As the Pathfinder pointed with his finger, while speaking, the quick eye of Jasper soon caught the object toward which it was directed. One of the young warriors of the enemy, burning with a desire to distinguish himself, had stolen from his party toward the cover in which Chingachgook had concealed himself; and as the latter was deceived by the apparent apathy of his foes, as well as engaged in some further preparations of his own, he had evidently obtained a posi

the rapids of the rift. Perfectly helpless, the two | along the bank, this very moment, like one of remaining savages gazed wildly about them, but the boys of the garrison skulking behind a fallcould offer no resistance to the power of the ele- en tree to get a shot at a squirrel!" ment. It was, perhaps, fortunate for Chingachgook that the attention of most of the Iroquois was intently given to the situation of those in the boat, else would his escape have been to the last degree difficult, if not totally impracticable. But not a foe moved, except to conceal his person behind some cover, and every eye was riveted on the two remaining adventurers. In less time than has been necessary to record these occurrences, the canoe was whirling and tossing in the rift, while both the savages had stretched them-tion where he got a sight of the Delaware. This cirselves in its bottom, as the only means of preserving the equilibrium. This natural expedient soon failed them; for, striking a rock, the light craft rolled over, and the two warriors were thrown into the river. The water is seldom deep on a rift, except in particular places where it may have worn channels, and there was little to be apprehended from drowning, though their arms were lost, and the two savages were fain to make the best of their way to the friendly shore, swimming and wading as circumstances required. The canoe itself lodged on a rock, in the centre of the stream, where, for the moment, it became useless to both parties.

"Now is our time, Pathfinder," cried Jasper, as the two Iroquois exposed most of their persons while wading in the shallowest part of the rapids "The fellow up-stream is mine, and you can take the lower."

So excited had the young man become, by all the incidents of the stirring scene, that the bullet sped from his rifle as he spoke, but uselessly, as it would seem, for both the fugitives tossed their arms in disdain. The Pathfinder did not fire.

"No-no-Eau-douce," he answered, "I do not seek blood without a cause, and my bullet is well leathered and carefully driven down, for the time of need. I love no Mingo, as is just, seeing how much I have consorted with the Delawares, who are their mortal and natʼral enemies; but I pull no trigger on one of the miscreants unless it be plain that his death will lead to some good ind. The deer never leaped that fell by my hand wantonly. By living much alone with God in the wilderness, a man gets to feel the justice of such opinions. One life is sufficient for our present wants, and there may yet be occasion to use Killdeer in behalf of the Sarpent, who has done an untimorsome thing to let them rampant devils so plainly know that he is in their neighborhood. As I'm a wicked sinner, there is one of them prowling

cumstance was apparent by the arrangements the Iroquois was making to fire, for Chingachgook himself was not visible from the western side of the river. The rift was at a bend in the Oswego, and the sweep of the eastern shore formed a curve so wide that Chingachgook was quite near to his enemies in a straight direction, though separated by several hundred feet on the land, owing to which fact air lines brought both parties nearly equidistant from the Pathfinder and Jasper. The general width of the river being a little less than two hundred yards, such necessarily was about the distance detween his two observers and the skulking Iroquois.

"The Sarpent must be thereabouts," observed Pathfinder, who never turned his eye for an instant from the young warrior; “and yet he must be strangely off his guard to allow a Mingo devil to get his stand so near, with manifest signs of bloodshed in his heart."

"See," interrupted Jasper-" there is the body of the Indian the Delaware shot! It has drifted on a rock, and the current has forced the head and face above the water."

"Quite likely, boy; quite likely. Human natur' is little better than a log of drift-wood, when the life that was breathed into its nostrils has departed. That Iroquois will never harm any one more; but yonder skulking savage is bent on taking the scalp of my best and most tried friend-"

The Pathfinder suddenly interrupted himself, by raising his rifle, a weapon of unusual length, with admirable precision, and firing the instant it got its level. The Iroquois on the opposite shore was in the act of aiming when the fatal messenger from Killdeer arrived. His rifle was discharged, it is true, but it was with the muzzle in the air, while the man himself plunged into the bushes, quite evidently hurt, if not slain.

"The skulking riptyle brought it on himself," muttered Pathfinder, sternly, as, dropping the

CHINGACHGOOK'S STRATAGEM.

