"Must we reach the rock exactly at the moment the sun sets?" Judith
demanded of the young man, as they stood near each other, Deerslayer
holding the steering-oar, and she working with a needle at some
ornament of dress, that much exceeded her station in life, and was
altogether a novelty in the woods. "Will a few minutes, sooner or
later, alter the matter? It will be very hazardous to remain long
as near the shore as that rock!"
"That's it, Judith; that's the very difficulty! The rock's within
p'int blank for a shot-gun, and 'twill never do to hover about it
too close and too long. When you have to deal with an Injin, you
must calculate and manage, for a red natur' dearly likes sarcumvention.
Now you see, Judith, that I do not steer towards the rock at all,
but here to the eastward of it, whereby the savages will be tramping
off in that direction, and get their legs a-wearied, and all for
no advantage."
"You think, then, they see us, and watch our movements, Deerslayer?
I was in hopes they might have fallen back into the woods, and left
us to ourselves for a few hours."
"That's altogether a woman's consait. There's no let-up in an
Injin's watchfulness when he's on a war-path, and eyes are on us
at this minute, 'though the lake presarves us.
Pages:
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242