not hear how it roars among the
rocks and cliffs? It is here deep, narrow, and rocky; and, though, in the
season of drought, a child might step across it from rock to rock, it is
a cataract in the time of floods. No, friend; I have brought thee into a
trap whence thee has no escape, unless thee would desert these poor
helpless women."

"Put but them in safety," said Roland, "and care not for the rest.--And
yet I do not despair: we have shown what we can do by resolution: we can
keep the cut-throats at bay till the morning."

"And what will that advantage thee, except to see thee poor females
murdered in the light of the sun, instead of having them killed out of
thee sight in darkness? Truly, the first glimmer of dawn will be the
signal of death to all; for then the Shawnees will find thee weakness, if
indeed they do not find it before."

"Man!" said Roland, "why should you drive me to despair? Give me better
comfort,--give me counsel, or say no more. You have brought us to this
pass: do your best to save us, or our blood be upon your head!"

To these words of unjust reproach, wrung from the young soldier by the
bitterness of his feelings, Nathan at first made no reply. Preserving
silence for awhile, he said, at last:

"Well, friend, I counsel thee to be of good heart, and to do what thee
can, making thee enemies, since thee cannot increase thee friends, as few
in numbers as possible;--to do which, friend," he added, suddenly, "if
thee will shoot that evil creature that lies like a log on the earth,
creeping towards the ruin, I will have no objection!"

With these words, which were uttered in a low voice, Nathan, pulling the
young man behind a screen of fallen timbers near to which they stood,
endeavoured to point him out the enemy whom his eye had that moment
detected crawling towards the hovel, with the subtle motion of a serpent.
But the vision of Roland, not yet accustomed to trace objects in the
darkness of a wood, failed to discover the approaching foe.

"Truly," said Nathan, somewhat impatiently, "if thee will not consider it
as an evil thing of me, and a blood-guiltiness, I will hold thee gun for
thee, and thee shall pull the trigger!" which piece of service the man of
peace, having doubtless satisfied his conscience of its lawfulness, was
actually about to render the soldier, when the good intention was set at
naught by the savage suddenly leaping to his feet, followed by a dozen
others, all springing, as