35

and none but a Delaware would wear that paint. Them are his colors, Jasper, just as your craft on the lake wears St. George's cross, and the Frenchers set their table-cloths to fluttering in the wind, with all the stains of fish-bones and venison-steaks upon them. Now, you see the

breech of his rifle, he carefully commenced re- | jin ?-No-no-boy; 'tis the paint that speaks, loading it. "Chingachgook and I have consorted together since we were boys, and have fou't in company, on the Horican, the Mohawk, the Ontario, and all the other bloody passes atween the country of the Frenchers and our own; and did the foolish knave believe that I would stand by and see my best friend cut off in an ambush-eye, lad, and it is the eye of a chief. But, Eaument!"

"We have served the Serpent as good a turn as he served us. Those rascals are troubled, Pathfinder, and are falling back into their covers, since they find we can reach them across the river."

"The shot is no great matter, Jasper-no great matter. Ask any of the 60th, and they can tell you what Killdeer can do, and has done, and that too when the bullets were flying about our heads like hailstones. No-no-this is no great matter, and the onthoughtful vagabond drew it down on himself."

douce, fierce as it is in battle, and glassy as it looks from among the leaves-" here the Pathfinder laid his finger lightly but impressively on his companion's arm-"I have seen it shed tears like rain. There is a soul and a heart under that red skin, rely on it; although they are a soul and a heart with gifts different from our own.”

"No one, who is acquainted with the chief, ever doubted that."

"I know it," returned the other, proudly, "for I have consorted with him in sorrow and in joy; in one I have found him a man, however stricken; in the other, a chief who knows that the women

"Is that a dog, or a deer, swimming toward of his tribe are the most seemly in light merrithis shore?"

Pathfinder started, for, sure enough, an object was crossing the stream above the rift, toward which, however, it was gradually setting by the force of the current. A second look satisfied both the observers that it was a man, and an Indian, though so concealed as at first to render it doubtful. Some stratagem was apprehended, and the closest attention was given to the movements of the stranger.

ment.

But hist! It is too much like the people of the settlements to pour soft speeches into another's ear; and the Sarpent has keen senses. He knows I love him, and that I speak well of him behind his back; but a Delaware has modesty in his inmost natur', though he will brag like a sinner when tied to a stake."

The Serpent now reached the shore, directly in the front of his two comrades, with whose precise position he must have been acquainted be

"He is pushing something before him, as he fore leaving the eastern side of the river, and risswims, and his head resembles a drifting bush!"ing from the water he shook himself like a dog said Jasper. and made the usual exclamation"Hugh!"

""Tis Injin deviltry, boy; but Christian honesty shall sarcumvent his arts."

As the man slowly approached, the observers began to doubt the accuracy of their first impressions, and it was only when two-thirds of the stream were passed, that the truth was really known.

"The Big Sarpent, as I live!" exclaimed Pathfinder, looking at his companion, and laughing until the tears came into his eyes with pure delight at the success of the artifice. "He has tied bushes to his head so as to hide it, put the horn on top, lashed the rifle to that bit of log he is pushing before him, and has come over to join his friends. Ah's me! The times and times that he and I have cut such pranks, right in the teeth of Mingoes raging for our blood, in the great thoroughfare round and about Ty!"

"It may not be the Serpent, after all, Pathfinder-I can see no feature that I remember."

"Featur'! Who looks for featur's in an In

CHAPTER VI.

'These, as they change, Almighty Father, these Are but the varied God."

THOMSON.

As the chief landed he was met by the Pathfinder, who addressed him in the language of the warrior's people.

"Was it well done, Chingachgook," he said, reproachfully, "to ambush a dozen Mingoes alone! Killdeer seldom fails me, it is true; but the Oswego makes a distant mark, and that miscreant showed little more than his head and shoulders above the bushes, and an onpractysed hand and eye might have failed. You should have thought of this, chief; you should have thought of this!"

"The Great Serpent is a Mohican warrior-he sees only his enemies, when he is on the war-path,

Here a great outcry from among the Iroquois was succeeded by the quick reports of their rifles; and so eager did the enemy become in the desire to drive the Delaware back from his victim, that a dozen rushed into the river, several of whom even advanced near a hundred feet into the foaming current, as if they actually meditated a serious sortie. But Chingachgook continued as unmoved, as he remained unhurt by the missiles, accomplishing his task with the dexterity of long habit. Flourishing his reeking trophy, he gave the warwhoop in its most frightful intonations, and, for a minute, the arches of the silent woods, and the “A savage will be a savage, Pathfinder, let deep vista formed by the course of the river, him keep what company he may." echoed with cries so terrific that Mabel bowed

IN COUNCIL.

