e dancing in the limpid
element, that was just stirred enough by the evening air to set them all
in motion.

"Now, Deerslayer," commenced Judith, whose impatience resisted further
restraint-"now, Deerslayer, tell us all the Hurons have to say, and the
reason why they have sent you on parole, to make us some offer."

"Furlough, Judith; furlough is the word; and it carries the same meaning
with a captyve at large, as it does with a soldier who has leave to quit
his colors. In both cases the word is passed to come back, and now
I remember to have heard that's the ra'al signification; 'furlough'
meaning a 'word' passed for the doing of any thing of the like. Parole
I rather think is Dutch, and has something to do with the tattoos of
the garrisons. But this makes no great difference, since the vartue of a
pledge lies in the idee, and not in the word. Well, then, if the message
must be given, it must; and perhaps there is no use in putting it off.
Hurry will soon be wanting to set out on his journey to the river, and
the stars rise and set, just as if they cared for neither Injin nor
message. Ah's! me; 'Tisn't a pleasant, and I know it's a useless ar'n'd,
but it must be told."

"Harkee, Deerslayer," put in Hurry, a little authoritatively-"You're
a sensible man in a hunt, and as good a fellow on a march, as a
sixty-miler-a-day could wish to meet with, but you're oncommon slow
about messages; especially them that you think won't be likely to be
well received. When a thing is to be told, why tell it; and don't hang
back like a Yankee lawyer pretending he can't understand a Dutchman's
English, just to get a double fee out of him."

"I understand you, Hurry, and well are you named to-night, seeing you've
no time to lose. But let us come at once to the p'int, seeing that's the
object of this council--for council it may be called, though women have
seats among us. The simple fact is this. When the party came back
from the castle, the Mingos held a council, and bitter thoughts were
uppermost, as was plain to be seen by their gloomy faces. No one likes
to be beaten, and a red-skin as little as a pale-face. Well, when they
had smoked upon it, and made their speeches, and their council fire had
burnt low, the matter came out. It seems the elders among 'em consaited
I was a man to be trusted on a furlough-They're wonderful obsarvant,
them Mingos; that their worst mimics must allow--but they consaited I
was such a man; and it isn't of