ger had so long taught him to practise.

Repeating the words, "Fellows who are dodging about the water!" he
added, "so much for schooling and passing a boyhood in the settlements!
The knave has long legs, though, and shall not be trusted. Do you keep
him under your rifle while I creep in behind, through the bush, and take
him alive. Fire on no account."

Heyward had already permitted his companion to bury part of his person
in the thicket, when, stretching forth his arm, he arrested him, in
order to ask:

"If I see you in danger, may I not risk a shot?"

Hawkeye regarded him a moment, like one who knew not how to take the
question; then, nodding his head, he answered, still laughing, though
inaudibly:

"Fire a whole platoon, major."

In the next moment he was concealed by the leaves. Duncan waited several
minutes in feverish impatience, before he caught another glimpse of
the scout. Then he reappeared, creeping along the earth, from which his
dress was hardly distinguishable, directly in the rear of his intended
captive. Having reached within a few yards of the latter, he arose to
his feet, silently and slowly. At that instant, several loud blows were
struck on the water, and Duncan turned his eyes just in time to perceive
that a hundred dark forms were plunging, in a body, into the troubled
little sheet. Grasping his rifle his looks were again bent on the Indian
near him. Instead of taking the alarm, the unconscious savage stretched
forward his neck, as if he also watched the movements about the gloomy
lake, with a sort of silly curiosity. In the meantime, the uplifted
hand of Hawkeye was above him. But, without any apparent reason, it was
withdrawn, and its owner indulged in another long, though still silent,
fit of merriment. When the peculiar and hearty laughter of Hawkeye
was ended, instead of grasping his victim by the throat, he tapped him
lightly on the shoulder, and exclaimed aloud:

"How now, friend! have you a mind to teach the beavers to sing?"

"Even so," was the ready answer. "It would seem that the Being that gave
them power to improve His gifts so well, would not deny them voices to
proclaim His praise."

CHAPTER 22

"Bot.--Abibl we all met?
Qui.--Pat--pat; and here's a marvelous convenient place
for our rehearsal."
--Midsummer Night's Dream

The reader may better imagine, than we describe the surprise of Heyward.
His lurking Indians were suddenly converted into f