"Go on," said Jasper; "Master Cap thinks he is on the ocean-water leaves no trail-”

sea.

"It leaves none, Eau-douce, hereaway, though I do not pretend to say what it may leave on the Then a canoe is both swift and easy, when it floats with the current, and the tender limbs of the sergeant's daughter will be favored by its motion. But, on the other hand, the river will have no cover but the clouds in the heavens, the rift is a ticklish thing for boats to venture into, even by daylight, and it is six fairly-measured miles, by water, from this spot to the garrison. Then a trail on land is not easy to be found in the dark. I am troubled, Jasper, to say which way we ought to counsel and advise."

"If the Serpent and myself could swim into the river, and bring off the other canoe," the young sailor replied, "it would seem to me that our safest course would be the water."

This was easily effected. The canoe was laid against the bank, and Mabel and her uncle entered it, taking their seats as usual; while the Pathfinder, erect in the stern, held by a bush, in order to prevent the swift stream from sweeping them down its current. Several minutes of intense and breathless expectation followed, while they awaited the result of the bold attempt of their comrades.

It will be understood that the two adventurers were compelled to swim across a deep and rapid channel, ere they could reach a part of the rift that admitted of wading. This portion of the enterprise was soon effected; and Jasper and the Serpent struck the bottom, side by side, at the same instant. Having secured firm footing, they took hold of each other's hands, and waded slowly and with extreme caution, in the supposed direction of the canoe. But the darkness was already so deep, that they soon ascertained they were to be but little aided by the sense of sight, and that their search must be conducted on that species of instinct which enables the woodsman to find his way, when the sun is hid, no stars appear, and all would seem chaos to one less accustomed to the mazes of the forest. Under these circumstances, Jasper submitted to be guided by the Delaware, whose habits best fitted him to take the lead. Still it was no easy matter to wade amid the roaring element at that "I will undertake any thing that will serve and hour, and retain a clear recollection of the localiprotect Mabel, Pathfinder."

"If, indeed! and yet it might easily be done, as soon as it is a little darker. Well, well, considering the sergeant's daughter, and her gifts, I am not sartain it will not be the best. Though, were we only a party of men, it would be like a hunt to the lusty and brave, to play at hide-andseek with yonder miscreants, on the other shore. Jasper," continued the guide, into whose character there entered no ingredient that belonged to vain display or theatrical effect, "will you undertake to bring in the canoe ?"

“That is an upright feeling, and I suppose it is natur'. The Sarpent, who is nearly naked already, can help you, and this will be cutting off one of the means of them devils to work their harm."

This material point being settled, the dfferent members of the party prepared themselves to put the project into execution. The shades of evening fell fast upon the forest, and by the time all was ready for the attempt, it was found impossible to discern objects on the opposite shore. Time now pressed, for Indian cunning could devise so many expedients for passing so narrow a stream, that the Pathfinder was getting impatient to quit the spot. While Jasper and his companion entered the river, armed with nothing but their knives and the Delaware's tomahawk, observing the greatest caution not to betray their movements, the guide brought Mabel from her place of concealment, and, bidding her and Cap proceed along the shore to the foot of the rapids, he got into the canoe that remained in his possession, in order to carry it to the same place.

ties. By the time they believed themselves to be in the centre of the stream, the two shores were discernible merely by masses of obscurity denser than common, the outlines against the clouds being barely distinguishable by the ragged tops of the trees. Once or twice the wanderers altered their course, in consequence of unexpectedly stepping into deep water, for they knew that the boat had lodged on the shallowest part of the rift. In short, with this fact for their compass, Jasper and his companion wandered about in the water for near a quarter of an hour, and at the end of that period, which began to appear interminable to the young man, they found themselves apparently no nearer the object of their search than they had been at its commencement. Just as the Delaware was about to stop, in order to inform his associate that they would do well to return to the land, in order to take a fresh departure, he saw the form of a man, moving about in the water, almost within reach of his arm. Jasper was at his side, and he at once understood that the Iroquois were engaged on the same errand as he was himself.