there；　or；　for　that　matter；　it　may　be　in　my　pocket。　　Well；
  I　suppose　there　will　be　room　enough；　when　we　reach　it；
  to　work　our　canoe。　　But　Arrowhead；　if　there　be　pale…faces
  in　our　neighborhood；　I　confess　I　should　like　to　get　within
  hail　of　them。〃
  The　Tuscarora　now　gave　a　quiet　inclination　of　his　head；
  and　the　whole　party　descended　from　the　roots　of　the　up…
  torn　tree　in　silence。　　When　they　reached　the　ground；
  Arrowhead　intimated　his　intention　to　go　towards　the　fire；
  and　ascertain　who　had　lighted　it；　while　he　advised　his
  wife　and　the　two　others　to　return　to　a　canoe；　which　they
  had　left　in　the　adjacent　stream；　and　await　his　return。
  〃Why；　chief；　this　might　do　on　soundings；　and　in　an
  offing　where　one　knew　the　channel；〃　returned　old　Cap；
  〃but　in　an　unknown　region　like　this　I　think　it　unsafe　to
  trust　the　pilot　alone　too　far　from　the　ship：　so；　with　your
  leave；　we　will　not　part　company。〃
  〃What　my　brother　want？〃　asked　the　Indian　gravely；
  though　without　taking　offence　at　a　distrust　that　was　suffi…
  ciently　plain。
  〃Your　company；　Master　Arrowhead；　and　no　more。　　I　will
  go　with　you　and　speak　these　strangers。〃
  The　Tuscarora　assented　without　difficulty；　and　again
  he　directed　his　patient　and　submissive　little　wife；　who
  seldom　turned　her　full　rich　black　eye　on　him　but　to　ex…
  press　equally　her　respect；　her　dread；　and　her　love；　to　pro…
  ceed　to　the　boat。　　But　here　Magnet　raised　a　difficulty。
  Although　spirited；　and　of　unusual　energy　under　circum…
  stances　of　trial；　she　was　but　woman；　and　the　idea　of　being
  entirely　deserted　by　her　two　male　protectors；　in　the　midst
  of　a　wilderness　that　her　senses　had　just　told　her　was　seem…
  ingly　illimitable；　became　so　keenly　painful；　that　she　ex…
  pressed　a　wish　to　accompany　her　uncle。
  〃The　exercise　will　be　a　relief；　dear　sir；　after　sitting　so
  long　in　the　canoe；〃　she　added；　as　the　rich　blood　slowly　re…
  turned　to　a　cheek　that　had　paled　in　spite　of　her　efforts　to
  be　calm；　〃and　there　may　be　females　with　the　strangers。〃
  〃Come；　then；　child；　it　is　but　a　cable's　length；　and　we
  shall　return　an　hour　before　the　sun　sets。〃
  With　this　permission；　the　girl；　whose　real　name　was
  Mabel　Dunham；　prepared　to　be　of　the　party；　while　the
  Dew…of…June；　as　the　wife　of　Arrowhead　was　called；　pas…
  sively　went　her　way　towards　thie　canoe；　too　much　accus…
  tomed　to　obedience；　solitude；　and　the　gloom　of　the　forest
  to　feel　apprehension。
  The　three　who　remained　in　the　wind…row　now　picked
  their　way　around　its　tangled　maze；　and　gained　the　margin
  of　the　woods。　　A　few　glances　of　the　eye　sufficed　for　Arrow…
  head；　but　old　Cap　deliberately　set　the　smoke　by　a　pocket…
  compass；　before　he　trusted　himself　within　the　shadows　of
  the　trees。
  〃This　steering　by　the　nose；　Magnet；　may　do　well　enough
  for　an　Indian；　but　your　thoroughbred　knows　the　virtue　of
  the　needle；〃　said　the　uncle；　as　he　trudged　at　the　heels　of
  the　light…stepping　Tuscarora。　　〃America　would　never　have
  been　discovered；　take　my　word　for　it；　if　Columbus　had
  been　nothing　but　nostrils。　　Friend　Arrowhead；　didst　ever
  see　a　machine　like　this？〃
