Chapter VIII.
"His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles; His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate; His tears pure messengers sent from his heart; His heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth."
Two Gentlemen of Verona, II.vii,75-78
Neither of the girls spoke as Deerslayer stood before them alone, hiscountenance betraying all the apprehension he felt on account of twoabsent members of their party.
"Father!" Judith at length exclaimed, succeeding in uttering the word,as it might be by a desperate effort.
"He's met with misfortune, and there's no use in concealing it,"answered Deerslayer, in his direct and simple minded manner. "Heand Hurry are in Mingo hands, and Heaven only knows what's to be thetarmination. I've got the canoes safe, and that's a consolation, sincethe vagabonds will have to swim for it, or raft off, to come near thisplace. At sunset we'll be reinforced by Chingachgook, if I can manage toget him into a canoe; and then, I think, we two can answer for the arkand the castle, till some of the officers in the garrisons hear of thiswar-path, which sooner or later must be the case, when we may look forsuccor from that quarter, if from no other."
"The officers!" exclaimed Judith, impatiently, her color deepening, andher eye expressing a lively but passing emotion. "Who thinks or speaksof the heartless gallants now? We are sufficient of ourselves to defendthe castle. But what of my father, and of poor Hurry Harry?"
"'T is natural you should feel this consarn for your own parent, Judith,and I suppose it's equally so that you should feel it for Hurry Harry,too."
Deerslayer then commenced a succinct but clear narrative of all thatoccurred during the night, in no manner concealing what had befallenhis two companions, or his own opinion of what might prove to be theconsequences. The girls listened with profound attention, but neitherbetrayed that feminine apprehension and concern which would havefollowed such a communication when made to those who were lessaccustomed to the hazards and accidents of a frontier life. To thesurprise of Deerslayer, Judith seemed the most distressed, Hettylistening eagerly, but appearing to brood over the facts in melancholysilence, rather than betraying any outward signs of feeling. Theformer's agitation, the young man did not fail to attribute to theinterest she felt in Hurry, quite as much as to her filial love, whileHetty's apparent indifference was ascribed to that mental darknesswhich, in a measure, obscured her intellect, and which possiblyprevented her from foreseeing all the consequences. Little was said,however, by either, Judith and her sister busying themselves in makingthe preparations for the morning meal, as they who habitually attendto such matters toil on mechanically even in the midst of suffering andsorrow. The plain but nutritious breakfast was taken by all three insombre silence. The girls ate little, but Deerslayer gave proof ofpossessing one material requisite of a good soldier, that of preservinghis appetite in the midst of the most alarming and embarrassingcircumstances. The meal was nearly ended before a syllable was uttered;then, however, Judith spoke in the convulsive and hurried manner inwhich feeling breaks through restraint, after the latter has become morepainful than even the betrayal of emotion.
"Father would have relished this fish," she exclaimed; "he says thesalmon of the lakes is almost as good as the salmon of the sea."
"Your father has been acquainted with the sea, they tell me, Judith,"returned the young man, who could not forbear throwing a glance ofinquiry at the girl; for in common with all who knew Hutter, he had somecuriosity on the subject of his early history. "Hurry Harry tells me hewas once a sailor."
Judith first looked perplexed; then, influenced by feelings that werenovel to her, in more ways than one, she became suddenly communicative,and seemingly much interested in the discourse.
"If Hurry knows anything of father's history, I would he had told it tome!" she cried. "Sometimes I think, too, he was once a sailor, and thenagain I think he was not. If that chest were open, or if it could speak,it might let us into his whole history. But its fastenings are toostrong to be broken like pack thread."
Deerslayer turned to the chest in question, and for the first timeexamined it closely. Although discolored, and bearing proofs of havingreceived much ill-treatment, he saw that it was of materials andworkmanship altogether superior to anything of the same sort he hadever before beheld. The wood was dark, rich, and had once been highlypolished, though the treatment it had received left little gloss onits surface, and various scratches and indentations proved the roughcollisions that it had encountered with substances still harder thanitself. The corners were firmly bound with steel, elaborately and richlywrought, while the locks, of which it had no less than three, and thehinges, were of a fashion and workmanship that would have attractedattention even in a warehouse of curious furniture. This chest was quitelarge; and when Deerslayer arose, and endeavored to raise an end by itsmassive handle, he found that the weight fully corresponded with theexternal appearance.
