The Deerslayer

e strucken d

t ungal

watch, while s

s the wo

III.ii

shores of the lake, and that they might be sure no practicable means of accomplishing their own destruction would be neglected. As a matter of course Hutter felt these truths the deepest, his daughters having an habitual reliance on his resources, and knowing too little to appre

Iroquois, or the enemy, whoever th

s here. Hurry, there are but three more on the land, and they’re so snug in hollow

than a red-skin, when he expects to get anything by it. Let this party see scalps afore ’em, or plunder, or ho

f bark is safe enough here, within reach of my arm. I calcilate they’ll be at all the rest of the canoes afore to-mor

any alarming symptoms. The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature, the heavens were placid, but still luminous with the light of the retreating sun, while the lake looked more lovely and calm than it had before d

lose but short survey of the omens, “night is at hand; fi

st as we reached the lake, and for one, I prefer the company of Jude even

ls away. You see my situation, and I should like to hear your opinions concerning what is best to be done. Three times have I been burnt out already, but that was on the shore; and I’ve considered myself as pretty safe ever since I got the cas

te jippardy,” returned the matter-of-fact Hurry, who saw no use in concealment. “Accordin’ to my idees of valie, they’r

ed even an indifferent observer to say was intended as a bait, or as an exclamation of paternal c

e of them hasn’t her equal on the frontiers for good looks, whatever she may have for good behavior. As for poor Hetty, she’s H

e of the same way of thinking,” returned the other, with a slight show of pride, that was not altogether withou

d follow him, was he so ontrue-hearted as to leave a family of his own color in such a strait as this. I’ve come on this at take, Master Hutter, to rende’vous a fri’nd, and I only wish he was here himself, as I make no doubt he wil

ghters, then, Deerslayer?” demanded the old ma

usband his wife, or a suitor his sweetheart. In this strait you may count on me, through all ad

, as soon as he thinks his fine figure in danger. Neither ‘old Tom,’ nor his ‘gals,’ will depend much on Master March, now they kno

r circumstance; and if the conscious March fancied that he had never seen in it a stronger display of contempt — a feeling in which the beauty was apt to indulge — than whi

not return until you come with the venison and fish. The girl has been spoilt by the flattery of the offic

s; “the devil-tongued youngsters of the garrison have proved her undoing! I scarce know Jude any

. Hetty would make a much safer and more rational companion than Jude, and would be much the most

rational. But no matter; Deerslayer has not misconceived me, when he told you I should be found at my post. I’

flicts, that were not unfrequent in the woods; and no commander who was hard pressed could feel more joy at hearing of the arrival of reinforcements, than the borderer experienced at being told this important auxiliary was not about to quit him. A minute before, Hutter wo

rning money by means that the ordinary feelings of those who aspire to be civilized men repudiated, even while they were adopted. “It isn’t right, perhaps, to take gold for human bloo

ears; and would just as lief finger money for the one as for the other. With white people ‘t is different, for they’ve a nat’ral avarsion to being scalped

s he gained a renewed confidence in the disposition of his companions. “Something more may turn up from this inroad of the red-skins than they bargained for. De

humanize my natur’ by falling into ways that God intended for another race. If you and Hurry have got any thoughts that lean towards the colony’s gold, go by yourselves in s’arch of it, and leave the females to my care. Much as I must differ from you bot

e advantage,” said the sweet, but spirited voice of Judith, from the

angrily. “Move farther off; we are about to t

rtain whether he was obeyed or not; but droppin

large party of these savages on shore and, though I didn’t tell it before the girls, for they’re womanish, and apt to be troublesome when anything like real work is to be done, ther

y was their first salute an

ished to get on board the ark first, and to make their conditions afterwards. That a disapp’inted savage should fire at us, is in rule; and I

em off pretty much in their own c’ine. Women would not be on the

slayer. “I saw the Mingos, and know that they are out o

f an eye, now, I’d as soon trust this young man, as trust the ol

nly a few days since the runner went through with the tidings of the troubles; and it may

,” cried Hurry; “you’ve got it now, old Tom, and I

ool, sullen manner, in which, however, heartless cupidity and indifference to

en; and big and little have scalp

eerslayer; “more shame to it, that it don’t understand

rest; and why shouldn’t we scalp? I will own, it would be ag’in right for you and me now, to go into the settlements and bring out scalps, but it’s a very different matter as concerns Indians.

rich voice of Judith, “is it religion to

ith beauty, if you can’t with sense. Here’s the Canad

. “Father, father! think no more of this, and listen to the advice of Deerslaye

justify another. Their enemies paid for scalps, and this was sufficient to justify the colony for retaliating. It is true, the French used the same argument, a circumstance, as Hurry took occasion to observe in answer to one of Deerslayer’s objections, that proved its truth, as mortal enemies would not be likely to have recourse to the same reason unless it were a good one. But neither Hutter nor Hurry was a man likely to stick at trifles in matters connected with the right of the aborigines, since it is one of the consequences of aggression that it hardens the consci

disposing of all oral propositions; “if he’s f’erce you must be f’ercer; if he’s stout of heart, you must be stouter. This is

n like an Injin; and the white man like a white man. Some of their teachers say, that if you’re struck on the cheek, it

an’s doctrine! How long would it take to kick a man through the

n’s. That’s all. Overlook all you can is what’s meant; and not revenge all you can. As for kicking, Master Hurry,” and Deerslayer’s sunburnt cheek flushed as he continued, “into the colony, or out of th

rslayer; that’s ever the C

y,’ they tell me, is the true saying, while men practyse the false. They think all the colonies wrong that offe

