The ladies' garland. [volume] (Harpers-Ferry, Va. [W. Va.]) 1824-1828, 1826-02-11


ed OF the debt he Owes
Uncas partly raised his body, and offered his hand
to the grasp of Hayward During this act of friend
ship, the two young men exchanged looks of intel
ligence, which caused Duncan to forget the charac-
ter and condition of his wild associates In the mean
whlle, !iawkeye, who looked on this burst of youth
full feeling with cool but kind regard, made the
following reply:
:" Lite is an obligation which friends often owe 70
each other in the wilderness. | dare say may
have served Cncas some such turn myself before
now and very well remember, that he has stood
between me and death five different times; three
tunes from the Mingoes once in crossing Horcan
and
'FThat bullet was better aimed than common %
exclaimed Duncan, involuntarily shrinking from
shot which struck on the rock at his side with a
smart rebound.
Hawk-eye laid his hand on the shapeess metal,
and shook bis head, and he examined it, saving
Falling lead is never hattened had it come from
the clouds this might have happened -
But the rifle of Uncas was deliberately raised to-
wards heaven directing the eyes of his companions
to point, where the mystery was immediately ex-
planned ragged oak grew on the right bank of
the river, nearly opposite to their position, which
seeking the freedom of the open space, had inclined
SO tar forward that its upper branches overung the
arm OF the stream which flowed nearest to its own
shore. Among the topmost leaves which scantlly \
q
looking savage was nestled, partly concealed BY
the trunk OF the tree, and partly exposed though
looking down upon them, to ascertain the effect pro
ducCdby his treacheTOus aim.
: These devils viii scale heaven to circumycnt
us to our ru!n,' sad Hawk-eye, "keep Eim in
Play, boy, until can bring Ali deer to bear,
Wheh we Mtil Try MS metal On each side Of the tree
al nncv."
unc:s delayed tbs fire until tie scout uttered the
word. The rit1cs flashed, the leaves ana bark Of
the oak heW INTO the air, and we've scattered b> TIE
W,n'i, but the lnd,an answered then assault bv a
taunung augti, se,dn, down upon tnein another
bullet ~ return, mat st'uck tnc cap oT llaAkeye
from !ns mead. Once more tue savage Nvils burst
out OF Tie woods, and the ltalen h4h wnis,led
aouvc tnc heads Of the bcs.,5t,l, 4a It to cot4ne
them to a plucc where tuel o,sht become easy
ylctlns 70 NE enterprise u tnc warrior VITO n4Q
mounted The tre,-.
" rhls n'ust be looked to !" sail the scout glanc-
ing ABOUT INN Wth an ANXIOUS eve. Unc.s, CAL
UP !ol'r father VIC nave need Oil I'LL alr weapons
to LrthS the cunning var'nent from MS r0usi."
! rs signal WAS Instantly gwen .un, before
iiaNk-rle nad re loaded MS RIFE. the, were Toned
by tmnsachgook. When his son pointed out to
the experienced warrior the situation OF their dan
gerous enemy, the usual explanatory 'hugh burst
from nus lips after which no further expression Of
surprise or alarm was suffered to escape from him.
HaWk-eye and the Mohcs,rs couver,>ti earnestly to-
Sether IN Delaware tor few moments, when each
quietly took his post III order to execute the Dian
they bad speedily devised,
The warrior IN the oak had maintant d a quick,
though Intellectual, fire, from the moment of his
discovery. But his ann interrupted bv the vi
gllance OF his enemies, whose rifles InstantaneouSy
pore On any part OF his person that WAS left exposed
Still his bullets fell IN the centre Of the crouch
~lf.