Your being there can do no harm,
not even to yourself, and may do great good to Deerslayer."
"This is not a moment, Judith, to dispute, and so have the matter
your own way," returned the young man. "Get yourself ready, Hetty,
and go into the canoe, for I've a few parting words to say to your
sister, which can do you no good."
Judith and her companion continued silent, until Hetty had so far
complied as to leave them alone, when Deerslayer took up the subject,
as if it had been interrupted by some ordinary occurrence, and in
a very matter of fact way.
"Words spoken at parting, and which may be the last we ever hear
from a fri'nd are not soon forgotten," he repeated, "and so Judith,
I intend to speak to you like a brother, seein' I'm not old enough
to be your father. In the first place, I wish to caution you ag'in
your inimies, of which two may be said to ha'nt your very footsteps,
and to beset your ways. The first is oncommon good looks, which is
as dangerous a foe to some young women, as a whole tribe of Mingos
could prove, and which calls for great watchfulness -not to admire
and praise - but to distrust and sarcumvent. Yes, good looks may
be sarcumvented, and fairly outwitted, too.
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