next thing to Quakers; and if you’d believe all they tell you, not even a

slayer, and that in the little nameless attentions it was in her power to bestow, she quite obviously manifested a desire to let it be seen that she deemed him the honored guest. Accustomed, however, to the waywardness and coquetry of the beauty, this discovery gave him little concern, and he ate with an appetite that w

the regular dip of the sweeps, at which Hurry and Deerslayer lazily pushed, impelling the ark towards the castle. Hutter had withdrawn to the stern of the scow, in order to steer, but, finding that the young men kept even strokes, and held the desired course by their own skill, he permitted the oar to drag in the water, took a seat on the end of the vessel, and lighted his pipe. He had not been thus placed many minutes,

t by her mother, and the last one of those natural melodies that find favor with all classes, in every age, coming from and being addressed to the feelings. Hutter never listened to this simple strain without findin

nderness grew on the ear, until the air was filled with this simple homage of a soul that seemed almost spotless. That the men forward were not indifferent to this touching interruption, was proved by their inaction; nor did their oars again dip until the last of the sweet sounds had actually died among the remarkable shores, which, at that witchin

of the gentleness and elevation of the civilized life he had led in youth, when he thus commun

nner, taking his hard, knotty hand into both her own; “you have talke

d; you must have been naughty enough to have l

ry kill people — especi

war, and must do to our enemies

s. You must do to your enemies as you wish your enemies

other must begin; and them that begin first, are most apt to get the victor

father; and Judith has s

, and knows I’ll not bear it. Which would you prefer, Hetty; to have your own scalp taken,

let them kill us. Sell your skins, and get

ad to see our old friend, March, back again? You like Hurry, and must

er a considerable pause; “Hurry has had one fat

and’s father will be her father, and her husband’s sister her s

eturned the girl mildly, but posi

ng man that ever visits the lake; and, as Jude is the greatest beauty, I don’t see why they shouldn’t come t

r for more than a minute. Her father, accustomed to her manner, and suspecting no immediate cause of concern,

emphasis, that she might have hesitated about using, ha

etween his teeth; “he’s the likeliest youth in these parts; and Jude is the l

ed to be ug

ings — but you’re by no means ug

happier for bei

er matters now, for you hardly understand these, poor H

ther. Hurry is far han

did hope he would prove to be as stout a warrior as he is dexterous with the deer. All men are not ali

art, father — and Hurry, is

child, and fitter for the settlements than for the woods; while

h more reason

d gives sense, and appearance, and all these things; and he

ardest, then I feel the unhappiest. I don’t believe thinking

d her mother before her. It’s no advantage, Hetty, to be so marked for anyt

he girl, the tears starting to her eyes, as usuall

e any answer, until his simple-minded daughter repeated her remark, in a way to show that she felt uneasiness lest he might be inclined to deny

friend her; and you have no occasion to mourn that you are not as much like her as your sister. Think less of b

Hurry says beauty is eve

his visitor; for directness of speech and decision in conduct were two of the best qualities of this rude being, in whom the seeds of a better education seemed to be constantly struggling upwards, to be choked by the fruits of a life in which his hard struggles for subsistence and security had steeled his feelin

to be plainly distinguished when near at hand, and the bright eyes of the girl had an expression of kindness in them, when they met those of the youth, that the latter was easily enabled to discover. Her rich hair shaded her spirited and yet soft countenance, even at that hour rendering it the more beautiful-as the rose is loveliest when reposing ami

ed, “when I saw that Indian dive into the river! He was a good-looking savage, too,” the girl always dwelt on p

’pons, Judith,” returned Deerslayer; “it was an awful r

l, with more real interest than she would have cared to betray, though with an indiffer

danger, and not come to their as

in consequence of Hurry’s suspicions of her levity, felt its charm, notwithstanding half its winning influence was lost in the feeble light. It at once created a sort of confidence between

y, taking her seat near the spot where the other stood, “and I foresee we shall be very go

; and fri’nds should be tende

m off,’ as you say of the deer, and he is master of everything near him but himself. Hurry is no favorite of mine, Deerslayer; and I dare s

hought fit to pretend. Whether this was no more than the ordinary working of female vanity, feeling keenly even when it affected not to feel at all, or whether it proceeded from that deeply-seated consciousness of right and wrong which God himself has implanted in our breasts that we may know good from evil, will be made more apparent to the reader

they feel while the tongue’s a-going, and that’s sometimes different from what they’d speak if they took time to consider. Give me a Delaware, Jud

erself as if in careless disdain. “Young women’s good names are a pleasant matter of discourse with some that wouldn’t dare be so

uch in ‘arnest. Hurry has never whispered a syll

d, her voice sinking into low, husky tones, that seemed nearly to stifle her in the utterance; “she is beyond and above his slanderous malice! Poor Hetty! If God has create

at, Judith, and I hope ‘arnestly that the

r beauty lessen the effect with one who only knew too well the power of her personal charms. Nevertheless, the still, sm

garrisons,” she added. “He knows they are gentlemen, and can never

table as a governor? Since you speak of it yourself, I’ll not deny that he did complain of one as humble as you being so much in the company of scarlet coats a

ith’s fine face, nor detect the uncontrollable distress that immediately after changed its hue to deadly paleness. A minute or two elapsed in profound stillness, th

I do not believe it will turn out so with us. I know not how it is-but you are the first man I ever met, who did not seem to wish to f

ring-oar, as motionless as one of the pines on the hills. So abstracted, indeed, had his thoughts become, that h