The parties in the Ark, and in the canoe, were indebted to the
ferocity of Hurry's attack for their momentary security. In any
ordinary case, the girls would have been immediately captured, a
measure easy of execution now the savages had a canoe, were it not
for the rude check the audacity of the Hurons had received in the
recent struggle. It required some little time to recover from the
effects of this violent scene, and this so much the more, because
the principal man of the party, in the way of personal prowess
at least, had been so great a sufferer. Still it was of the last
importance that Judith and her sister should seek immediate refuge
in the Ark, where the defences offered a temporary shelter at least,
and the first step was to devise the means of inducing them to do
so. Hist showed herself in the stern of the scow, and made many
gestures and signs, in vain, in order to induce the girls to make
a circuit to avoid the Castle, and to approach the Ark from the
eastward. But these signs were distrusted or misunderstood. It
is probable Judith was not yet sufficiently aware of the real state
of things to put full confidence in either party. Instead of doing
as desired, she rather kept more aloof, paddling slowly back to
the north, or into the broadest part of the lake, where she could
command the widest view, and had the fairest field for flight
before her.
Pages:
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587