hood of that black
mud. The gal's more likely to be braiding her hair by the side of some
spring, where she can see her own good looks, and collect scornful
feelings ag'in us men."

"You over-judge young women--yes, you do, Hurry--who as often bethink
them of their failings as they do of their perfections. I dare to say
this Judith, now, is no such admirer of herself, and no such scorner
of our sex as you seem to think; and that she is quite as likely to be
sarving her father in the house, wherever that may be, as he is to be
sarving her among the traps."

"It's a pleasure to hear truth from a man's tongue, if it be only once
in a girl's life," cried a pleasant, rich, and yet soft female voice, so
near the canoe as to make both the listeners start. "As for you, Master
Hurry, fair words are so apt to choke you, that I no longer expect to
hear them from your mouth; the last you uttered sticking in your throat,
and coming near to death. But I'm glad to see you keep better society
than formerly, and that they who know how to esteem and treat women are
not ashamed to journey in your company."

As this was said, a singularly handsome and youthful female face was
thrust through an opening in the leaves, within reach of Deerslayer's
paddle. Its owner smiled graciously on the young man; and the frown
that she cast on Hurry, though simulated and pettish, had the effect to
render her beauty more striking, by exhibiting the play of an expressive
but capricious countenance; one that seemed to change from the soft
to the severe, the mirthful to the reproving, with facility and
indifference.

A second look explained the nature of the surprise. Unwittingly, the men
had dropped alongside of the ark, which had been purposely concealed in
bushes cut and arranged for the purpose; and Judith Hutter had merely
pushed aside the leaves that lay before a window, in order to show her
face, and speak to them.

Chapter IV.

"And that timid fawn starts not with fear,
When I steal to her secret bower;
And that young May violet to me is dear,
And I visit the silent streamlet near,
To look on the lovely flower."

Bryant, "An Indian Story," ii.11-15

The ark, as the floating habitation of the Hutters was generally called,
was a very simple contrivance. A large flat, or scow, composed the
buoyant part of the vessel; and in its centre, occupying the whole of
its breadth, and about two thirds of its length, stood