All this
occupied less than a minute, when the arm of Deerslayer was thrown
around her waist, and she was dragged swiftly within the protection
of the cabin. This retreat was not effected too soon. Scarcely
were the two in safety, when the forest was filled with yells, and
bullets began to patter against the logs.
The ark being in swift motion all this while, it was beyond the
danger of pursuit by the time these little events had occurred;
and the savages, as soon as the first burst of their anger had
subsided, ceased firing, with the consciousness that they were
expending their ammunition in vain. When the scow came up over
her grapnel, Hutter tripped the latter in a way not to impede the
motion; and being now beyond the influence of the current, the vessel
continued to drift ahead, until fairly in the open lake, though
still near enough to the land to render exposure to a rifle-bullet
dangerous. Hutter and March got out two small sweeps and, covered
by the cabin, they soon urged the ark far enough from the shore to
leave no inducement to their enemies to make any further attempt
to injure them.
Chapter V.
"Why, let the strucken deer go weep,
The hart ungalled play,
For some must watch, while some must sleep,
Thus runs the world away.
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