came from one of the little animals skipping about over his head.
The sound is so familiar in the woods, that none of the Hurons paid
it the least attention. Hist, however, instantly ceased talking,
and sat motionless. Still she had sufficient self-command to
abstain from turning her head. She had heard the signal by which
her lover so often called her from the wigwam to the stolen interview,
and it came over her senses and her heart, as the serenade affects
the maiden in the land of song.

From that moment, Chingachgook felt certain that his presence was
known. This was effecting much, and he could now hope for a bolder
line of conduct on the part of his mistress than she might dare to
adopt under an uncertainty of his situation. It left no doubt of
her endeavouring to aid him in his effort to release her. Deerslayer
arose as soon as the signal was given, and though he had never
held that sweet communion which is known only to lovers, he was
not slow to detect the great change that had come over the manner
of the girl. She still affected to dispute, though it was no longer
with spirit and ingenuity, but what she said was uttered more as
a lure to draw her antagonists on to an easy conquest, than with
any hopes of succeeding herself. Once or twice, it is true, her
native readiness suggested a retort, or an argument that raised a
laugh, and gave her a momentary advantage; but these little sallies,
the offspring of mother-wit, served the better to conceal her real
feelings, and to give to the triumph of the other party a more
natural air than it might have possessed without them. At length
the disputants became wearied, and they rose in a body as if about
to separate. It was now that Hist, for the first time, ventured
to turn her face in the direction whence the signal had come. In
doing this, her movements were natural, but guarded, and she stretched