The latter
was still a quarter of a mile distant, when Chingachgook came
silently to the side of his friend and pointed to a place directly
ahead. A small fire was glimmering just within the verge of
the bushes that lined the shore on the southern side of the point
-leaving no doubt that the Indians had suddenly removed their camp
to the very place, or at least the very projection of land where
Hist had given them the rendezvous!
Chapter XVI
"I hear thee babbling to the vale
Of sunshine and of flowers,
But unto me thou bring'st a tale
Of visionary hours."
Wordsworth.
One discovery mentioned at the close of the preceding chapter
was of great moment in the eyes of Deerslayer and his friend. In
the first place, there was the danger, almost the certainty, that
Hutter and Hurry would make a fresh attempt on this camp, should
they awake and ascertain its position. Then there was the increased
risk of landing to bring off Hist; and there were the general
uncertainty and additional hazards that must follow from the
circumstance that their enemies had begun to change their positions.
As the Delaware was aware that the hour was near when he ought to
repair to the rendezvous, he no longer thought of trophies torn
from his foes, and one of the first things arranged between him and
his associate was to permit the two others to sleep on, lest they
should disturb the execution of their plans by substituting some
of their own.
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