"
"So much the more reason for being prudent and silent. I do not
think the inimy can have found their way into these hills yet, for
I don't know what they are to gain by it, but all the Delawares
tell me that, as courage is a warrior's first vartue, so is prudence
his second. One such call from the mountains, is enough to let a
whole tribe into the secret of our arrival."
"If it does no other good, it will warn old Tom to put the pot
over, and let him know visiters are at hand. Come, lad; get into
the canoe, and we will hunt the ark up, while there is yet day."
Deerslayer complied, and the canoe left the spot. Its head was
turned diagonally across the lake, pointing towards the south-eastern
curvature of the sheet. In that direction, the distance to the
shore, or to the termination of the lake, on the course the two
were now steering, was not quite a mile, and, their progress being
always swift, it was fast lessening under the skilful, but easy
sweeps of the paddles. When about half way across, a slight noise
drew the eyes of the men towards the nearest land, and they saw
that the buck was just emerging from the lake and wading towards
the beach. In a minute, the noble animal shook the water from
his flanks, gazed up ward at the covering of trees, and, bounding
against the bank, plunged into the forest.
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