; I do believe your
scent is not greatly wrong, when the matter is duly considered, and keeping
eternity before the eyes, though much depends on the natural gifts, and the
force of temptation.«
    So saying, the scout returned, and shook David cordially by the hand; after
which act of friendship, he immediately left the lodge, attended by the new
representative of the beast.
    The instant Hawk-eye found himself under the observation of the Hurons, he
drew up his tall form in the rigid manner of David, threw out his arm in the act
of keeping time, and commenced, what he intended for an imitation of his
psalmody. Happily, for the success of this delicate adventure, he had to deal
with ears but little practised in the concord of sweet sounds, or the miserable
effort would infallibly have been detected. It was necessary to pass within a
dangerous proximity of the dark groupe of savages, and the voice of the scout
grew louder as they drew nigher. When at the nearest point, the Huron who spoke
the English, thrust out an arm, and stopped the supposed singing-master.
    »The Delaware dog!« he said, leaning forward, and peering through the dim
light to catch the expression of the other's features; »is he afraid? will the
Hurons hear his groans?«
    A growl, so exceedingly fierce and natural, proceeded from the beast, that
the young Indian released his hold, and started aside, as if to assure himself
that it was not a veritable bear, and no counterfeit, that was rolling before
him. Hawk-eye, who feared his voice would betray him to his subtle enemies,
gladly profited by the interruption, to break out anew, in such a burst of
musical expression, as would, probably, in a more refined state of society, have
been termed a grand crash. Among his actual auditors, however, it merely gave
him an additional claim to that respect, which they never withhold from such as
are believed to be the subjects of mental alienation. The little knot of Indians
drew back, in a body, and suffered, as they thought, the conjuror and his
inspired assistant to proceed.
    It required no common exercise of fortitude in Uncas and the scout, to
continue the dignified and deliberate pace they had assumed in passing the
lodges; especially, as they immediately perceived, that curiosity had so far
mastered fear, as to induce the watchers to approach the hut, in order to
witness the effect of the incantations. The least injudicious or impatient
movement on the part of
