Schoharie, who had messages to send to
some of the fri'ndly tribes that live farther west. This was thought a
good occasion for Chingachgook, a young chief who has never struck a
foe, and myself; to go on our first war path in company, and an
app'intment was made for us, by an old Delaware, to meet at the rock
near the foot of this lake. I'll not deny that Chingachgook has another
object in view, but it has no consarn with any here, and is his secret
and not mine; therefore I'll say no more about it."

"'Tis something about a young woman," interrupted Judith hastily, then
laughing at her own impetuosity, and even having the grace to colour a
little, at the manner in which she had betrayed her readiness to impute
such a motive. "If 'tis neither war, nor a hunt, it must be love."

"Ay, it comes easy for the young and handsome, who hear so much of them
feelin's, to suppose that they lie at the bottom of most proceedin's;
but, on that head, I say nothin'. Chingachgook is to meet me at the
rock, an hour afore sunset tomorrow evening, after which we shall go our
way together, molesting none but the king's inimies, who are lawfully
our own. Knowing Hurry of old, who once trapped in our hunting grounds,
and falling in with him on the Schoharie, just as he was on the p'int of
starting for his summer ha'nts, we agreed to journey in company; not so
much from fear of the Mingos, as from good fellowship, and, as he says,
to shorten a long road."

"And you think the trail I saw may have been that of your friend, ahead
of his time?" said Hutter.

"That's my idee, which may be wrong, but which may be right. If I saw
the moccasin, howsever, I could tell, in a minute, whether it is made in
the Delaware fashion, or not."

"Here it is, then," said the quick-witted Judith, who had already gone
to the canoe in quest of it. "Tell us what it says; friend or enemy. You
look honest, and I believe all you say, whatever father may think."

"That's the way with you, Jude; forever finding out friends, where I
distrust foes," grumbled Tom: "but, speak out, young man, and tell us
what you think of the moccasin."

"That's not Delaware made," returned Deerslayer, examining the worn and
rejected covering for the foot with a cautious eye. "I'm too young on a
war-path to be positive, but I should say that moccasin has a northern
look, and comes from beyond the Great Lakes."

"If such is the case, we ought not to lie here a minute longer than is
ne