Chapter 6 - Page 2

next twenty-four
hours than to talk over what happened twenty-four years since."

"That's judgment, Deerslayer; yes, that's sound judgment. Here's
Judith and Hetty to take care of, to say nothing of our own top-knots;
and, for my part, I can sleep as well in the dark as I could under
a noonday sun. To me it's no great matter whether there is light
or not, to see to shut my eyes by."

As Deerslayer seldom thought it necessary to answer his companion's
peculiar vein of humor, and Hutter was evidently indisposed to dwell
longer on the subject, it's discussion ceased with this remark. The
latter had something more on his mind, however, than recollections.
His daughters had no sooner left them, with an expressed intention
of going to bed, than he invited his two companions to follow him
again into the scow. Here the old man opened his project, keeping
back the portion that he had reserved for execution by Hurry and
himself.

"The great object for people posted like ourselves is to command
the water," he commenced. "So long as there is no other craft on
the lake, a bark canoe is as good as a man of-war, since the castle
will not be easily taken by swimming. Now, there are but five
canoes remaining in these parts, two of which are mine, and one is
Hurry's. These three we have with us here; one being fastened in
the canoe-dock beneath the house, and the other two being alongside
the scow. The other canoes are housed on the shore, in hollow
logs, and the savages, who are such venomous enemies, will leave
no likely place unexamined in the morning, if they 're serious in
s'arch of bounties-"

"Now, friend Hutter," interrupted Hurry, "the Indian don't live that
can find a canoe that is suitably wintered. I've done something
at this business before now, and Deerslayer here knows that I am
one that can hide a craft in such a way that I can't find it myself."

"Very true, Hurry," put in the person to whom the appeal had been
made, "but you overlook the sarcumstance that if you couldn't
see the trail of the man who did the job, I could. I'm of Master
Hutter's mind, that it's far wiser to mistrust a savage's ingenuity,
than to build any great expectations on his want of eye-sight.
If these two canoes can be got off to the castle, therefore, the
sooner it's done the better."

"Will you be of the party that's to do it?" demanded Hutter, in a
way to show that the proposal both surprised and pleased him.

"Sartain. I'm ready to enlist in any enterprise that's not ag'in
a white man's lawful gifts. Natur' orders us to defend our lives,
and the lives of others, too, when there's occasion and opportunity.