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By Root 1322 0

about, their own included; and there all open manifestations of watchfulness ceased. But they, who were so experienced in Indian practices, knew too well how great was the distance between appearances and reality, to become the dupes of this seeming carelessness. Although both thought incessantly on the means of escape, and this without concert, each was aware of the uselessness of attempting any project of the sort that was not deeply laid and promptly executed. They had been long enough in the encampment, and were sufficiently observant to have ascertained that Hist, also, was a sort of captive; and, presuming on the circumstance, Hutter spoke in her presence more openly than he might otherwise have thought it prudent to do, inducing Hurry to be equally unguarded by his example.

“I’ll not blame, you, Hetty, for coming on this errand, which was well meant, if not very wisely planned,” commenced the father, seating himself by the side of his daughter, and taking her hand, a sign of affection that this rude being was accustomed to manifest to this particular child; “but preaching and the Bible are not the means to turn an Indian from his ways. Has Deerslayer sent any message; or has he any scheme by which he thinks to get us free?”

“Ay, that’s the substance of it!” put in Hurry; “if you can help us, gal, to half a mile of freedom, or even a good start of a short quarter, I’ll answer for the rest. Perhaps the old man may want a little more, but for one of my height and years that will meet all objections.”

Hetty looked distressed, turning her eyes from one to the other; but she had no answer to give to the question of the reckless Hurry “Father,” she said, “neither Deerslayer nor Judith knew of my coming, until I had left the ark. They are afraid the Iroquois will make a raft, and try to get off to the hut, and think more of defending that, than of coming to aid you.”

“No—no—no,” said Hist, hurriedly, though in a low voice, and with her face bent towards the earth, in order to conceal from those whom she knew to be watching them the fact of her speaking at all. “No, no, no, Deerslayer different man. He no t‘ink of defending ’self, with friend in danger. Help one another, and all get to hut.”

“This sounds well, old Tom,” said Hurry, winking and laughing, though he too used the precaution to speak low. “Give me a ready-witted squaw for a fri’nd, and though I’ll not downright defy an Iroquois, I think I would defy the devil.”

“No talk loud,” said Hist; “some Iroquois got Yengeese tongue, and all got Yengeese ear.”

“Have we a friend in you, young woman?” inquired Hutter, with an increasing interest in the conference. “If so, you may calculate on a solid reward; and nothing will be easier than to send you to your own tribe, if we can once fairly get you off with us to the castle. Give us the ark and the canoes, and we can command the lake, spite of all the savages in the Canadas. Nothing but artillery could drive us out of the castle, if we can get back to it.”

“S‘pose ’ey come ashore to take scalp?” retorted Hist, with cool irony, at which the girl appeared to be more expert than is common for her sex.

“Ay, ay—that was a mistake; but there is little use in lamentations, and less still, young woman, in flings.”

“Father,” said Hetty, “Judith thinks of breaking open the big chest, in hopes of finding something in that which may buy your freedom of the savages.”

A dark look came over Hutter, at the announcement of this fact, and he muttered his dissatisfaction in a way to render it intelligible enough.

“What for no break open chest?” put in Hist. “Life sweeter than old chest—scalp sweeter than old chest. If no tell darter to break him open, Wah-ta-Wah no help him to run away.”

“Ye know not what ye ask—ye are but silly girls, and the wisest way for ye both is to speak of what ye understand, and to speak of nothing else. I little like this cold neglect of the savages, Hurry; it’s a proof that they think of something serious, and if we are to do anything we must do it soon. Can we count on this young woman, think you?”