motion and noise, indispensable. Although they conversed in their
low, soft voices it was possible, in the profound stillness of the
woods, even to catch passages of the discourse; and the light-hearted
laugh that escaped the girls might occasionally have reached the
canoe. Deerslayer felt the tremolo that passed through the frame
of his friend when the latter first caught the sweet sounds that
issued from the plump, pretty lips of Hist. He even laid a hand
on the shoulder of the Indian, as a sort of admonition to command
himself. As the conversation grew more earnest, each leaned forward
to listen.

"The Hurons have more curious beasts than that," said one of the
girls, contemptuously, for, like the men, they conversed of the
elephant and his qualities. "The Delawares will think this creature
wonderful, but tomorrow no Huron tongue will talk of it. Our young
men will find him if the animals dare to come near our wigwams!"

This was, in fact, addressed to Wah-ta-Wah, though she who spoke
uttered her words with an assumed diffidence and humility that
prevented her looking at the other.

"The Delawares are so far from letting such creatures come into
their country," returned Hist, "that no one has even seen their
images there! Their young men would frighten away the images as
well as the beasts."

"The Delaware young men! - the nation is women - even the deer
walk when they hear their hunters coming! Who has ever heard the
name of a young Delaware warrior?"