ould have been completed, had not the honest countenance and
manner of Deerslayer wrought their usual effect on Rivenoak.

"My brother knows I put faith in him," said the latter, as he advanced
with Hutter, whose legs had been released to enable the old man to
ascend to the platform. "One scalp--one more beast."

"Stop, Mingo," interrupted the hunter, "keep your prisoner a moment. I
have to go and seek the means of payment."

This excuse, however, though true in part, was principally a fetch.
Deerslayer left the platform, and entering the house, he directed Judith
to collect all the arms and to conceal them in her own room. He then
spoke earnestly to the Delaware, who stood on guard as before, near the
entrance of the building, put the three remaining castles in his pocket,
and returned.

"You are welcome back to your old abode, Master Hutter," said
Deerslayer, as he helped the other up on the platform, slyly passing
into the hand of Rivenoak, at the same time, another of the castles.
"You'll find your darters right glad to see you, and here's Hetty come
herself to say as much in her own behalf."

Here the hunter stopped speaking and broke out into a hearty fit of his
silent and peculiar laughter. Hurry's legs were just released, and he
had been placed on his feet. So tightly had the ligatures been drawn,
that the use of his limbs was not immediately recovered, and the young
giant presented, in good sooth, a very helpless and a somewhat ludicrous
picture. It was this unusual spectacle, particularly the bewildered
countenance, that excited the merriment of Deerslayer.

"You look like a girdled pine in a clearin', Hurry Harry, that is
rocking in a gale," said Deerslayer, checking his unseasonable mirth,
more from delicacy to the others than from any respect to the liberated
captive. "I'm glad, howsever, to see that you haven't had your hair
dressed by any of the Iroquois barbers, in your late visit to their
camp."

"Harkee, Deerslayer," returned the other a little fiercely, "it will
be prudent for you to deal less in mirth and more in friendship on this
occasion. Act like a Christian, for once, and not like a laughing gal
in a country school when the master's back is turned, and just tell me
whether there's any feet, or not, at the end of these legs of mine. I
think I can see them, but as for feelin' they might as well be down on
the banks of the Mohawk, as be where they seem to be."

"You've come off whole, Hurr