readiness of
address, by the admiration, that she so generally excited, which, if it did not
amount to forwardness, certainly in no degree lent to her charms the aid of that
retiring modesty on which poets love to dwell.
    »I thought I should have killed myself with laughing, Deerslayer,« the
beauty abruptly, but coquettishly commenced, »when I saw that Indian dive into
the river! He was a good-looking savage, too -« the girl always dwelt on
personal beauty as a sort of merit - »And yet one coul'n't stop to consider
whether his paint would stand water!«
    »And I thought they would have killed you with their we'pons, Judith,«
returned Deerslayer, »for it was an awful risk for a female to run, in the face
of a dozen Mingos!«
    »Did that make you come out of the cabin, in spite of their rifles too?«
asked the girl, with more real interest than she would have cared to betray,
though with an indifference of manner that was the result of a good deal of
practice, united to native readiness.
    »Men are'n't apt to see females in danger, and not come to their assistance.
Even a Mingo knows that.«
    This sentiment was uttered with as much simplicity of manner as of feeling,
and Judith rewarded it, with a smile so sweet that even Deerslayer, who had
imbibed a prejudice against the girl, in consequence of Hurry's suspicions of
her levity, felt its charm, notwithstanding half its winning influence was lost
in the feeble light. It at once created a sort of confidence between them, and
the discourse was continued on the part of the hunter without the lively
consciousness of the character of this coquette of the wilderness, with which it
had certainly commenced.
    »You are a man of deeds and not of words, I see plainly, Deerslayer,«
continued the beauty, taking her seat near the spot where the other stood, »and
I foresee we shall be very good friends. Hurry-Harry has a tongue, and giant as
he is, he talks more than he performs.«
    »March is your fri'nd, Judith; and fri'nds should be tender of each other,
when apart.«
    »We all know what Hurry's friendship comes to. Let him have his own way in
every thing, and he's the best fellow in the colony; but, head him off, as you
say of the deer, and he is master of every