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By Root 1228 0

Deerslayer had proceeded promptly; for while he did not in the least doubt that he was both watched and followed by the foe, he believed he had distracted their movements by the apparent uncertainty of his own, and he knew they could have no means of ascertaining that the rock was his aim unless indeed one of the prisoners had betrayed him; a chance so improbable in itself as to give him no concern. Notwithstanding the celerity and decision of his movements, he did not, however, venture so near the shore, without taking due precautions to effect a retreat, in the event of its becoming necessary. He held the line in his hand, and Judith was stationed at a loop on the side of the cabin next the shore, where she could watch the beach and the rocks, and give timely notice of the approach of either friend or foe. Hetty was also placed on watch, but it was to keep the trees overhead in view, lest some enemy might ascend one, and, by completely commanding the interior of the scow, render the defenses of the hut or cabin useless.

The sun had disappeared from the lake and valley when Deerslayer checked the ark in the manner mentioned. Still it wanted a few minutes to the true sunset, and he knew Indian punctuality too well to anticipate any unmanly haste in his friend. The great question was, whether, surrounded by enemies as he was known to be, he had escaped their toils. The occurrences of the last twenty-four hours must be a secret to him, and, like himself, Chingachgook was yet young on a warpath.3 It was true, he came prepared to encounter the party that withheld his promised bride, but he had no means of ascertaining the extent of the danger he ran, or the precise positions occupied by either friends or foes. In a word, the trained sagacity and untiring caution of an Indian were all he had to rely on, amid the critical risks he unavoidably ran.

“Is the rock empty, Judith?” inquired Deerslayer, as soon as he had checked the drift of the ark, deeming it imprudent to venture unnecessarily near the shore. “Is anything to be seen of the Delaware chief?”

“Nothing, Deerslayer. Neither rock, shore, tree, nor lake seems to have ever held a human form.”

“Keep close, Judith—keep close, Hetty—a rifle has a prying eye, a nimble foot, and a desperate fatal tongue. Keep close, then, but keep up actyve looks, and be on the alart. ’T would grieve me to the very heart did any harm befall either of you.”

“And you, Deerslayer!” exclaimed Judith, turning her handsome face from the loop, to bestow a gracious and grateful look on the young man; “do you ‘keep close,’ and have a proper care that the savages do not catch a glimpse of you! A bullet might be as fatal to you as to one of us; and the blow that you felt would be felt by all.”

“No fear of me, Judith—no fear of me, my good gal. Do not look this a way, although you look so pleasant and comely, but keep your eyes on the rock, and the shore, and the—”

Deerslayer was interrupted by a slight exclamation from the girl, who, in obedience to his hurried gestures, as much as in obedience to his words, had immediately bent her looks again in the opposite direction.

“What is’t?—what is’t, Judith?” he hastily demanded. “Is anything to be seen?”

“There is a man on the rock!—an Indian warrior in his paint, and armed!”

“Where does he wear his hawk’s feather?” eagerly added Deerslayer, relaxing his hold of the line, in readiness to drift nearer the place of rendezvous. “Is it fast to the war-lock, or does he carry it above the left ear?”

“ ’Tis as you say, above the left ear; he smiles, too, and mutters the word ‘Mohican.’ ”

“God be praised, ’tis the Sarpent at last!” exclaimed the young man, suffering the line to slip through his hands until, hearing a light bound in the other end of the craft, he instantly checked the rope, and began to haul it in again, under the assurance that his object was effected.

At that moment the door of the cabin was opened hastily, and a warrior, darting through the little room, stood at Deerslayer’s side, simply uttering the exclamation “Hugh!” At the next instant