"Did you never see that chest opened, Judith?" the young man demandedwith frontier freedom, for delicacy on such subjects was little feltamong the people on the verge of civilization, in that age, even if itbe to-day.
"Never. Father has never opened it in my presence, if he ever opens itat all. No one here has ever seen its lid raised, unless it be father;nor do I even know that he has ever seen it."
"Now you're wrong, Judith," Hetty quietly answered. "Father has raisedthe lid, and I've seen him do it."
A feeling of manliness kept the mouth of Deerslayer shut; for, while hewould not have hesitated about going far beyond what would be thoughtthe bounds of propriety, in questioning the older sister, he had justscruples about taking what might be thought an advantage of the feebleintellect of the younger. Judith, being under no such restraint,however, turned quickly to the last speaker and continued the discourse.
"When and where did you ever see that chest opened, Hetty?"
"Here, and again and again. Father often opens it when you are away,though he don't in the least mind my being by, and seeing all he does,as well as hearing all he says."
"And what is it that he does, and what does he say?"
"That I cannot tell you, Judith," returned the other in a low butresolute voice. "Father's secrets are not my secrets."
"Secrets! This is stranger still, Deerslayer, that father should tellthem to Hetty, and not tell them to me!"
"There's a good reason for that, Judith, though you're not to know it.Father's not here to answer for himself, and I'll say no more about it."
Judith and Deerslayer looked surprised, and for a minute the firstseemed pained. But, suddenly recollecting herself, she turned away fromher sister, as if in pity for her weakness and addressed the young man.
"You've told but half your story," she said, "breaking off at the placewhere you went to sleep in the canoe--or rather where you rose to listento the cry of the loon. We heard the call of the loons, too, and thoughttheir cries might bring a storm, though we are little used to tempestson this lake at this season of the year."
"The winds blow and the tempests howl as God pleases; sometimes at oneseason, and sometimes at another," answered Deerslayer; "and the loonsspeak accordin' to their natur'. Better would it be if men were ashonest and frank. After I rose to listen to the birds, finding it couldnot be Hurry's signal, I lay down and slept. When the day dawned I wasup and stirring, as usual, and then I went in chase of the two canoes,lest the Mingos should lay hands on 'em."
"You have not told us all, Deerslayer," said Judith earnestly. "We heardrifles under the eastern mountain; the echoes were full and long, andcame so soon after the reports, that the pieces must have been fired onor quite near to the shore. Our ears are used to these signs, and arenot to be deceived."
"They've done their duty, gal, this time; yes, they've done their duty.Rifles have been sighted this morning, ay, and triggers pulled, too,though not as often as they might have been. One warrior has gone to hishappy hunting-grounds, and that's the whole of it. A man of white bloodand white gifts is not to be
expected to boast of his expl'ites and toflourish scalps."
Judith listened almost breathlessly; and when Deerslayer, in his quiet,modest manner, seemed disposed to quit the subject, she rose, andcrossing the room, took a seat by his side. The manner of the girl hadnothing forward about it, though it betrayed the quick instinct of afemale's affection, and the sympathizing kindness of a woman's heart.She even took the hard hand of the hunter, and pressed it in both herown, unconsciously to herself, perhaps, while she looked earnestly andeven reproachfully into his sun burnt face.
"You have been fighting the savages, Deerslayer, singly and byyourself!" she said. "In your wish to take care of us---of Hetty--of me,perhaps, you've fought the enemy bravely, with no eye to encourage yourdeeds, or to witness your fall, had it pleased Providence to suffer sogreat a calamity!"
