th me, Judith; but even
worse than he may have eyes and ears", returned the other gravely.

"Enough of this!" exclaimed Judith, with flashing eye and a flush that
mounted to her temples, "and more of my father and his ransom. 'Tis as
you say, Deerslayer; the Indians will not be likely to give up their
prisoners without a heavier bribe than my clothes can offer, and
father's rifle and powder. There is the chest."

"Ay, there is the chest as you say, Judith, and when the question gets
to be between a secret and a scalp, I should think most men would prefer
keeping the last. Did your father ever give you any downright commands
consarning that chist?"

"Never. He has always appeared to think its locks, and its steel bands,
and its strength, its best protection."

"'Tis a rare chest, and altogether of curious build," returned
Deerslayer, rising and approaching the thing in question, on which
he seated himself, with a view to examine it with greater ease.
"Chingachgook, this is no wood that comes of any forest that you or I
have ever trailed through! 'Tisn't the black walnut, and yet it's quite
as comely, if not more so, did the smoke and the treatment give it fair
play."

The Delaware drew near, felt of the wood, examined its grain, endeavored
to indent the surface with a nail, and passed his hand curiously over
the steel bands, the heavy padlocks, and the other novel peculiarities
of the massive box.

"No--nothing like this grows in these regions," resumed Deerslayer.
"I've seen all the oaks, both the maples, the elms, the bass woods, all
the walnuts, the butternuts, and every tree that has a substance and
colour, wrought into some form or other, but never have I before seen
such a wood as this! Judith, the chest itself would buy your father's
freedom, or Iroquois cur'osity isn't as strong as red-skin cur'osity, in
general; especially in the matter of woods."

"The purchase might be cheaper made, perhaps, Deerslayer. The chest is
full, and it would be better to part with half than to part with the
whole. Besides, father--I know not why--but father values that chest
highly."

"He would seem to prize what it holds more than the chest, itself,
judging by the manner in which he treats the outside, and secures the
inside. Here are three locks, Judith; is there no key?"

"I've never seen one, and yet key there must be, since Hetty told us she
had often seen the chest opened."

"Keys no more lie in the air, or float