But all this is no more than Indian cunning and Indian treachery, striving to get the better of us by management, when they find it is not to be done by force."
"Do you doubt the Bible, sister, that you judge the savages so harshly!"
"I do not doubt the Bible, poor Hetty, but I much doubt an Indian and an Iroquois. What do you say to this visit, Deerslayer?"
"First let me talk a little with Hetty," returned the party appealed to;
"Was the raft made a'ter you had got your breakfast, gal, and did you walk from the camp to the shore opposite to us, here?"
"Oh! no, Deerslayer.
The raft was ready made and in the water -could that have been by a miracle, Judith?"
"Yes - yes - an Indian miracle," rejoined the hunter - "They're expart enough in them sort of miracles.
And you found the raft ready made to your hands, and in the water, and in waiting like for its cargo?"
"It was all as you say.
The raft was near the camp, and the Indians put me on it, and had ropes of bark, and they dragged me to the place opposite to the castle, and then they told that young man to row me off, here." "And the woods are full of the vagabonds, waiting to know what is to be the upshot of the miracle.
We comprehend this affair, now, Judith, but I'll first get rid of this young Canada blood sucker, and then we'll settle our own course.
Do you and Hetty leave us together, first bringing me the elephants, which the Sarpent is admiring, for 'twill never do to let this loping deer be alone a minute, or he'll borrow a canoe without asking."
Judith did as desired, first bringing the pieces, and retiring with her sister into their own room.
Deerslayer had acquired some knowledge of most of the Indian dialects of that region, and he knew enough of the Iroquois to hold a dialogue in the language.
Beckoning to the lad, therefore, he caused him to take a seat on the chest, when he placed two of the castles suddenly before him.
Up to that moment, this youthful savage had not expressed a single intelligible emotion, or fancy.
There were many things, in and about the place, that were novelties to him, but he had maintained his self-command with philosophical composure.
It is true, Deerslayer had detected his dark eye scanning the defences and the arms, but the scrutiny had been made with such an air of innocence, in such a gaping, indolent, boyish manner, that no one but a man who had himself been taught in a similar school, would have even suspected his object.
The instant, however, the eyes of the savage fell upon the wrought ivory, and the images of the wonderful, unknown beasts, surprise and admiration got the mastery of him. The manner in which the natives of the South Sea Islands first beheld the toys of civilized life has been often described, but the reader is not to confound it with the manner of an American Indian, under similar circumstances.
In this particular case, the young Iroquois or Huron permitted an exclamation of rapture to escape him, and then he checked himself like one who had been guilty of an indecorum.
After this, his eyes ceased to wander, but became riveted on the elephants, one of which, after a short hesitation, he even presumed to handle.
Deerslayer did not interrupt him for quite ten minutes, knowing that the lad was taking such note of the curiosities, as would enable him to give the most minute and accurate description of their appearance to his seniors, on his return.
When he thought sufficient time had been allowed to produce the desired effect, the hunter laid a finger on the naked knee of the youth and drew his attention to himself.
"Listen," he said; "I want to talk with my young friend from the Canadas.
Let him forget that wonder for a minute."
"Where t'other pale brother?" demanded the boy, looking up and letting the idea that had been most prominent in his mind, previously to the introduction of the chess men, escape him involuntarily.
"He sleeps, or if he isn't fairly asleep, he is in the room where the men do sleep," returned Deerslayer. "How did my young friend know there was another?"
"See him from the shore.
Iroquois have got long eyes - see beyond the clouds - see the bottom of the Great Spring!"
"Well, the Iroquois are welcome.
Two pale-faces are prisoners in the camp of your fathers, boy."
The lad nodded, treating the circumstance with great apparent indifference; though a moment after he laughed as if exulting in the superior address of his own tribe.
"Can you tell me, boy, what your chiefs intend to do with these captyves, or haven't they yet made up their minds?"
The lad looked a moment at the hunter with a little surprise. Then he coolly put the end of his fore finger on his own head, just above the left ear, and passed it round his crown with an accuracy and readiness that showed how well he had been drilled in the peculiar art of his race.
"When?" demanded Deerslayer, whose gorge rose at this cool demonstration of indifference to human life. "And why not take them to your wigwams?"
"Road too long, and full of pale-faces.
Wigwam full, and scalps sell high.
Small scalp, much gold."
"Well that explains it - yes, that does explain it.
There's no need of being any plainer.
Now you know, lad, that the oldest of your prisoners is the father of these two young women, and the other is the suitor of one of them.
The gals nat'rally wish to save the scalps of such fri'nds, and they will give them two ivory creaturs, as ransom. One for each scalp.
Go back and tell this to your chiefs, and bring me the answer before the sun sets."
The boy entered zealously into this project, and with a sincerity that left no doubt of his executing his commission with intelligence and promptitude.
For a moment he forgot his love of honor, and all his clannish hostility to the British and their Indians, in his wish to have such a treasure in his tribe, and Deerslayer was satisfied with the impression he had made.
It is true the lad proposed to carry one of the elephants with him, as a specimen of the other, but to this his brother negotiator was too sagacious to consent; well knowing that it might never reach its destination if confided to such hands.
This little difficulty was soon arranged, and the boy prepared to depart.
As he stood on the platform, ready to step aboard of the raft, he hesitated, and turned short with a proposal to borrow a canoe, as the means most likely to shorten the negotiations.
Deerslayer quietly refused the request, and, after lingering a little longer, the boy rowed slowly away from the castle, taking the direction of a thicket on the shore that lay less than half a mile distant.