"I've fou't, Judith; yes, I have fou't the inimy, and that too, for thefirst time in my life. These things must be, and they bring with 'em amixed feelin' of sorrow and triumph. Human natur' is a fightin' natur',I suppose, as all nations kill in battle, and we must be true to ourrights and gifts. What has yet been done is no great matter, but shouldChingachgook come to the rock this evening, as is agreed atween us, andI get him off it onbeknown to the savages or, if known to them, ag'intheir wishes and designs, then may we all look to something likewarfare, afore the Mingos shall get possession of either the castle, orthe ark, or yourselves."
"Who is this Chingachgook; from what place does he come, and why does hecome here?"
"The questions are nat'ral and right, I suppose, though the youth has agreat name, already, in his own part of the country. Chingachgook is aMohican by blood, consorting with the Delawares by usage, as is the casewith most of his tribe, which has long been broken up by the increase ofour color. He is of the family of the great chiefs; Uncas, his father,having been the considerablest warrior and counsellor of his people.Even old Tamenund honors Chingachgook, though he is thought to beyet too young to lead in war; and then the nation is so disparsed anddiminished, that chieftainship among 'em has got to be little more thana name.
"Well, this war having commenced in 'arnest, the Delaware and Irendezvous'd an app'intment, to meet this evening at sunset on therendezvous-rock at the foot of this very lake, intending to come out onour first hostile expedition ag'in the Mingos. Why we come exactly thisa way is our own secret; but thoughtful young men on the war-path, asyou may suppose, do nothing without a calculation and a design."
"A Delaware can have no unfriendly intentions towards us," said Judith,after a moment's hesitation, "and we know you to be friendly."
"Treachery is the last crime I hope to be accused of," returnedDeerslayer, hurt at the gleam of distrust that had shot through Judith'smind; "and least of all, treachery to my own color."
"No one suspects you, Deerslayer," the girl impetuously cried."No--no--your honest countenance would be sufficient surety for thetruth of a thousand hearts! If all men had as honest tongues, and nomore promised what they did not mean to perform, there would be lesswrong done in the world, and fine feathers and scarlet cloaks would notbe excuses for baseness and deception."
The girl spoke with strong, nay, even with convulsed feeling, and herfine eyes, usually so soft and alluring, flashed fire as she concluded.Deerslayer could not but observe this extraordinary emotion; butwith the tact of a courtier, he avoided not only any allusion to thecircumstance, but succeeded in concealing the effect of his discoveryon himself. Judith gradually grew calm again, and as she was obviouslyanxious to appear to advantage in the eyes of the young man, she wassoon able to renew the conversation as composedly as if nothing hadoccurred to disturb her.
"I have no right to look into your secrets, or the secrets of yourfriend, Deerslayer," she continued, "and am ready to take all you say ontrust. If we can really get another male ally to join us at this tryingmoment, it will aid us much; and I am not without hope that when thesavages find that we are able to keep the lake, they will offer to giveup their prisoners in exchange for skins, or at least for the keg ofpowder that we have in the house."
The young man had the words "scalps" and "bounty" on his lips, but areluctance to alarm the feelings of the daughters prevented him frommaking the allusion he had intended to the probable fate of theirfather. Still, so little was he practised in the arts of deception,that his expressive countenance was, of itself, understood by thequick-witted Judith, whose intelligence had been sharpened by the risksand habits of her life.
"I understand what you mean," she continued, hurriedly, "and what youwould say, but for the fear of hurting me--us, I mean; for Hettyloves her father quite as well as I do. But this is not as we think ofIndians. They never scalp an unhurt prisoner, but would rather take himaway alive, unless, indeed, the fierce wish for torturing should get themastery of them. I fear nothing for my father's scalp, and little forhis life. Could they steal on us in the night, we should all probablysuffer in this way; but men taken in open strife are seldom injured;not, at least, until the time of torture comes."
"That's tradition, I'll allow, and it's accordin' to practice--but,Judith, do you know the arr'nd on which your father and Hurry went ag'inthe savages?"
