You see the vagabonds can make logs sarve their turn, as
well as the best raftsmen on the rivers, and it would be no great
expl'ite for them to invade us in a body. I've been thinking of
the wisdom of putting all old Tom's stores into the Ark, of barring
and locking up the Castle, and of taking to the Ark, altogether.
That is moveable, and by keeping the sail up, and shifting places,
we might worry through a great many nights, without them Canada
wolves finding a way into our sheep fold!"
Chingachgook listened to this plan with approbation. Did the
negotiation fail, there was now little hope that the night would
pass without an assault, and the enemy had sagacity enough to
understand that in carrying the castle they would probably become
masters of all it contained, the offered ransom included, and still
retain the advantages they had hitherto gained. Some precaution
of the sort appeared to be absolutely necessary, for now the
numbers of the Iroquois were known, a night attack could scarcely
be successfully met. It would be impossible to prevent the enemy
from getting possession of the canoes and the Ark, and the latter
itself would be a hold in which the assailants would be as effectually
protected against bullets as were those in the building.
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