ead in his
tracks, shot through the brain. The other came from the _Scud_. The last
was the piece of the Delaware, but, less true than that of his friend,
it only maimed an enemy for life. The people of the _Scud_ shouted, and
the savages sank again, to a man, as if it might be into the earth.

"That was the Sarpent's voice," said Pathfinder, as soon as the second
piece was discharged. "I know the crack of his rifle as well as I do
that of Killdeer. 'Tis a good barrel, though not sartain death. Well,
well, with Chingachgook and Jasper on the water, and you and I in the
block, friend Cap, it will be hard if we don't teach these Mingo scamps
the rationality of a fight."

All this time the _Scud_ was in motion. As soon as he had reached the
end of the island, Jasper sent his prizes adrift; and they went down
before the wind until they stranded on a point half a mile to leeward.
He then wore, and came stemming the current again, through the other
passage. Those on the summit of the block could now perceive that
something was in agitation on the deck of the _Scud_; and, to their
great delight, just as the cutter came abreast of the principal cove,
on the spot where most of the enemy lay, the howitzer which composed her
sole armament was unmasked, and a shower of case-shot was sent hissing
into the bushes. A bevy of quail would not have risen quicker than this
unexpected discharge of iron hail put up the Iroquois; when a second
savage fell by a messenger sent from Killdeer, and another went
limping away by a visit from the rifle of Chingachgook. New covers were
immediately found, however; and each party seemed to prepare for the
renewal of the strife in another form. But the appearance of June,
bearing a white flag, and accompanied by the French officer and Muir,
stayed the hands of all, and was the forerunner of another parley. The
negotiation that followed was held beneath the blockhouse; and so near
it as at once to put those who were uncovered completely at the mercy
of Pathfinder's unerring aim. Jasper anchored directly abeam; and
the howitzer, too, was kept trained upon the negotiators: so that the
besieged and their friends, with the exception of the man who held the
match, had no hesitation about exposing their persons. Chingachgook
alone lay in ambush; more, however, from habit than distrust.

"You've triumphed, Pathfinder," called out the Quartermaster, "and
Captain Sanglier has come himself to offer terms. You'll