"I do; and a cruel errand it was! But what will you have? Men will bemen, and some even that flaunt in their gold and silver, and carry theKing's commission in their pockets, are not guiltless of equal cruelty."Judith's eye again flashed, but by a desperate struggle she resumed hercomposure. "I get warm when I think of all the wrong that men do,"she added, affecting to smile, an effort in which she only succeededindifferently well. "All this is silly. What is done is done, and itcannot be mended by complaints. But the Indians think so little ofthe shedding of blood, and value men so much for the boldness of theirundertakings, that, did they know the business on which their prisonerscame, they would be more likely to honor than to injure them for it."
"For a time, Judith; yes, I allow that, for a time. But when thatfeelin' dies away, then will come the love of revenge. We mustindivor,--Chingachgook and I,--we must indivor to see what we can do toget Hurry and your father free; for the Mingos will no doubt hover aboutthis lake some days, in order to make the most of their success."
"You think this Delaware can be depended on, Deerslayer?" demanded thegirl, thoughtfully.
"As much as I can myself. You say you do not suspect me, Judith?"
"You!" taking his hand again, and pressing it between her own, with awarmth that might have awakened the vanity of one less simple-minded,and more disposed to dwell on his own good qualities, "I would as soonsuspect a brother! I have known you but a day, Deerslayer, but it hasawakened the confidence of a year. Your name, however, is not unknownto me; for the gallants of the garrisons frequently speak of the lessonsyou have given them in hunting, and all proclaim your honesty."
"Do they ever talk of the shooting, gal?" inquired the other eagerly,after, however, laughing in a silent but heartfelt manner. "Do they evertalk of the shooting? I want to hear nothing about my own, for if thatisn't sartified to by this time, in all these parts, there's littleuse in being skilful and sure; but what do the officers say of theirown--yes, what do they say of their own? Arms, as they call it, is theirtrade, and yet there's some among 'em that know very little how to use'em!"
"Such I hope will not be the case with your friend Chingachgook, as youcall him--what is the English of his Indian name?"
"Big Sarpent--so called for his wisdom and cunning, Uncas is his ra'alname--all his family being called Uncas until they get a title that hasbeen 'arned by deeds."
"If he has all this wisdom, we may expect a useful friend in him, unlesshis own business in this part of the country should prevent him fromserving us."
"I see no great harm in telling you his arr'nd, a'ter all, and, asyou may find means to help us, I will let you and Hetty into the wholematter, trusting that you'll keep the secret as if it was your own. Youmust know that Chingachgook is a comely Injin, and is much looked uponand admired by the young women of his trib
e, both on account of hisfamily, and on account of himself. Now, there is a chief that has adaughter called Wah-ta-Wah, which is intarpreted into Hist-oh-Hist, inthe English tongue, the rarest gal among the Delawares, and the onemost sought a'ter and craved for a wife by all the young warriors of thenation. Well, Chingachgook, among others, took a fancy to Wah-ta-Wah,and Wah-ta-Wah took a fancy to him." Here Deerslayer paused an instant;for, as he got thus far in his tale, Hetty Hutter arose, approached,and stood attentive at his knee, as a child draws near to listen tothe legends of its mother. "Yes, he fancied her, and she fancied him,"resumed Deerslayer, casting a friendly and approving glance at theinnocent and interested girl; "and when that is the case, and all theelders are agreed, it does not often happen that the young couple keepapart. Chingachgook couldn't well carry off such a prize without makinginimies among them that wanted her as much as he did himself. A sartainBriarthorn, as we call him in English, or Yocommon, as he is tarmed inInjin, took it most to heart, and we mistrust him of having a hand inall that followed."
"Wah-ta-Wah went with her father and mother, two moons ago, to fish forsalmon on the western streams, where it is agreed by all in these partsthat fish most abounds, and while thus empl'yed the gal vanished. Forseveral weeks we could get no tidings of her; but here, ten days since,a runner, that came through the Delaware country, brought us a message,by which we learn that Wah-ta-Wah was stolen from her people, we think,but do not know it, by Briarthorn's sarcumventions,--and that she wasnow with the inimy, who had adopted her, and wanted her to marry ayoung Mingo. The message said that the party intended to hunt and foragethrough this region for a month or two, afore it went back into theCanadas, and that if we could contrive to get on a scent in thisquarter, something might turn up that would lead to our getting themaiden off."
