my own mind is
pretty much settled on the p'int of my own answer, which shall be made
known as soon as necessary."

"And so is mine, Hurry, on all the different heads, and on no one is
it more sartainly settled that on your'n. If I was you, I should
say--'Deerslayer, tell them scamps they don't know Harry March! He is
human; and having a white skin, he has also a white natur', which natur'
won't let him desart females of his own race and gifts in their greatest
need. So set me down as one that will refuse to come into your treaty,
though you should smoke a hogshead of tobacco over it.'"

March was a little embarrassed at this rebuke, which was uttered with
sufficient warmth of manner, and with a point that left no doubt of the
meaning. Had Judith encouraged him, he would not have hesitated about
remaining to defend her and her sister, but under the circumstances a
feeling of resentment rather urged him to abandon them. At all events,
there was not a sufficiency of chivalry in Hurry Harry to induce him
to hazard the safety of his own person unless he could see a direct
connection between the probable consequences and his own interests.
It is no wonder, therefore, that his answer partook equally of his
intention, and of the reliance he so boastingly placed on his gigantic
strength, which if it did not always make him outrageous, usually made
him impudent, as respects those with whom he conversed.

"Fair words make long friendships, Master Deerslayer," he said a little
menacingly. "You're but a stripling, and you know by exper'ence what you
are in the hands of a man. As you're not me, but only a go between sent
by the savages to us Christians, you may tell your empl'yers that they
do know Harry March, which is a proof of their sense as well as his.
He's human enough to follow human natur', and that tells him to see the
folly of one man's fighting a whole tribe. If females desart him, they
must expect to be desarted by him, whether they're of his own gifts or
another man's gifts. Should Judith see fit to change her mind, she's
welcome to my company to the river, and Hetty with her; but shouldn't
she come to this conclusion, I start as soon as I think the enemy's
scouts are beginning to nestle themselves in among the brush and leaves
for the night."

"Judith will not change her mind, and she does not ask your company,
Master March," returned the girl with spirit.

"That p'int's settled, then," resumed Deerslayer, unmov