ount as innocent as a fa'an? No--Sarpent, you will think better
of this matter, and leave me in the hands of God. A'ter all, it's by no
means sartain that the scamps design the torments, for they may yet be
pitiful, and bethink them of the wickedness of such a course--though it
is but a hopeless expectation to look forward to a Mingo's turning aside
from evil, and letting marcy get uppermost in his heart. Nevertheless,
no one knows to a sartainty what will happen, and young creatur's, like
Hist, a'n't to be risked on onsartainties. This marrying is altogether
a different undertaking from what some young men fancy. Now, if you was
single, or as good as single, Delaware, I should expect you to be actyve
and stirring about the camp of the vagabonds, from sunrise to sunset,
sarcumventing and contriving, as restless as a hound off the scent, and
doing all manner of things to help me, and to distract the inimy, but
two are oftener feebler than one, and we must take things as they are,
and not as we want 'em to be."

"Listen, Deerslayer," returned the Indian with an emphasis so decided as
to show how much he was in earnest. "If Chingachgook was in the hands
of the Hurons, what would my pale-face brother do? Sneak off to the
Delaware villages, and say to the chiefs, and old men, and young
warriors--'see, here is Wah-ta-Wah; she is safe, but a little tired;
and here is the Son of Uncas, not as tired as the Honeysuckle, being
stronger, but just as safe.' Would he do this?"

"Well, that's oncommon ingen'ous; it's cunning enough for a Mingo,
himself! The Lord only knows what put it into your head to ask such a
question. What would I do? Why, in the first place, Hist wouldn't be
likely to be in my company at all, for she would stay as near you as
possible, and therefore all that part about her couldn't be said without
talking nonsense. As for her being tired, that would fall through too,
if she didn't go, and no part of your speech would be likely to come
from me; so, you see, Sarpent, reason is ag'in you, and you may as well
give it up, since to hold out ag'in reason, is no way becoming a chief
of your character and repitation."

"My brother is not himself; he forgets that he is talking to one who has
sat at the Council Fire of his nation," returned the other kindly. "When
men speak, they should say that which does not go in at one side of the
head and out at the other. Their words shouldn't be feathers, so light
that a wind whic