"And how does that concern you, Deerslayer?" demanded Judith, a littleanxiously.
"It consarns me, as all things that touches a fri'nd consarns a fri'nd.I'm here as Chingachgook's aid and helper, and if we can get the youngmaiden he likes back ag'in, it will give me almost as much pleasure asif I had got back my own sweetheart."
"And where, then, is your sweetheart, Deerslayer?"
"She's in the forest, Judith--hanging from the boughs of the trees, in asoft rain--in the dew on the open grass--the clouds that float about inthe blue heavens--the birds that sing in the woods--the sweet springswhere I slake my thirst--and in all the other glorious gifts that comefrom God's Providence!"
"You mean that, as yet, you've never loved one of my sex, but love bestyour haunts, and your own manner of life."
"That's it--that's just it. I am white--have a white heart and can't,in reason, love a red-skinned maiden, who must have a red-skin heartand feelin's. No, no, I'm sound enough in them partic'lars, and hope toremain so, at least till this war is over. I find my time too much takenup with Chingachgook's affair, to wish to have one of my own on my handsafore that is settled."
"The girl that finally wins you, Deerslayer, will at least win an honestheart,--one without treachery or guile; and that will be a victory thatmost of her sex ought to envy."
As Judith uttered this, her beautiful face had a resentful frown on it;while a bitter smile lingered around a mouth that no derangement of themuscles could render anything but handsome. Her companion observed thechange, and though little skilled in the workings of the female heart,he had sufficient native delicacy to understand that it might be well todrop the subject.
As the hour when Chingachgook was expected still remained distant,Deerslayer had time enough to examine into the state of the defences,and to make such additional arrangements as were in his power, and theexigency of the moment seemed to require. The experience and foresightof Hutter had left little to be done in these particulars; still,several precautions suggested themselves to the young man, who may besaid to have studied the art of frontier warfare, through the traditionsand legends of the people among whom he had so long lived. The distancebetween the castle and the nearest point on the shore, prevented anyapprehension on the subject of rifle-bullets thrown from the land. Thehouse was within musket-shot in one sense, it was true, but aim wasentirely out of the question, and even Judith professed a perfectdisregard of any danger from that source. So long, then, as the partyremained in possession of the fortress, they were safe, unless theirassailants could find the means to come off and carry it by fire orstorm, or by some of the devices of Indian cunning and Indian treachery.
Against the first source of danger Hutter had made ample provision, andthe building itself, the bark roof excepted, was not very combustible.The floor was scuttled in several places, and buckets provided withropes were in daily use, in readiness for any such emergency. One of thegirls could easily extinguish any fire that might be lighted, providedit had not time to make much headway. Judith, who appeared to understandall her father's schemes of defence, and who had the spirit to take nounimportant share in the execution of them, explained all these detailsto the young man, who was thus saved much time and labor in making hisinvestigations.
Little was to be apprehended during the day. In possession of thecanoes and of the ark, no other vessel was to be found on the lake.Nevertheless, Deerslayer well knew that a raft was soon made, and, asdead trees were to be found in abundance near the water, did the savagesseriously contemplate the risks of an assault, it would not be a verydifficult matter to find the necessary means. The celebrated Americanaxe, a tool that is quite unrivalled in its way, was then not veryextensively known, and the savages were far from expert in the use ofits hatchet-like substitute; still, they had sufficient practice incrossing streams by this mode to render it certain they would constructa raft, should they deem it expedient to expose themselves to the risksof an assault. The death of their warrior might prove a sufficientincentive, or it might act as a caution; but Deerslayer thought it morethan possible that the succeeding night would bring matters to a crisis,and in this precise way. This impression caused him to wish ardently forthe presence and succor of his Mohican friend, and to look forward tothe approach of sunset with an increasing anxiety.
