Her ingenuity had barely
sufficed to enable her to seize the canoe and to quit the Ark, in
the noiseless manner related, and then it appeared to be momentarily
exhausted. Even the doublings of the canoe had been as much the
consequence of an uncertain hand and of nervous agitation, as of
any craftiness or calculation.
The pause continued several minutes, during which Deerslayer and
the Delaware conferred together in the language of the latter.
Then the oars dipped, again, and the Ark moved away, rowing with as
little noise as possible. It steered westward, a little southerly,
or in the direction of the encampment of the enemy. Having reached
a point at no great distance from the shore, and where the obscurity
was intense on account of the proximity of the land, it lay there
near an hour, in waiting for the expected approach of Hetty, who,
it was thought, would make the best of her way to that spot as
soon as she believed herself released from the danger of pursuit.
No success rewarded this little blockade, however, neither appearance
nor sound denoting the passage of the canoe. Disappointed at this
failure, and conscious of the importance of getting possession of
the fortress before it could be seized by the enemy, Deerslayer
now took his way towards the castle, with the apprehension that
all his foresight in securing the canoes would be defeated by this
unguarded and alarming movement on the part of the feeble-minded
Hetty.
Pages:
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276