 last withe behind him, »you are
once more master of your own limbs, though you seem not to use them with much
greater judgment than that, in which they were first fashioned. If advice from
one who is not older than yourself, but who, having lived most of his time in
the wilderness, may be said to have experience beyond his years, will give no
offence, you are welcome to my thoughts; and these are, to part with the little
tooting instrument in your jacket to the first fool you meet with, and buy some
useful we'pon with the money, if it be only the barrel of a horseman's pistol.
By industry and care, you might thus come to some prefarment; for by this time,
I should think, your eyes would plainly tell you, that a carrion crow is a
better bird than a mocking thresher. The one will, at least, remove foul sights
from before the face of man, while the other is only good to brew disturbances
in the woods, by cheating the ears of all that hear them.«
    »Arms and the clarion for the battle, but the song of thanksgiving to the
victory!« answered the liberated David. »Friend,« he added, thrusting forth his
lean, delicate hand, toward Hawk-eye, in kindness, while his eyes twinkled and
grew moist, »I thank thee that the hairs of my head still grow where they were
first rooted by Providence; for, though those of other men may be more glossy
and curling, I have ever found mine own well suited to the brain they shelter.
That I did not join myself to the battle, was less owing to disinclination, than
to the bonds of the heathen. Valiant and skilful hast thou proved thyself in the
conflict, and I hereby thank thee, before proceeding to discharge other and more
important duties, because thou hast proved thyself well worthy of a Christian's
praise!«
    »The thing is but a trifle, and what you may often see, if you tarry long
among us,« returned the scout, a good deal softened toward the man of song, by
this unequivocal expression of gratitude. »I have got back my old companion,
kill-deer,« he added, striking his hand on the breech of his rifle, »and that in
itself is a victory. These Iroquois are cunning, but they outwitted themselves
when they placed their firearms out of reach; and had Uncas, or his father, been
gifted with only their common Indian patience, we should have come