As the day advanced, the party in the castle matured their plans,and made their preparations. Judith was active, and seemed to find apleasure in consulting and advising with her new acquaintance,whose indifference to danger, manly devotion to herself and sister,guilelessness of manner, and truth of feeling, had won rapidly on bothher imagination and her affections. Although the hours appeared long insome respects to Deerslayer, Judith did not find them so, and when thesun began to descend towards the pine-clad summits of the western hills,she felt and expressed her surprise that the day should so soon bedrawing to a close. On the other hand, Hetty was moody and silent. Shewas never loquacious, or if she occasionally became communicative, itwas under the influence of some temporary excitement that served toarouse her unsophisticated mind; but, for hours at a time, in the courseof this all-important day, she seemed to have absolutely lost the useof her tongue. Nor did apprehension on account of her father materiallyaffect the manner of either sister. Neither appeared seriously to dreadany evil greater than captivity, and once or twice, when Hetty didspeak, she intimated the expectation that Hutter would find the meansto liberate himself. Although Judith was less sanguine on this head, shetoo betrayed the hope that propositions for a ransom would come,when the Indians discovered that the castle set their expedients andartifices at defiance. Deerslayer, however, treated these passingsuggestions as the ill-digested fancies of girls, making his ownarrangements as steadily, and brooding over the future as seriously, asif they had never fallen from their lips.
At length the hour arrived when it became necessary to proceed tothe place of rendezvous appointed with the Mohican, or Delaware, asChingachgook was more commonly called. As the plan had been maturedby Deerslayer, and fully communicated to his companions, all three setabout its execution, in concert, and intelligently. Hetty passed intothe ark, and fastening two of the canoes together, she entered one, andpaddled up to a sort o
f gateway in the palisadoes that surrounded thebuilding, through which she carried both; securing them beneath thehouse by chains that were fastened within the building. These palisadoeswere trunks of trees driven firmly into the mud, and served the doublepurpose of a small inclosure that was intended to be used in this verymanner, and to keep any enemy that might approach in boats at arm'slength. Canoes thus docked were, in a measure, hid from sight, and asthe gate was properly barred and fastened, it would not be an easytask to remove them, even in the event of their being seen. Previously,however, to closing the gate, Judith also entered within the inclosurewith the third canoe, leaving Deerslayer busy in securing the door andwindows inside the building, over her head. As everything was massiveand strong, and small saplings were used as bars, it would have been thework of an hour or two to break into the building, when Deerslayer hadended his task, even allowing the assailants the use of any tools butthe axe, and to be unresisted. This attention to security arose fromHutter's having been robbed once or twice by the lawless whites of thefrontiers, during some of his many absences from home.
As soon as all was fast in the inside of the dwelling, Deerslayerappeared at a trap, from which he descended into the canoe of Judith.When this was done, he fastened the door with a massive staple and stoutpadlock. Hetty was then received in the canoe, which was shoved outsideof the palisadoes. The next precaution was to fasten the gate, and thekeys were carried into the ark. The three were now fastened out of thedwelling, which could only be entered by violence, or by following thecourse taken by the young man in quitting it. The glass had been broughtoutside as a preliminary step, and Deerslayer next took a careful surveyof the entire shore of the lake, as far as his own position would allow.Not a living thing was visible, a few birds excepted, and even the lastfluttered about in the shades of the trees, as if unwilling to encounterthe heat of a sultry afternoon. All the nearest points, in particular,were subjected to severe scrutiny, in order to make certain that no raftwas in preparation; the result everywhere giving the same picture ofcalm solitude. A few words will explain the greatest embarrassmentbelonging to the situation of our party. Exposed themselves to theobservation of any watchful eyes, the movements of their enemies wereconcealed by the drapery of a dense forest. While the imagination wouldbe very apt to people the latter with more warriors than it reallycontained, their own weakness must be too apparent to all who mightchance to cast a glance in their direction.
"Nothing is stirring, howsever," exclaimed Deerslayer, as he finallylowered the glass, and prepared to enter the ark. "If the vagabonds doharbor mischief in their minds, they are too cunning to let it be seen;it's true, a raft may be in preparation in the woods, but it has notyet been brought down to the lake. They can't guess that we are about toquit the castle, and, if they did, they've no means of knowing where weintend to go."
