Judith, who appeared to understand all her father's schemes of
defence, and who had the spirit to take no unimportant share in the
execution of them, explained all these details to the young man,
who was thus saved much time and labor in making his investigations.
Little was to be apprehended during the day. In possession of
the canoes and of the ark, no other vessel was to be found on the
lake. Nevertheless, Deerslayer well knew that a raft was soon made,
and, as dead trees were to be found in abundance near the water,
did the savages seriously contemplate the risks of an assault, it
would not be a very difficult matter to find the necessary means.
The celebrated American axe, a tool that is quite unrivalled in
its way, was then not very extensively known, and the savages were
far from expert in the use of its hatchet-like substitute; still,
they had sufficient practice in crossing streams by this mode to
render it certain they would construct a raft, should they deem
it expedient to expose themselves to the risks of an assault. The
death of their warrior might prove a sufficient incentive, or it
might act as a caution; but Deerslayer thought it more than possible
that the succeeding night would bring matters to a crisis, and
in this precise way.
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