hout detection. The splashing in the water, the tossing arms,
and the calls of one to another, soon announced that the four who had
last joined the party were already swimming. As soon as this fact was
certain, the Delaware rose, resumed his former station, and began to
think the moment for action was come.

One less habitually under self-restraint than this warrior would
probably have now aimed his meditated blow; but Chingachgook knew there
were more Iroquois behind him on the rift, and he was a warrior much too
trained and experienced to risk anything unnecessarily. He suffered the
Indian at the bow of the canoe to push off into the deep water, and then
all three were swimming in the direction of the eastern shore. Instead,
however, of helping the canoe across the swift current, no sooner did
the Delaware and Jasper find themselves within the influence of its
greatest force than both began to swim in a way to check their farther
progress across the stream. Nor was this done suddenly, or in the
incautious manner in which a civilized man would have been apt to
attempt the artifice, but warily, and so gradually that the Iroquois at
the bow fancied at first he was merely struggling against the strength
of the current. Of course, while acted on by these opposing efforts,
the canoe drifted down stream, and in about a minute it was floating in
still deeper water at the foot of the rift. Here, however, the Iroquois
was not slow in finding that something unusual retarded their advance,
and, looking back; he first learned that he was resisted by the efforts
of his companions.

That second nature which grows up through habit instantly told the young
Iroquois that he was alone with enemies. Dashing the water aside, he
sprang at the throat of Chingachgook, and the two Indians, relinquishing
their hold of the canoe, seized each other like tigers. In the midst
of the darkness of that gloomy night, and floating in an element so
dangerous to man when engaged in deadly strife, they appeared to forget
everything but their fell animosity and their mutual desire to conquer.

Jasper had now complete command of the canoe, which flew off like
a feather impelled by the breath under the violent reaction of the
struggles of the two combatants. The first impulse of the youth was to
swim to the aid of the Delaware, but the importance of securing the
boat presented itself with tenfold force, while he listened to the
heavy breathings of the warr