first taken human life.
When he had got the whole truth, he did not fail to communicate it to
the tribe, from which time the young hunter was universally known among
the Delawares by an appellation so honorably earned. As this, however,
was a period posterior to all the incidents of this tale, we shall
continue to call the young hunter by the name under which he has been
first introduced to the reader. Nor was the Iroquois less struck with
the vaunt of the white man. He knew of the death of his comrade, and had
no difficulty in understanding the allusion, the intercourse between the
conqueror and his victim on that occasion having been seen by several
savages on the shore of the lake, who had been stationed at different
points just within the margin of bushes to watch the drifting canoes,
and who had not time to reach the scene of action, ere the victor had
retired. The effect on this rude being of the forest was an exclamation
of surprise; then such a smile of courtesy, and wave of the hand,
succeeded, as would have done credit to Asiatic diplomacy. The two
Iroquois spoke to each other in low tones, and both drew near the end of
the raft that was closest to the platform.

"My brother, Hawkeye, has sent a message to the Hurons," resumed
Rivenoak, "and it has made their hearts very glad. They hear he has
images of beasts with two tails! Will he show them to his friends?"

"Inimies would be truer," returned Deerslayer, "but sound isn't sense,
and does little harm. Here is One of the images; I toss it to you under
faith of treaties. If it's not returned, the rifle will settle the p'int
atween us."

The Iroquois seemed to acquiesce in the conditions, and Deerslayer arose
and prepared to toss one of the elephants to the raft, both parties
using all the precaution that was necessary to prevent its loss. As
practice renders men expert in such things, the little piece of ivory
was soon successfully transferred from one hand to the other, and then
followed another scene on the raft, in which astonishment and delight
got the mastery of Indian stoicism. These two grim old warriors
manifested even more feeling, as they examined the curiously wrought
chessman, than had been betrayed by the boy; for, in the case of the
latter, recent schooling had interposed its influence; while the men,
like all who are sustained by well established characters, were not
ashamed to let some of their emotions be discovered. For a few minutes
they