y available means of security. This decision
was no sooner come to, than it was communicated to Judith. The girl
had no serious objection to make, and all four set about the measures
necessary to carrying the plan into execution.

The reader will readily understand that Floating Tom's worldly goods
were of no great amount. A couple of beds, some wearing apparel, the
arms and ammunition, a few cooking utensils, with the mysterious and
but half examined chest formed the principal items. These were all soon
removed, the Ark having been hauled on the eastern side of the building,
so that the transfer could be made without being seen from the shore. It
was thought unnecessary to disturb the heavier and coarser articles of
furniture, as they were not required in the Ark, and were of but little
value in themselves. As great caution was necessary in removing the
different objects, most of which were passed out of a window with a view
to conceal what was going on, it required two or three hours before all
could be effected. By the expiration of that time, the raft made its
appearance, moving from the shore. Deerslayer immediately had recourse
to the glass, by the aid of which he perceived that two warriors were
on it, though they appeared to be unarmed. The progress of the raft was
slow, a circumstance that formed one of the great advantages that would
be possessed by the scow, in any future collision between them, the
movements of the latter being comparatively swift and light. As there
was time to make the dispositions for the reception of the two dangerous
visitors, everything was prepared for them, long before they had got
near enough to be hailed. The Serpent and the girls retired into the
building, where the former stood near the door, well provided with
rifles, while Judith watched the proceedings without through a loop. As
for Deerslayer, he had brought a stool to the edge of the platform, at
the point towards which the raft was advancing, and taken his seat with
his rifle leaning carelessly between his legs.

As the raft drew nearer, every means possessed by the party in the
castle was resorted to, in order to ascertain if their visitors had any
firearms. Neither Deerslayer nor Chingachgook could discover any, but
Judith, unwilling to trust to simple eyesight, thrust the glass through
the loop, and directed it towards the hemlock boughs that lay between
the two logs of the raft, forming a sort of flooring, as well as a