  The　Indian　turned；　cast　at　glance　at　the　compass；　which
  Cap　held　in　a　way　to　direct　his　course；　and　gravely　an…
  swered；　〃A　pale…face　eye。　　The　Tuscarora　see　in　his　head。
  The　Salt…water　（for　so　the　Indian　styled　his　companion）
  all　eye　now；　no　tongue。〃
  〃He　means；　uncle；　that　we　had　needs　be　silent；　perhaps
  he　distrusts　the　persons　we　are　about　to　meet。〃
  〃Ay；　'tis　an　Indian's　fashion　of　going　to　quarters。　　You
  perceive　he　has　examined　the　priming　of　his　rifle；　and　it
  may　be　as　well　if　I　look　to　that　of　my　own　pistols。〃
  Without　betraying　alarm　at　these　preparations；　to　which
  she　had　become　accustomed　by　her　long　journey　in　the
  wilderness；　Mabel　followed　with　a　step　as　elastic　as　that　of
  the　Indian；　keeping　close　in　the　rear　of　her　companions。
  For　the　first　half　mile　no　other　caution　beyond　a　rigid
  silence　was　observed；　but　as　the　party　drew　nearer　to　the
  spot　where　the　fire　was　known　to　be；　much　greater　care
  became　necessary。
  The　forest；　as　usual；　had　little　to　intercept　the　view
  below　the　branches　but　the　tall　straight　trunks　of　trees。
  Everything　belonging　to　vegetation　had　struggled　towards
  the　light；　and　beneath　the　leafy　canopy　one　walked；　as　it
  might　be；　through　a　vast　natural　vault；　upheld　by　myriads
  of　rustic　columns。　　These　columns　or　trees；　however；　often
  served　to　conceal　the　adventurer；　the　hunter；　or　the　foe；
  and；　as　Arrowhead　swiftly　approached　the　spot　where　his
  practised　and　unerrimig　senses　told　him　the　strangers　ought
  to　be；　his　footstep　gradually　became　lighter；　his　eye　more
  vigilant；　and　his　person　was　more　carefully　concealed。
  〃See；　Saltwater；〃　said　he　exulting；　pointing　through
  the　vista　of　trees；　〃pale…face　fire！〃
  〃By　the　Lord；　the　fellow　is　right！〃　muttered　Cap；
  〃there　they　are；　sure　enough；　and　eating　their　grub　as
  quietly　as　if　they　were　in　the　cabin　of　a　three…decker。〃
  〃Arrowhead　is　but　half　right！〃　whispered　Mabel；　〃for
  there　are　two　Indians　and　only　one　white　man。〃
  〃Pale…faces；〃　said　the　Tuscarora；　holding　up　two　fingers；
  〃red　man；〃　holding　up　one。
  〃Well；〃　rejoined　Cap；　〃it　is　hard　to　say　which　is　right
  and　which　is　wrong。　　One　is　entirely　white；　and　a　fine
  comely　lad　he　is；　with　an　air　of　respectability　about　him；
  one　is　a　red…skin　as　plain　as　paint　and　nature　can　make
  him；　but　the　third　chap　is　half…rigged；　being　neither　brig
  nor　schooner。〃
  〃Pale…faces；〃　repeated　Arrowhead；　again　raising　two
  fingers；　〃red　man；〃　showing　but　one。
  〃He　must　be　right；　uncle；　for　his　eye　seems　never　to
  fail。　　But　it　is　now　urgent　to　know　whether　we　meet　as
  friends　or　foes。　　They　may　be　French。〃
  〃One　hail　will　soon　satisfy　us　on　that　head；〃　returned
  Cap。　　〃Stand　you　behind　the　tree；　Magnet；　lest　the　knaves
  take　it　into　their　heads　to　fire　a　broadside　without　a　parley；
  and　I　will　soon　learn　what　colors　they　sail　under。〃
  The　uncle　had　placed　his　two　hands　to　his　mouth　to
  form　a　trumpet；　and　was　about　to　give　the　promised　hail；
  when　a　rapid　movement　from　the　hand　of　Arrowhead　de…
  feated　the　intention　by　deranging　the　instrument。
  〃Red　man；　Mohican；〃　said　the　Tuscarora；　〃good；　pale…
