the friction, and they passed into the northern end of the
castle in order to catch opportunities of firing through the loops of
that part of the building. Chingachgook was similarly occupied, and
remained as ignorant as his enemies of the situation of Hurry. As the
Ark grated along the rifles sent their little clouds of smoke from one
cover to the other, but the eyes and movements of the opposing parties
were too quick to permit any injury to be done. At length one side had
the mortification and the other the pleasure of seeing the scow swing
clear of the piles altogether, when it immediately moved away, with a
materially accelerated motion, towards the north.

Chingachgook now first learned from Hist the critical condition of
Hurry. To have exposed either of their persons in the stern of the scow
would have been certain death, but fortunately the sheet to which the
man clung led forward to the foot of the sail. The Delaware found means
to unloosen it from the cleet aft, and Hist, who was already forward for
that purpose, immediately began to pull upon the line. At this moment
Hurry was towing fifty or sixty feet astern, with nothing but his face
above water. As he was dragged out clear of the castle and the piles
he was first perceived by the Hurons, who raised a hideous yell and
commenced a fire on, what may very well be termed the floating mass. It
was at the same instant that Hist began to pull upon the line forward--a
circumstance that probably saved Hurry's life, aided by his own
self-possession and border readiness. The first bullet struck the
water directly on the spot where the broad chest of the young giant was
visible through the pure element, and might have pierced his heart had
the angle at which it was fired been less acute. Instead of penetrating
the lake, however, it glanced from its smooth surface, rose, and buried
itself in the logs of the cabin near the spot at which Chingachgook had
shown himself the minute before, while clearing the line from the cleet.
A second, and a third, and a fourth bullet followed, all meeting
with the same resistance of the water, though Hurry sensibly felt the
violence of the blows they struck upon the lake so immediately above,
and so near his breast. Discovering their mistake, the Hurons now
changed their plan, and aimed at the uncovered face; but by this
time Hist was pulling on the line, the target advanced and the deadly
missiles still fell upon the water. In another m