bling the little
chirrup of the smallest species of the American squirrel, that
Deerslayer himself, though he had heard the imitation a hundred times,
actually thought it came from one of the little animals skipping about
over his head. The sound is so familiar in the woods, that none of the
Hurons paid it the least attention. Hist, however, instantly ceased
talking, and sat motionless. Still she had sufficient self-command to
abstain from turning her head. She had heard the signal by which her
lover so often called her from the wigwam to the stolen interview,
and it came over her senses and her heart, as the serenade affects the
maiden in the land of song.

From that moment, Chingachgook felt certain that his presence was known.
This was effecting much, and he could now hope for a bolder line of
conduct on the part of his mistress than she might dare to adopt under
an uncertainty of his situation. It left no doubt of her endeavouring
to aid him in his effort to release her. Deerslayer arose as soon as
the signal was given, and though he had never held that sweet communion
which is known only to lovers, he was not slow to detect the great
change that had come over the manner of the girl. She still affected to
dispute, though it was no longer with spirit and ingenuity, but what she
said was uttered more as a lure to draw her antagonists on to an easy
conquest, than with any hopes of succeeding herself. Once or twice, it
is true, her native readiness suggested a retort, or an argument that
raised a laugh, and gave her a momentary advantage; but these little
sallies, the offspring of mother-wit, served the better to conceal her
real feelings, and to give to the triumph of the other party a more
natural air than it might have possessed without them. At length the
disputants became wearied, and they rose in a body as if about to
separate. It was now that Hist, for the first time, ventured to turn
her face in the direction whence the signal had come. In doing this,
her movements were natural, but guarded, and she stretched her arm and
yawned, as if overcome with a desire to sleep. The chirrup was again
heard, and the girl felt satisfied as to the position of her lover,
though the strong light in which she herself was placed, and the
comparative darkness in which the adventurers stood, prevented her from
seeing their heads, the only portions of their forms that appeared above
the ridge at all. The tree against which they were