he caught another glimpse
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: of the scalp. Then he reappeared, creeping along the earth,
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: from which his dress was hardly distinguishable, directly in the
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: rear of his intended captive. Having reached within a few
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: yards of the latter, he arose to his feet silently
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: and slowly. At that instant, several loud blows were struck
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: on the water and Duncan turned his eyes just in
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: time to perceive that a hundred dark forms were plunging
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: in a body into the troubled little sheet. Grasping his rifle,
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: his looks were again bent on the Indian near him.
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: Instead of taking the alarm, the unconscious Savage stretched forward
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: his neck as if he also watched the movements about
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: the gloomy lake with a sort of silly curiosity. In
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: the meantime, the uplifted hand of Hawkeye was above him,
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: but without any apparent reason, it was withdrawn, and its
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: owner indulged another long the silent fit of merriment. When
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: the peculiar and hearty laughter of Hawkeye was ended, instead
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: of grasping his victim by the throat, he tapped him
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: on the shoulder and exclaimed, aloud, how now, friend, have
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: you mind to teach the beavers to sing? Being so
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: was the ready answer, it would seem that the being
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: that gave them the power to improve his gifts so
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: well would not deny them voices to proclaim his praise.
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: End of Chapter twenty one