their rigid features expressing neither hope nor alarm;
but the scout again turned his head, and, laughing in his own silent
manner, he said to Heyward:

"The knaves love to hear the sounds of their pieces, but the eye is not
to be found among the Mingoes that can calculate a true range in a
dancing canoe! You see the dumb devils have taken off a man to charge,
and by the smallest measurement that can be allowed we move three feet
to their two."

Duncan, who was not altogether as easy under this nice estimate of
distances as his companions, was glad to find, however, that, owing to
their superior dexterity, and the diversion among their enemies they
were very sensibly obtaining the advantage. The Hurons soon fired again,
and a bullet struck the blade of Hawkeye's paddle without injury.

"That will do," said the scout, examining the slight indentation with a
curious eye; "it would not have cut the skin of an infant, much less of
men who, like us, have been blown upon by the heavens in their anger.
Now, major, if you will try to use this piece of flattened wood, I'll
let 'Kill Deer' take a part in the conversation."

Heyward seized the paddle and applied himself to the work with an
eagerness that supplied the place of skill, while Hawkeye was engaged in
inspecting the priming of his rifle. The latter then took a swift aim
and fired. The Huron in the bows of the leading canoe had risen with a
similar object, and he now fell backward, suffering the gun to escape
from his hands into the water. In an instant, however, he recovered his
feet, though his gestures were wild and bewildered. At the same moment
his companions suspended their efforts, and the chasing canoes clustered
together and became stationary. Chingachgook and Uncas profited by the
interval to regain their wind, though Duncan continued to work with the
most persevering industry. The father and son now cast calm but
inquiring glances at each other, to learn if either had sustained any
injury by the fire; for both well knew that no cry or exclamation would,
in such a moment of necessity, have been permitted to betray the
accident. A few large drops of blood were trickling down the shoulders
of the sagamore, who, when he perceived that the eyes of Uncas dwelt
too long on the sight, raised some water in the hollow of his hand, and,
washing off the stain, was content to manifest, in this simple manner,
the slightness of the injury.

The lake now began to expand,