Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-03-08
WHOLE NO. 648.
is quick of sight and keen of wit for

LID yCtho.
"'Tis extraordinary that he should
have withheld his knowledge so long,
muttered Duncan, at his elbow.
"1t would have been more wonder
full had he spoken without bidding.
No, no; your young white, who gath
ers his learning from books and can
measure what he knows by the page,
may conceit that his knowledge, like
his legs, outruns that of his father;
but where experience is the master,
the scholar is made to know the val-
ue ofyears, and respects them accord
ingly." ..-
''See!' said Uncas, pointing north
and south "the dark-hair has gone
towards the FROST"
"Hound never ran on more beau
tiful scent" responded the scout;
tive are favored, greatly favored, and
can follow with high noses. Ay,
here are both your waddling beasts;
this Huron travels like white gen.
eral. The fellow is stricken with
judgment, and is mad! Look sharp
for wheels, Sycamore" he continued;
'we shall have the fool Journeylng in
coach, and that with three of the
best pair of eyes on the borders, in
his rear"
"What should this prove" ?" said
Duncan, turning pale.
'That our march is come to quick
end, and that we are in an enemy's
country" returned the scout. "Had
the knaves been pressed, and the gen.
tie ones wanted horses to keep up
with the party, he might have taken.
their scalps; but without an enemy.
at his heels, and with such ragged
beasts as these, he would not hurt a
hair of their heads.'
Hawk-eye and the Mohican now
applied themselves to their task in
good earnest. The examination,
however, resulted in no discovery.
"Such cunning is not without dew
iltry," exclaimed Hawk-eye.
"We must get down to it, Saga
more, beginning at the spring, and
going over the ground by inches.
The Huron shall never brag in his
tribe that he has foot which leaves
no print"
Setting the example himself, the
scout engaged in the scrutiny with
renewed zeal. Not q leaf was left un-
turned. At length Uncas, whose ac-
tivity had enabled him to achieve his
portion of the task the soonest, raked
the earth across the turbld little rill
which ran from the spring, and di-
verted its course into another chan
mel. A cry Of exultation immediate
ly announced the success of the
young warrior. The whole party
crowded to the spot, where Uncas
pointed out the impression of moe
casin in the moist alluvium.
"The lad will be an honor to his
people" said Hawk-eye; "sy, and
thorn in the sides of the Hurons.
Yet that is not the footprint of an
Indian. the weight is too much on
the heel, and the toes are squared, as
though one Of the French dancers
had been in, pigeon -winging his tribe.
Run back, Uncas, and bring me the
size of the singers foot. You will
find a beautiful print of it just oppo-
site yon rock, ag'in the hillside
81 can now read the whole of it as
plainly as if had seen the arts of
lie Subtil," he added; "the singer
being man whose gifts lay chiefly
in his throat and feet, was made to
60 first, and the others have trod in
his steps, initiating their formation"
"But," cried Duncan, 81 see no
signs Of"
"The gentle ones," interrupted the
scout; "the varlet has found way to
carry them, until he supposed he had
thrown followers off the scent. My
life on it, we see their pretty little
feet again before many rods go by"
The whole party now proceeded,
following the course of the the rill,
keeping eyes on the regular impress
sions. Soon they paused to make
sure that the Hurons had not quilted
the water.
1t was fortunate they did so. For
the quick and active Uncas soon
found the impression of foot on a
bunch of moss, where it would seem
an Indian had inadvertently trodden.
GAY, it has been planned with In
4 ,,;J H. sio~I