There was, indeed, a narrow stripe of
water, in the centre of the lake where the dim light that was still
shed from the heavens, fell upon its surface in a line extending
north and south; and along this faint track, a sort of inverted
milky way, in which the obscurity was not quite as dense as in other
places, the scow held her course, he who steered well knowing that
it led in the direction he wished to go. The reader is not to
suppose, however, that any difficulty could exist as to the course.
This would have been determined by that of the air, had it not
been possible to distinguish the mountains, as well as by the dim
opening to the south, which marked the position of the valley in
that quarter, above the plain of tall trees, by a sort of lessened
obscurity; the difference between the darkness of the forest, and
that of the night, as seen only in the air. The peculiarities at
length caught the attention of Judith and the Deerslayer, and the
conversation ceased, to allow each to gaze at the solemn stillness
and deep repose of nature.
"'Tis a gloomy night -" observed the girl, after a pause of several
minutes - "I hope we may be able to find the castle."
"Little fear of our missing that, if we keep this path in the middle
of the lake," returned the young man.
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