sary to record these occurrences, the canoe was whirling and
tossing in the rift, while both the savages had stretched themselves
in its bottom, as the only means of preserving the equilibrium. This
natural expedient soon failed them; for, striking a rock, the light
draft rolled over, and the two warriors were thrown into the river. The
water is seldom deep on a rift, except in particular places where it
may have worn channels; and there was little to be apprehended from
drowning, though their arms were lost; and the two savages were fain to
make the best of their way to the friendly shore, swimming and wading as
circumstances required. The canoe itself lodged on a rock in the centre
of the stream, where for the moment it became useless to both parties.

"Now is our time, Pathfinder," cried Jasper, as the two Iroquois exposed
most of their persons while wading in the shallowest part of the rapids:
"the fellow up stream is mine, and you can take the lower."

So excited had the young man become by all the incidents of the stirring
scene, that the bullet sped from his rifle as he spoke, but uselessly,
as it would seem, for both the fugitives tossed their arms in disdain.
The Pathfinder did not fire.

"No, no, Eau-douce," he answered; "I do not seek blood without a cause;
and my bullet is well leathered and carefully driven down, for the time
of need. I love no Mingo, as is just, seeing how much I have consorted
with the Delawares, who are their mortal and natural enemies; but I
never pull trigger on one of the miscreants unless it be plain that his
death will lead to some good end. The deer never leaped that fell by
my hand wantonly. By living much alone with God in the wilderness a man
gets to feel the justice of such opinions. One life is sufficient for
our present wants; and there may yet be occasion to use Killdeer in
behalf of the Sarpent, who has done an untimorsome thing to let them
rampant devils so plainly know that he is in their neighborhood. As I'm
a wicked sinner, there is one of them prowling along the bank this very
moment, like one of the boys of the garrison skulking behind a fallen
tree to get a shot at a squirrel!"

As the Pathfinder pointed with his finger while speaking, the quick eye
of Jasper soon caught the object towards which it was directed. One of
the young warriors of the enemy, burning with a desire to distinguish
himself, had stolen from his party towards the cover in which
Chingachgook ha