seat
for the use of the rowers. When the heavy moving craft was within fifty
feet of him, Deerslayer hailed the Hurons, directing them to cease
rowing, it not being his intention to permit them to land. Compliance,
of course, was necessary, and the two grim-looking warriors instantly
quitted their seats, though the raft continued slowly to approach, until
it had driven in much nearer to the platform.

"Are ye chiefs?" demanded Deerslayer with dignity--"Are ye chiefs?-Or
have the Mingos sent me warriors without names, on such an ar'n'd? If
so, the sooner ye go back, the sooner them will be likely to come that a
warrior can talk with."

"Hugh!" exclaimed the elder of the two on the raft, rolling his glowing
eyes over the different objects that were visible in and about the
Castle, with a keenness that showed how little escaped him. "My brother
is very proud, but Rivenoak (we use the literal translation of the term,
writing as we do in English) is a name to make a Delaware turn pale."

"That's true, or it's a lie, Rivenoak, as it may be; but I am not likely
to turn pale, seeing that I was born pale. What's your ar'n'd, and why
do you come among light bark canoes, on logs that are not even dug out?"

"The Iroquois are not ducks, to walk on water! Let the pale-faces give
them a canoe, and they'll come in a canoe."

"That's more rational, than likely to come to pass. We have but four
canoes, and being four persons that's only one for each of us. We thank
you for the offer, howsever, though we ask leave not to accept it. You
are welcome, Iroquois, on your logs."

"Thanks--My young pale-face warrior--he has got a name--how do the
chiefs call him?"

Deerslayer hesitated a moment, and a gleam of pride and human weakness
came over him. He smiled, muttered between his teeth, and then looking
up proudly, he said--"Mingo, like all who are young and actyve, I've
been known by different names, at different times. One of your warriors
whose spirit started for the Happy Grounds of your people, as lately
as yesterday morning, thought I desarved to be known by the name of
Hawkeye, and this because my sight happened to be quicker than his own,
when it got to be life or death atween us."

Chingachgook, who was attentively listening to all that passed, heard
and understood this proof of passing weakness in his friend, and on
a future occasion he questioned him more closely concerning the
transaction on the point, where Deerslayer had