"
Here the hunter stopped speaking and broke out into a hearty fit of
his silent and peculiar laughter. Hurry's legs were just released,
and he had been placed on his feet. So tightly had the ligatures
been drawn, that the use of his limbs was not immediately recovered,
and the young giant presented, in good sooth, a very helpless
and a somewhat ludicrous picture. It was this unusual spectacle,
particularly the bewildered countenance, that excited the merriment
of Deerslayer.
"You look like a girdled pine in a clearin', Hurry Harry, that
is rocking in a gale," said Deerslayer, checking his unseasonable
mirth, more from delicacy to the others than from any respect to
the liberated captive. "I'm glad, howsever, to see that you haven't
had your hair dressed by any of the Iroquois barbers, in your late
visit to their camp."
"Harkee, Deerslayer," returned the other a little fiercely, "it
will be prudent for you to deal less in mirth and more in friendship
on this occasion. Act like a Christian, for once, and not like a
laughing gal in a country school when the master's back is turned,
and just tell me whether there's any feet, or not, at the end of
these legs of mine.
Pages:
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426