from your council, if, indeed, the matter was not
detarmined among you afore I got back."

"My old men would not sit in council over a pale-face until they saw him
among them," answered Rivenoak, looking around him a little ironically;
"they said it would be like sitting in council over the winds; they go
where they will, and come back as they see fit, and not otherwise. There
was one voice that spoke in your favor, Deerslayer, but it was alone,
like the song of the wren whose mate has been struck by the hawk."

"I thank that voice whosever it may have been, Mingo, and will say it
was as true a voice as the rest were lying voices. A furlough is as
binding on a pale-face, if he be honest, as it is on a red-skin, and was
it not so, I would never bring disgrace on the Delawares, among whom I
may be said to have received my edication. But words are useless, and
lead to braggin' feelin's; here I am; act your will on me."

Rivenoak made a sign of acquiescence, and then a short conference was
privately held among the chiefs. As soon as the latter ended, three or
four young men fell back from among the armed group, and disappeared.
Then it was signified to the prisoner that he was at liberty to go at
large on the point, until a council was held concerning his fate. There
was more of seeming, than of real confidence, however, in this apparent
liberality, inasmuch as the young men mentioned already formed a line of
sentinels across the breadth of the point, inland, and escape from any
other part was out of the question. Even the canoe was removed beyond
this line of sentinels, to a spot where it was considered safe from
any sudden attempt. These precautions did not proceed from a failure of
confidence, but from the circumstance that the prisoner had now complied
with all the required conditions of his parole, and it would have been
considered a commendable and honorable exploit to escape from his foes.
So nice, indeed, were the distinctions drawn by the savages in cases of
this nature, that they often gave their victims a chance to evade the
torture, deeming it as creditable to the captors to overtake, or to
outwit a fugitive, when his exertions were supposed to be quickened by
the extreme jeopardy of his situation, as it was for him to get clear
from so much extraordinary vigilance.

Nor was Deerslayer unconscious of, or forgetful, of his rights and of
his opportunities. Could he now have seen any probable opening for an
esc