In a word, this cool and sagacious
savage was not so easily imposed on as his followers, and with a
sentiment of honor that half the civilized world would have deemed
supererogatory, he declined the acceptance of a bribe that he felt
no disposition to earn by a compliance with the donor's wishes.
"Let my daughter keep her two-tailed hog, to eat when venison
is scarce," he drily answered, "and the little gun, which has two
muzzles. The Hurons will kill deer when they are hungry, and they
have long rifles to fight with. This hunter cannot quit my young
men now; they wish to know if he is as stouthearted as he boasts
himself to be."
"That I deny, Huron -" interrupted Deerslayer, with warmth - "Yes,
that I downright deny, as ag'in truth and reason. No man has heard
me boast, and no man shall, though ye flay me alive, and then roast
the quivering flesh, with your own infarnal devices and cruelties!
I may be humble, and misfortunate, and your prisoner; but I'm no
boaster, by my very gifts."
"My young pale-face boasts he is no boaster," returned the crafty
chief: "he must be right. I hear a strange bird singing. It has
very rich feathers. No Huron ever before saw such feathers! They
will be ashamed to go back to their village, and tell their people
that they let their prisoner go on account of the song of this
strange bird and not be able to give the name of the bird.
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