At this instant the sun appeared above the pines of
the eastern range of mountains and a light southerly breeze arose,
as was usual enough at that season and hour. Chingachgook lost no
time in hoisting the sail. Whatever might be in reserve for him,
there could be no question that it was every way desirable to get
the Ark at such a distance from the castle as to reduce his enemies
to the necessity of approaching the former in the canoe, which the
chances of war had so inopportunely, for his wishes and security,
thrown into their hands. The appearance of the opening duck seemed
first to arouse the Hurons from their apathy, and by the time
the head of the scow had fallen off before the wind, which it did
unfortunately in the wrong direction, bringing it within a few yards
of the platform, Hist found it necessary to warn her lover of the
importance of covering his person against the rifles of his foes.
This was a danger to be avoided under all circumstances, and so
much the more, because the Delaware found that Hist would not take
to the cover herself so long as he remained exposed. Accordingly,
Chingachgook abandoned the scow to its own movements, forced Hist
into the cabin, the doors of which he immediately secured, and then
he looked about him for the rifles.
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