nferior classes.

The girl was quite an hour finding her way to the point, the distance
and the obscurity equally detaining her, but she was no sooner on the
gravelly beach than she prepared to set the canoe adrift, in the manner
mentioned. While in the act of pushing it from her, she heard low
voices that seemed to come among the trees behind her. Startled at this
unexpected danger Hetty was on the point of springing into the canoe
in order to seek safety in flight, when she thought she recognized the
tones of Judith's melodious voice. Bending forward so as to catch the
sounds more directly, they evidently came from the water, and then she
understood that the Ark was approaching from the south, and so close
in with the western shore, as necessarily to cause it to pass the point
within twenty yards of the spot where she stood. Here, then, was all she
could desire; the canoe was shoved off into the lake, leaving its late
occupant alone on the narrow strand.

When this act of self-devotion was performed, Hetty did not retire. The
foliage of the overhanging trees and bushes would have almost concealed
her person, had there been light, but in that obscurity it was utterly
impossible to discover any object thus shaded, at the distance of a few
feet. Flight, too, was perfectly easy, as twenty steps would effectually
bury her in the forest. She remained, therefore, watching with intense
anxiety the result of her expedient, intending to call the attention
of the others to the canoe with her voice, should they appear to
pass without observing it. The Ark approached under its sail, again,
Deerslayer standing in its bow, with Judith near him, and the Delaware
at the helm. It would seem that in the bay below it had got too close to
the shore, in the lingering hope of intercepting Hetty, for, as it came
nearer, the latter distinctly heard the directions that the young man
forward gave to his companion aft, in order to clear the point.

"Lay her head more off the shore, Delaware," said Deerslayer for the
third time, speaking in English that his fair companion might understand
his words--"Lay her head well off shore. We have got embayed here, and
needs keep the mast clear of the trees. Judith, there's a canoe!"

The last words were uttered with great earnestness, and Deerslayer's
hand was on his rifle ere they were fairly out of his mouth. But the
truth flashed on the mind of the quick-witted girl, and she instantly
told her compan