ple David; neither shall we dwell in this place on the nature of the
instruction he delivered, when completely master of all the necessary
facts; as the whole will be sufficiently explained to the reader in the
course of the narrative.

The lodge in which Uncas was confined was in the very center of the
village, and in a situation, perhaps, more difficult than any other to
approach, or leave, without observation. But it was not the policy of
Hawkeye to affect the least concealment. Presuming on his disguise, and
his ability to sustain the character he had assumed, he took the most
plain and direct route to the place. The hour, however, afforded him
some little of that protection which he appeared so much to despise. The
boys were already buried in sleep, and all the women, and most of the
warriors, had retired to their lodges for the night. Four or five of
the latter only lingered about the door of the prison of Uncas, wary but
close observers of the manner of their captive.

At the sight of Gamut, accompanied by one in the well-known masquerade
of their most distinguished conjurer, they readily made way for them
both. Still they betrayed no intention to depart. On the other hand,
they were evidently disposed to remain bound to the place by an
additional interest in the mysterious mummeries that they of course
expected from such a visit.

From the total inability of the scout to address the Hurons in their own
language, he was compelled to trust the conversation entirely to David.
Notwithstanding the simplicity of the latter, he did ample justice to
the instructions he had received, more than fulfilling the strongest
hopes of his teacher.

"The Delawares are women!" he exclaimed, addressing himself to the
savage who had a slight understanding of the language in which he spoke;
"the Yengeese, my foolish countrymen, have told them to take up the
tomahawk, and strike their fathers in the Canadas, and they have
forgotten their sex. Does my brother wish to hear 'Le Cerf Agile' ask
for his petticoats, and see him weep before the Hurons, at the stake?"

The exclamation "Hugh!" delivered in a strong tone of assent, announced
the gratification the savage would receive in witnessing such an
exhibition of weakness in an enemy so long hated and so much feared.

"Then let him step aside, and the cunning man will blow upon the dog.
Tell it to my brothers."

The Huron explained the meaning of David to his fellows, who, in their