第32章

The Sarpent, who is nearly naked already, can help you;and this will be cutting off one of the means of them devils to work their harm."This material point being settled, the different members of the party prepared themselves to put the project in execution.The shades of evening fell fast upon the forest;and by the time all was ready for the attempt, it was found impossible to discern objects on the opposite shore.Time now pressed; for Indian cunning could devise so many expedients for passing so narrow a stream, that the Path-finder was getting impatient to quit the spot.While Jasper and his companion entered the river, armed with nothing but their knives and the Delaware's tomahawk, observing the greatest caution not to betray their move-ments, the guide brought Mabel from her place of conceal-ment, and, bidding her and Cap proceed along the shore to the foot of the rapids, he got into the canoe that remained in his possession, in order to carry it to the same place.

This was easily effected.The canoe was laid against the bank, and Mabel and her uncle entered it, taking their seats as usual; while the Pathfinder, erect in the stern, held by a bush, in order to prevent the swift stream from sweeping them down its current.Several minutes of intense and breathless expectation followed, while they awaited the results of the bold attempt of their comrades.

It will be understood that the two adventurers were compelled to swim across a deep and rapid channel before they could reach a part of the rift that admitted of wad-ing.This portion of the enterprise was soon effected;and Jasper and the Serpent struck the bottom side by side at the same instant.Having secured firm footing, they took hold of each other's hands, and waded slowly and with extreme caution in the supposed direction of the canoe.But the darkness was already so deep that they soon ascertained they were to be but little aided by the sense of sight, and that their search must be conducted on that species of instinct which enables the woodsman to find his way when the sun is hid, no stars appear, and all would seem chaos to one less accustomed to the mazes of the forest.Under these circumstances, Jasper submitted to be guided by the Delaware, whose habits best fitted him to take the lead.Still it was no easy matter to wade amid the roaring element at that hour, and retain a clear recol-lection of the localities.By the time they believed them-selves to be in the centre of the stream, the two shores were discernible merely by masses of obscurity denser than common, the outlines against the clouds being barely dis-tinguishable by the ragged tops of the trees.Once or twice the wanderers altered their course, in consequence of unexpectedly stepping into deep water; for they knew that the boat had lodged on the shallowest part of the rift.

In short, with this fact for their compass, Jasper and his companion wandered about in the water for nearly a quar-ter of an hour; and at the end of that period, which began to appear interminable to the young man, they found themselves apparently no nearer the object of their search than they had been at its commencement.Just as the Delaware was about to stop, in order to inform his associate that they would do well to return to the land, in order to take a fresh departure, he saw the form of a man moving about in the water, almost within reach of his arm.Jas-per was at his side, and he at once understood that the Iroquois were engaged on the same errand as he was himself.

"Mingo!" he uttered in Jasper's ear."The Serpent will show his brother how to be cunning."The young sailor caught a glimpse of the figure at that instant, and the startling truth also flashed on his mind.

Understanding the necessity of trusting all to the Dela-ware chief, he kept back, while his friend moved cautiously in the direction in which the strange form had vanished.

In another moment it was seen again, evidently moving towards themselves.The waters made such an uproar that little was to be apprehended from ordinary sounds, and the Indian, turning his bead, hastily said, "Leave it to the cunning of the Great Serpent.""Hugh!" exclaimed the strange savage, adding, in the language of his people, "The canoe is found, but there were none to help me.Come, let us raise it from the rock.""Willingly," answered Chingachgook, who understood the dialect."Lead; we will follow."The stranger, unable to distinguish between voices and accents amid the raging of the rapid, led the way in the necessary direction; and, the two others keeping close at his heels, all three speedily reached the canoe.The Iro-quois laid hold of one end, Chingacbgook placed himself in the centre, and Jasper went to the opposite extremity, as it was important that the stranger should not detect the presence of a pale-face, a discovery that might be made by the parts of the dress the young man still wore, as well as by the general appearance of his head.

"Lift," said the Iroquois in the sententious manner of his race; and by a trifling effort the canoe was raised from the rock, held a moment in the air to empty it, and then placed carefully on the water in its proper position.All three held it firmly, lest it should escape from their hands under the pressure of the violent current, while the Iro-quois, who led, of course, being at the upper end of the boat, took the direction of the eastern shore, or towards the spot where his friends waited his return.