, is fairly seen, you may know at
once what to make of him. You know a bear from a hog by his skin, and a grey
squirrel from a black.«
    »True, Hurry,« said the other looking back and smiling, »nevertheless they
are both squirrels.«
    »Who denies it? - But you'll not say that a red man and a white man are both
Injins?«
    »No; but I do say they are both men. Men of different races and colours, and
having different gifts and traditions, but, in the main, with the same natur's.
Both have souls and both will be held accountable for their deeds in this life.«
    Hurry was one of those theorists who believed in the inferiority of all of
the human race, who were not white. His notions on the subject were not very
clear, nor were his definitions at all well settled, but his opinions were none
the less dogmatical, or fierce. His conscience accused him of sundry lawless
acts against the Indians, and he had found it an exceedingly easy mode of
quieting it, by putting the whole family of red men, incontinently, without the
category of human rights. Nothing angered him sooner, than to deny his
proposition, more especially if the denial were accompanied by a show of
plausible argument, and he did not listen to his companion's remarks, with much
composure, of either manner, or feeling.
    »You're a boy, Deerslayer, mislead and misconsaited by Delaware arts, and
Missionary ignorance,« he exclaimed, with his usual indifference to the forms of
speech, when excited. »You may account yourself as a red skin's brother, but I
hold 'em all to be animals, with nothing human about 'em but cunning. That they
have, I'll allow; but so has a fox, or even a bear. I'm older than you, and have
lived longer in the woods - or, for that matter, have lived always there, - and
am not to be told what an Injin is, or what he is not. If you wish to be
considered a savage you've only to say so, and I'll name you as such to Judith
and the old man, and then we'll see how you'll like your welcome.«
    Here, Hurry's imagination did his temper some service, since, by conjuring
up the reception his semi aquatic acquaintance would be likely to bestow on one
thus introduced, he burst into a