Sentence:  “Whist! whist!” said Natty, in a low voice, on hearing a slight sound made by Elizabeth, in bending over the side of the canoe, in eager curiosity; “'tis a sceary animal, and it's a far stroke for a spear. ...” ["the UK edition of the same year has" <WSD>scary</WSD> "(p.nbsp262)"][https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100591073] 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Subject to sudden alarm; easily frightened.