"This is so true, Deerslayer," returned Judith, "that now all is ready,we may proceed at once, boldly, and without the fear of being followed;else we shall be behind our time."
"No, no; the matter needs management; for, though the savages are in thedark as to Chingachgook and the rock, they've eyes and legs, and willsee in what direction we steer, and will be sartain to follow us. Ishall strive to baffle 'em, howsever, by heading the scow in all mannerof ways, first in one quarter and then in another, until they get to bea-leg-weary, and tired of tramping a'ter us."
So far as it was in his power, Deerslayer was as good as his word. Inless than five minutes after this speech was made, the whole party wasin the ark, and in motion. There was a gentle breeze from the north, andboldly hoisting the sail, the young man laid the head of the unwieldycraft in such a direction, as, after making a liberal but necessaryallowance for leeway, would have brought it ashore a couple of milesdown the lake, and on its eastern side. The sailing of the ark wasnever very swift, though, floating as it did on the surface, it was notdifficult to get it in motion, or to urge it along over the water at therate of some three or four miles in the hour. The distance between thecastle and the rock was a little more than two leagues. Knowing thepunctuality of an Indian, Deerslayer had made his calculations closely,and had given himself a little more time than was necessary to reach theplace of rendezvous, with a view to delay or to press his arrival, asmight prove most expedient. When he hoisted the sail, the sun lay abovethe western hills, at an elevation that promised rather more than twohours of day; and a few minutes satisfied him that the progress of thescow was such as to equal his expectations.
It was a glorious June afternoon, and never did that solitary sheet ofwater seem less like an arena of strife and bloodshed. The light airscarce descended as low as the bed of the lake, hovering over it, as ifunwilling to disturb its deep tranquillity, or to ruffle its mirror-likesurface. Even the forests appeared to be slumbering in the sun, and afew piles of fleecy clouds had lain for hours along the northern horizonlike fixtures in the atmosphere, placed there purely to embellish thescene. A few aquatic fowls occasionally skimmed along the water, and asingle raven was visible, sailing high above the trees, and keepinga watchful eye on the forest beneath him, in order to detect anythinghaving life that the mysterious woods might offer as prey.
The reader will probably have observed, that, amidst the frankness andabruptness of manner which marked the frontier habits of Judith, herlanguage was superior to that used by her male companions, her ownfather included. This difference extended as well to pronunciation asto the choice of words and phrases. Perhaps nothing so soon betraysthe education and association as the modes of speech; and fewaccomplishments so much aid the charm of female beauty as a graceful andeven utterance, while nothing so soon produces the disenchantment thatnecessarily follows a discrepancy between appearance and manner, asa mean intonation of voice, or a vulgar use of words. Judith and hersister were marked exceptions to all the girls of their class, alongthat whole frontier; the officers of the nearest garrison having oftenflattered the former with the belief that few ladies of the townsacquitted themselves better than herself, in this important particular.This was far from being literally true, but it was sufficiently near thefact to give birth to the compliment. The girls were indebted to theirmother for this proficiency, having acquired from her, in childhood, anadvantage that no subsequent study or labor can give without a drawback,if neglected beyond the earlier periods of life. Who that mother was,or rather had been, no one but Hutter knew. She had now been dead twosummers, and, as was stated by Hurry, she had been buried in the lake;whether in indulgence of a prejudice, or from a reluctance to take thetrouble to dig her grave, had frequently been a matter of discussionbetween the rude beings of that region. Judith had never visited thespot, but Hetty was present at the interment, and she often paddled acanoe, about sunset or by the light of the moon, to the place, and gazeddown into the limpid water, in the hope of being able to catch a glimpseof the form that she had so tenderly loved from infancy to the sad hourof their parting.
"Must we reach the rock exactly at the moment the sun sets?" Judithdemanded of the young man, as they stood near each other, Deerslayerholding the steering-oar, and she working with a needle at some ornamentof dress, that much exceeded her station in life, and was altogether anovelty in the woods. "Will a few minutes, sooner or later, alter thematter? It will be very hazardous to remain long as near the shore asthat rock!"