  faces；　Yengeese。〃
  〃These　are　heavenly　tidings；〃　murmured　Mabel；　who
  little　relished　the　prospect　of　a　deadly　fray　in　that　remote
  wilderness。　　〃Let　us　approach　at　once；　dear　uncle；　and
  proclaim　ourselves　friends。〃
  〃Good；〃　said　the　Tuscarora　〃red　man　cool；　and　know；
  pale…face　hurried；　and　fire。　　Let　the　squaw　go。〃
  〃What！〃　said　Cap　in　astonishment；　〃send　little　Mag…
  net　ahead　as　a　lookout；　while　two　lubbers；　like　you　and
  me；　lie…to　to　see　what　sort　of　a　land…fall　she　will　make！
  If　I　do；　I　　〃
  〃It　is　wisest；　uncle；〃　interrupted　the　generous　girl；
  〃and　I　have　no　fear。　　No　Christian；　seeing　a　woman　ap…
  proach　alone；　would　fire　upon　her；　and　my　presence　will
  be　a　pledge　of　peace。　　Let　me　go　forward；　as　Arrowhead
  wishes；　and　all　will　be　well。　　We　are；　as　yet；　unseen；　and
  the　surprise　of　the　strangers　will　not　partake　of　alarm。〃
  〃Good；〃　returned　Arrowhead；　who　did　not　conceal　his
  approbation　of　Mabel's　spirit。
  〃It　has　an　unseaman…like　look；〃　answered　Cap；　〃but；
  being　in　the　woods；　no　one　will　know　it。　　If　you　think；
  Mabel　　〃
  〃Uncle；　I　know。　　There　is　no　cause　to　fear　for　me；　and
  you　are　always　nigh　to　protect　me。〃
  〃Well；　take　one　of　the　pistols；　then　　〃
  〃Nay；　I　had　better　rely　on　my　youth　and　feebleness；〃
  said　the　girl；　smiling；　while　her　color　heightened　under
  her　feelings。　　〃Among　Christian　men；　a　woman's　best
  guard　is　her　claim　to　their　protection。　　I　know　nothing　of
  arms；　and　wish　to　live　in　ignorance　of　them。〃
  The　uncle　desisted；　and；　after　receiving　a　few　cautious
  instructions　from　the　Tuscarora；　Mabel　rallied　all　her
  spirit；　and　advanced　alone　towards　the　group　seated　near
  the　fire。　　Although　the　heart　of　the　girl　beat　quick；　her
  step　was　firm；　and　her　movements；　seemingly；　were　with…
  out　reluctance。　　A　death…like　silence　reigned　in　the　forest；
  for　they　towards　whom　she　approached　were　too　much　oc…
  cupied　in　appeasing　their　hunger　to　avert　their　looks　for
  an　instant　from　the　important　business　in　which　they
  were　all　engaged。　　When　Mabel；　however；　had　got　within
  a　hundred　feet　of　the　fire；　she　trod　upon　a　dried　stick；　and
  the　trifling　noise　produced　by　her　light　footstep　caused
  the　Mohican；　as　Arrowhead　had　pronounced　the　Indian
  to　be；　and　his　companion；　whose　character　had　been
  thought　so　equivocal；　to　rise　to　their　feet；　as　quick　as
  thought。　　Both　glanced　at　the　rifles　that　leaned　against　a
  tree；　and　then　each　stood　without　stretching　out　an　arm；
  as　his　eyes　fell　on　the　form　of　the　girl。　　The　Indian　uttered
  a　few　words　to　his　companion；　and　resumed　his　seat　and
  his　meal　as　calmly　as　if　no　interruption　had　occurred。　　On
  the　contrary；　the　white　man　left　the　fire；　and　came　forward
  to　meet　Mabel。
  The　latter　saw；　as　the　stranger　approached　that　she　was
  about　to　be　addressed　by　one　of　her　own　color；　though　his
  dress　was　so　strange　a　mixture　of　the　habits　of　the　two
  races；　that　it　required　a　near　look　to　be　certain　of　the　fact。
  He　was　of　middle　age；　but　there　was　an　open　honesty；　a
  total　absence　of　guile；　in　his　face；　which　otherwise　would
  not　have　been　thought　handsome；　that　at　on