the zenith,
by simply casting upward a hand and finger, by a play of the wrist, "the
great hunter of our tribe will go back to the Hurons to be treated like
a bear, that they roast and skin even on full stomachs."

"The Great Spirit may soften their hearts, and not suffer them to be so
bloody minded. I have lived among the Hurons, and know them. They have
hearts, and will not forget their own children, should they fall into
the hands of the Delawares."

"A wolf is forever howling; a hog will always eat. They have lost
warriors; even their women will call out for vengeance. The pale-face
has the eyes of an eagle, and can see into a Mingo's heart; he looks for
no mercy. There is a cloud over his spirit, though it is not before his
face."

A long, thoughtful pause succeeded, during which Hist stealthily took
the hand of the chief, as if seeking his support, though she scarce
ventured to raise her eyes to a countenance that was now literally
becoming terrible, under the conflicting passions and stern resolution
that were struggling in the breast of its owner.

"What will the Son of Uncas do?" the girl at length timidly asked. "He
is a chief, and is already celebrated in council, though so young; what
does his heart tell him is wisest; does the head, too, speak the same
words as the heart?"

"What does Wah-ta-Wah say, at a moment when my dearest friend is in such
danger. The smallest birds sing the sweetest; it is always pleasant to
hearken to their songs. I wish I could hear the Wren of the Woods in my
difficulty; its note would reach deeper than the ear."

Again Hist experienced the profound gratification that the language of
praise can always awaken when uttered by those we love. The 'Honeysuckle
of the Hills' was a term often applied to the girl by the young men of
the Delawares, though it never sounded so sweet in her ears as from the
lips of Chingachgook; but the latter alone had ever styled her the Wren
of the Woods. With him, however, it had got to be a familiar phrase, and
it was past expression pleasant to the listener, since it conveyed to
her mind the idea that her advice and sentiments were as acceptable to
her future husband, as the tones of her voice and modes of conveying
them were agreeable; uniting the two things most prized by an Indian
girl, as coming from her betrothed, admiration for a valued physical
advantage, with respect for her opinion. She pressed the hand she held
between both her own, an