the Delawares, in the way of schooling and traditions,
even though I've never yet been on a war-path. And, moreover, venison
can hardly be called in season now, and we do not want for food. They
call me Deerslayer, I'll own, and perhaps I desarve the name, in the way
of understanding the creatur's habits, as well as for some sartainty in
the aim, but they can't accuse me of killing an animal when there is no
occasion for the meat, or the skin. I may be a slayer, it's true, but
I'm no slaughterer."

"'Twas an awful mistake to miss that buck!" exclaimed Hurry, doffing his
cap and running his fingers through his handsome but matted curls, as
if he would loosen his tangled ideas by the process. "I've not done so
onhandy a thing since I was fifteen."

"Never lament it, as the creatur's death could have done neither of us
any good, and might have done us harm. Them echoes are more awful in my
ears, than your mistake, Hurry, for they sound like the voice of natur'
calling out ag'in a wasteful and onthinking action."

"You'll hear plenty of such calls, if you tarry long in this quarter of
the world, lad," returned the other laughing. "The echoes repeat pretty
much all that is said or done on the Glimmerglass, in this calm summer
weather. If a paddle falls you hear of it sometimes, ag'in and ag'in,
as if the hills were mocking your clumsiness, and a laugh, or a whistle,
comes out of them pines, when they're in the humour to speak, in a way
to make you believe they can r'ally convarse."

"So much the more reason for being prudent and silent. I do not think
the inimy can have found their way into these hills yet, for I don't
know what they are to gain by it, but all the Delawares tell me that, as
courage is a warrior's first vartue, so is prudence his second. One such
call from the mountains, is enough to let a whole tribe into the secret
of our arrival."

"If it does no other good, it will warn old Tom to put the pot over, and
let him know visiters are at hand. Come, lad; get into the canoe, and we
will hunt the ark up, while there is yet day."

Deerslayer complied, and the canoe left the spot. Its head was turned
diagonally across the lake, pointing towards the south-eastern curvature
of the sheet. In that direction, the distance to the shore, or to the
termination of the lake, on the course the two were now steering, was
not quite a mile, and, their progress being always swift, it was fast
lessening under the skilful, bu