Uncas silently extended toward him the desired gourd, which the spleen of Hawkeye had hitherto prevented him from observing on a branch of an elm. Filling it with water, he retired a short distance, to a place where the ground was more firm and dry; here he coolly seated himself, and after taking a long, and, apparently, a grateful draught, he commenced a very strict examination of the fragments of food left by the Hurons, which had hung in a wallet on his arm.
Thank you, lad
! he continued, returning the empty gourd to Uncas;
now we will see how these rampaging
Hurons lived, when outlying in ambushments. Look at this! The varlets know the better pieces of the
deer; and one would think they might carve and roast a saddle, equal to the best cook in the land! But
everything is raw, for the Iroquois are thorough savages. Uncas, take my steel and kindle a fire; a mouthful
of a tender broil will give natur' a helping hand, after so long a trail
.
Heyward, perceiving that their guides now set about their repast in sober earnest, assisted the ladies to alight, and placed himself at their side, not unwilling to enjoy a few moments of grateful rest, after the bloody scene he had just gone through. While the culinary process was in hand, curiosity induced him to inquire into the circumstances which had led to their timely and unexpected rescue:
How is it that we see you so soon, my generous friend
, he asked,
and without aid from the garrison of
Edward
?
Had we gone to the bend in the river, we might have been in time to rake the leaves over your bodies,
but too late to have saved your scalps
, coolly answered the scout.
No, no; instead of throwing away
strength and opportunity by crossing to the fort, we lay by, under the bank of the Hudson, waiting to
watch the movements of the Hurons
.
You were, then, witnesses of all that passed
?
Not of all; for Indian sight is too keen to be easily cheated, and we kept close. A difficult matter it was,
too, to keep this Mohican boy snug in the ambushment. Ah! Uncas, Uncas, your behavior was more like
that of a curious woman than of a warrior on his scent
.
Uncas permitted his eyes to turn for an instant on the sturdy countenance of the speaker, but he neither spoke nor gave any indication of repentance. On the contrary, Heyward thought the manner of the young Mohican was disdainful, if not a little fierce, and that he suppressed passions that were ready to explode, as much in compliment to the listeners, as from the deference he usually paid to his white associate.
You saw our capture
? Heyward next demanded.
We heard it
, was the significant answer.
An Indian yell is plain language to men who have passed their
days in the woods. But when you landed, we were driven to crawl like sarpents, beneath the leaves; and
then we lost sight of you entirely, until we placed eyes on you again trussed to the trees, and ready
bound for an Indian massacre
.
Our rescue was the deed of Providence. It was nearly a miracle that you did not mistake the path, for
the Hurons divided, and each band had its horses
.
Ay! there we were thrown off the scent, and might, indeed, have lost the trail, had it not been for Uncas; we
took the path, however, that led into the wilderness; for we judged, and judged rightly, that the savages
would hold that course with their prisoners. But when we had followed it for many miles, without finding
a single twig broken, as I had advised, my mind misgave me; especially as all the footsteps had the prints
of moccasins
.
Our captors had the precaution to see us shod like themselves
, said Duncan, raising a foot, and exhibiting
the buckskin he wore.