"That's it, Judith; that's the very difficulty! The rock's within p'intblank for a shot-gun, and 'twill never do to hover about it too closeand too long. When you have to deal with an Injin, you must calculateand manage, for a red natur' dearly likes sarcumvention. Now you see,Judith, that I do not steer towards the rock at all, but here tothe eastward of it, whereby the savages will be tramping off in thatdirection, and get their legs a-wearied, and all for no advantage."
"You think, then, they see us, and watch our movements, Deerslayer? Iwas in hopes they might have fallen back into the woods, and left us toourselves for a few hours."
"That's altogether a woman's consait. There's no let-up i
n an Injin'swatchfulness when he's on a war-path, and eyes are on us at thisminute, 'though the lake presarves us. We must draw near the rock ona calculation, and indivor to get the miscreants on a false scent. TheMingos have good noses, they tell me; but a white man's reason oughtalways to equalize their instinct."
Judith now entered into a desultory discourse with Deerslayer, in whichthe girl betrayed her growing interest in the young man; an interestthat his simplicity of mind and her decision of character, sustained asit was by the consciousness awakened by the consideration her personalcharms so universally produced, rendered her less anxious to concealthan might otherwise have been the case. She was scarcely forward inher manner, though there was sometimes a freedom in her glances that itrequired all the aid of her exceeding beauty to prevent from awakeningsuspicions unfavorable to her discretion, if not to her morals. WithDeerslayer, however, these glances were rendered less obnoxious toso unpleasant a construction; for she seldom looked at him withoutdiscovering much of the sincerity and nature that accompany the purestemotions of woman. It was a little remarkable that, as his captivitylengthened, neither of the girls manifested any great concern forher father; but, as has been said already, their habits gave themconfidence, and they looked forward to his liberation, by means of aransom, with a confidence that might, in a great degree, account fortheir apparent indifference. Once before, Hutter had been in the handsof the Iroquois, and a few skins had readily effected his release. Thisevent, however, unknown to the sisters, had occurred in a time ofpeace between England and France, and when the savages were restrained,instead of being encouraged to commit their excesses, by the policy ofthe different colonial governments.
While Judith was loquacious and caressing in her manner, Hetty remainedthoughtful and silent. Once, indeed, she drew near to Deerslayer,and questioned him a little closely as to his intentions, as well asconcerning the mode of effecting his purpose; but her wish to conversewent no further. As soon as her simple queries were answered--andanswered they all were, in the fullest and kindest manner--she withdrewto her seat, and continued to work on a coarse garment that she wasmaking for her father, sometimes humming a low melancholy air, andfrequently sighing.
In this manner the time passed away; and when the sun was beginning toglow behind the fringe of the pines that bounded the western hill, orabout twenty minutes before it actually set, the ark was nearly as lowas the point where Hutter and Hurry had been made prisoners. By sheeringfirst to one side of the lake, and then to the other, Deerslayer managedto create an uncertainty as to his object; and, doubtless, the savages,who were unquestionably watching his movements, were led to believe thathis aim was to communicate with them, at or near this spot, and wouldhasten in that direction, in order to be in readiness to profit bycircumstances. This artifice was well managed; since the sweep of thebay, the curvature of the lake, and the low marshy land that intervened,would probably allow the ark to reach the rock before its pursuers, ifreally collected near this point, could have time to make the circuitthat would be required to get there by land. With a view to aid thisdeception, Deerslayer stood as near the western shore as was at allprudent; and then causing Judith and Hetty to enter the house, or cabin,and crouching himself so as to conceal his person by the frame of thescow, he suddenly threw the head of the latter round, and began to makethe best of his way towards the outlet. Favored by an increase inthe wind, the progress of the ark was such as to promise the completesuccess of this plan, though the crab-like movement of the craftcompelled the helmsman to keep its head looking in a direction verydifferent from that in which it was actually moving.