"
So far as it was in his power, Deerslayer was as good as his word.
In less than five minutes after this speech was made, the whole
party was in the ark, and in motion. There was a gentle breeze
from the north, and boldly hoisting the sail, the young man laid
the head of the unwieldy craft in such a direction, as, after making
a liberal but necessary allowance for leeway, would have brought
it ashore a couple of miles down the lake, and on its eastern side.
The sailing of the ark was never very swift, though, floating as
it did on the surface, it was not difficult to get it in motion, or
to urge it along over the water at the rate of some three or four
miles in the hour. The distance between the castle and the rock
was a little more than two leagues. Knowing the punctuality of
an Indian, Deerslayer had made his calculations closely, and had
given himself a little more time than was necessary to reach the
place of rendezvous, with a view to delay or to press his arrival,
as might prove most expedient. When he hoisted the sail, the sun
lay above the western hills, at an elevation that promised rather
more than two hours of day; and a few minutes satisfied him that
the progress of the scow was such as to equal his expectations.
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