ecious moments. He also knew that
his only hope was to run in a straight line, for as soon as he began to
turn, or double, the greater number of his pursuers would put escape out
of the question. He held his way therefore, in a diagonal direction up
the acclivity, which was neither very high nor very steep in this part
of the mountain, but which was sufficiently toilsome for one contending
for life, to render it painfully oppressive. There, however, he
slackened his speed to recover breath, proceeding even at a quick walk,
or a slow trot, along the more difficult parts of the way. The Hurons
were whooping and leaping behind him, but this he disregarded, well
knowing they must overcome the difficulties he had surmounted ere they
could reach the elevation to which he had attained. The summit of the
first hill was now quite near him, and he saw, by the formation of the
land, that a deep glen intervened before the base of a second hill could
be reached. Walking deliberately to the summit, he glanced eagerly about
him in every direction in quest of a cover. None offered in the ground,
but a fallen tree lay near him, and desperate circumstances required
desperate remedies. This tree lay in a line parallel to the glen, at the
brow of the hill. To leap on it, and then to force his person as close
as possible under its lower side, took but a moment. Previously to
disappearing from his pursuers, however, Deerslayer stood on the height
and gave a cry of triumph, as if exulting at the sight of the descent
that lay before him. In the next instant he was stretched beneath the
tree.

No sooner was this expedient adopted, than the young man ascertained how
desperate had been his own efforts, by the violence of the pulsations in
his frame. He could hear his heart beat, and his breathing was like the
action of a bellows, in quick motion. Breath was gained, however,
and the heart soon ceased to throb as if about to break through its
confinement. The footsteps of those who toiled up the opposite side
of the acclivity were now audible, and presently voices and treads
announced the arrival of the pursuers. The foremost shouted as they
reached the height; then, fearful that their enemy would escape under
favor of the descent, each leaped upon the fallen tree and plunged into
the ravine, trusting to get a sight of the pursued ere he reached the
bottom. In this manner, Huron followed Huron until Natty began to hope
the whole had passed. Others