See; this
is the spot you come to find!" This remark cut short the discourse,
and both the men now gave all their attention to the object
immediately before them. Deerslayer pointed out to his companion
the trunk of a huge linden, or bass-wood, as it is termed in the
language of the country, which had filled its time, and fallen by
its own weight. This tree, like so many millions of its brethren,
lay where it had fallen, and was mouldering under the slow but
certain influence of the seasons. The decay, however, had attacked
its centre, even while it stood erect in the pride of vegetation,
bellowing out its heart, as disease sometimes destroys the vitals
of animal life, even while a fair exterior is presented to the
observer. As the trunk lay stretched for near a hundred feet along
the earth, the quick eye of the hunter detected this peculiarity,
and from this and other circumstances, he knew it to be the tree
of which March was in search.
"Ay, here we have what we want," cried Hurry, looking in at the
larger end of the linden; "everything is as snug as if it had been
left in an old woman's cupboard. Come, lend me a hand, Deerslayer,
and we'll be afloat in half an hour.
Pages:
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51