he pile, and should any bones, or pieces be found,
'twould be more decent to gather them together, and bury them, than to
let them lie for the wolves to gnaw at, and howl over. These matters
can make no great difference in the mind, but men of white blood and
Christian feelin's have rather a gift for graves."

"It shall be done as my brother says," returned the Indian, gravely. "If
his mind is full, let him empty it in the bosom of a friend."

"I thank you, Sarpent; my mind's easy enough; yes, it's tolerable easy.
Idees will come uppermost that I'm not apt to think about in common,
it's true, but by striving ag'in some, and lettin' other some out, all
will come right in the long run. There's one thing, howsever, chief,
that does seem to me to be onreasonable, and ag'in natur', though the
missionaries say it's true, and bein' of my religion and colour I feel
bound to believe them. They say an Injin may torment and tortur' the
body to his heart's content, and scalp, and cut, and tear, and burn,
and consume all his inventions and deviltries, until nothin' is left but
ashes, and they shall be scattered to the four winds of heaven, yet when
the trumpet of God shall sound, all will come together ag'in, and the
man will stand forth in his flesh, the same creatur' as to looks, if not
as to feelin's, that he was afore he was harmed!"

"The missionaries are good men--mean well," returned the Delaware
courteously; "they are not great medicines. They think all they say,
Deerslayer; that is no reason why warriors and orators should be all
ears. When Chingachgook shall see the father of Tamenund standing in his
scalp, and paint, and war lock, then will he believe the missionaries."

"Seein' is believin', of a sartainty; ahs! me--and some of us may see
these things sooner than we thought. I comprehind your meanin' about
Tamenund's father, Sarpent, and the idee's a close idee. Tamenund is now
an elderly man, say eighty every day of it, and his father was scalped,
and tormented, and burnt, when the present prophet was a youngster. Yes,
if one could see that come to pass, there wouldn't be much difficulty
in yieldin' faith to all that the missionaries say. Howsever, I am
not ag'in the opinion now, for you must know, Sarpent, that the great
principle of Christianity is to believe without seeing, and a man should
always act up to his religion and principles, let them be what they
may."

"That is strange for a wise nation!" said the Del