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.»They have vanished! – One – the last – is just burying himself in the bushes of the bank – There, he has disappeared in the shadows of the trees! You have got your friend, and we are all safe!«The two men now made another great effort, pulled the Ark up swiftly to the grapnel, tripped it, and when the scow had shot some distance, and lost its way, they let the anchor drop again.Then, for the first time since their meeting, they ceased their efforts.As the floating house now lay several hundred feet from the shore, and offered a complete protection against bullets, there was no longer any danger, or any motive for immediate exertion.The manner in which the two friends now recognised each other, was highly characteristic.Chingachgook, a noble, tall, handsome and athletic young Indian warrior, first examined his rifle, with care, opening the pan to make sure that the priming was not wet, and, assured of this important fact, he next cast furtive but observant glances around him, at the strange habitation, and at the two girls.Still he spoke not, and most of all, did he avoid the betrayal of a womanish curiosity, by asking questions.»Judith and Hetty –« said Deerslayer, with an untaught, natural courtesy – »this is the Mohican chief of whom you've heard me speak; Chingachgook as he is called; which signifies Big Sarpent; so named for his wisdom and prudence, and cunning, and my 'arliest and latest fri'nd.I know'd it must be he, by the hawk's feather, over the left ear, most other warriors wearing 'em on the war-lock.«As Deerslayer ceased speaking, he laughed heartily, excited more perhaps by the delight of having got his friend safe at his side, under circumstances so trying, than by any conceit that happened to cross his fancy, and exhibiting this outbreaking of feeling in a manner that was a little remarkable, since his merriment was not accompanied by any noise.Although Chingachgook both understood and spoke English, he was unwilling to communicate his thoughts in it, like most Indians, and when he had met Judith's cordial shake of the hand, and Hetty's milder salute, in the courteous manner that became a chief, he turned away, apparently to await the moment when it might suit his friend to enter into an explanation of his future intentions, and to give a narrative of what had passed since their separation.The other understood his meaning, and discovered his own mode of reasoning in the matter, by addressing the girls.»This wind will soon die away altogether, now the sun is down,« he said, »and there is no need for rowing ag'in it.In half an hour, or so, it will either be a flat calm, or the air will come off from the south shore, when we will begin our journey back ag'in to the castle; in the mean while, the Delaware and I will talk over matters, and get correct idees of each other's notions, consarning the course we ought to take.«No one opposed this proposition, and the girls withdrew into the cabin to prepare the evening meal, while the two young men took their seats on the head of the scow and began to converse.The dialogue was in the language of the Delawares.As that dialect, however, is but little understood, even by the learned, we shall, not only on this, but on all subsequent occasions, render such parts, as it may be necessary to give closely, into liberal English; preserving, as far as possible, the idioms and peculiarities of the respective speakers, by way of presenting the pictures in the most graphic forms to the minds of the readers.It is unnecessary to enter into the details first related by Deerslayer, who gave a brief narrative of the facts that are already familiar to those who have read our pages.In relating these events, however, it may be well to say that the speaker touched only on the outlines, more particularly abstaining from saying any thing about his encounter with, and victory over the Iroquois, as well as to his own exertions in behalf of the two deserted young women.When Deerslayer ended, the Delaware took up the narrative, in turn, speaking sententiously and with grave dignity.His account was both clear and short, nor was it embellished by any incidents that did not directly concern the history of his departure from the villages of his people, and his arrival in the valley of the Susquehannah.On reaching the latter, which was at a point only half a mile south of the outlet, he had soon struck a trail, which gave him notice of the probable vicinity of enemies
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