themselves. Once or twice, it seemed as if stragglers from around
the fire were approaching the place of rendezvous; but these
sounds were either altogether illusion, or those who had drawn near
returned again without coming to the shore. A quarter of an hour
was passed in this state of intense expectation and anxiety, when
Deerslayer proposed that they should circle the point in the canoe;
and by getting a position close in, where the camp could be seen,
reconnoitre the Indians, and thus enable themselves to form some
plausible conjectures for the non-appearance of Hist. The Delaware,
however, resolutely refused to quit the spot, reasonably enough
offering as a reason the disappointment of the girl, should she
arrive in his absence. Deerslayer felt for his friend's concern,
and offered to make the circuit of the point by himself, leaving
the latter concealed in the bushes to await the occurrence of any
fortunate event that might favour his views. With this understanding,
then, the parties separated.

As soon as Deerslayer was at his post again, in the stern of the
canoe, he left the shore with the same precautions, and in the
same noiseless manner, as he had approached it. On this occasion
he did not go far from the land, the bushes affording a sufficient
cover, by keeping as close in as possible. Indeed, it would not
have been easy to devise any means more favourable to reconnoitering
round an Indian camp, than those afforded by the actual state
of things. The formation of the point permitted the place to be
circled on three of its sides, and the progress of the boat was
so noiseless as to remove any apprehensions from an alarm through
sound. The most practised and guarded foot might stir a bunch of
leaves, or snap a dried stick in the dark, but a bark canoe could
be made to float over the surface of smooth water, almost with the