It's a wonderment to me how you got us off, Deerslayer;
and I forgive you the interference that prevented my doin' justice
on that vagabond, for this small service. Let us into the secret,
that we may do you the same good turn, at need. Was it by lying,
or by coaxing?"
"By neither, Hurry, but by buying. We paid a ransom for you both,
and that, too, at a price so high you had well be on your guard
ag'in another captyvement, lest our stock of goods shouldn't hold
out."
"A ransom! Old Tom has paid the fiddler, then, for nothing of
mine would have bought off the hair, much less the skin. I didn't
think men as keen set as them vagabonds would let a fellow up so
easy, when they had him fairly at a close hug, and floored. But
money is money, and somehow it's unnat'ral hard to withstand.
Indian or white man, 'tis pretty much the same. It must be owned,
Judith, there's a considerable of human natur' in mankind ginirally,
arter all!"
Hutter now rose, and signing to Deerslayer, he led him to an inner
room, where, in answer to his questions, he first learned the price
that had been paid for his release. The old man expressed neither
resentment nor surprise at the inroad that had been made on his
chest, though he did manifest some curiosity to know how far the
investigation of its contents had been carried.
Pages:
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432