Chapter 19

"Stand to your arms, and guard the door- all's lost
Unless that fearful bell be silenced soon.
The officer hath miss'd his path, or purpose,
Or met some unforeseen and hideous obstacle.
Anselmo, with thy company proceed
Straight to the tower; the rest remain with me."

Byron, Marino Faliero, lV.ii.23o-35.

The conjecture of Judith Hutter, concerning the manner in which
the Indian girl had met her death, was accurate in the main. After
sleeping several hours, her father and March awoke. This occurred
a few minutes after she had left the Ark to go in quest of her
sister, and when of course Chingachgook and his betrothed were
on board. From the Delaware the old man learned the position
of the camp, and the recent events, as well as the absence of his
daughters. The latter gave him no concern, for he relied greatly
on the sagacity of the elder, and the known impunity with which the
younger passed among the savages. Long familiarity with danger,
too, had blunted his sensibilities. Nor did he seem much to regret
the captivity of Deerslayer, for, while he knew how material his
aid might be in a defence, the difference in their views on the
morality of the woods, had not left much sympathy between them. He
would have rejoiced to know the position of the camp before it had
been alarmed by the escape of Hist, but it would be too hazardous
now to venture to land, and he reluctantly relinquished for the
night the ruthless designs that cupidity and revenge had excited
him to entertain. In this mood Hutter took a seat in the head of
the scow, where he was quickly joined by Hurry, leaving the Serpent
and Hist in quiet possession of the other extremity of the vessel.

"Deerslayer has shown himself a boy, in going among the savages at
this hour, and letting himself fall into their hands like a deer
that tumbles into a pit," growled the old man, perceiving as usual
the mote in his neighbor's eyes, while he overlooked the beam in
his own; "if he is left to pay for his stupidity with his own flesh,
he can blame no one but himself."

"That's the way of the world, old Tom," returned Hurry. "Every man
must meet his own debts, and answer for his own sins. I'm amazed,
howsever, that a lad as skilful and watchful as Deerslayer should
have been caught in such a trap! Didn't he know any better than
to go prowling about a Huron camp at midnight, with no place to
retreat to but a lake? or did he think himself a buck, that by
taking to the water could throw off the scent and swim himself out
of difficulty? I had a better opinion of the boy's judgment, I'll
own; but we must overlook a little ignorance in a raw hand. I say,
Master Hutter, do you happen to know what