, I've lived long enough to l'arn there's two sorts of
characters in the world--them that is 'arned by deeds, and them that is
'arned by tongues, and so I prefar to see and judge for myself, instead
of letting every jaw that chooses to wag become my judgment. Hurry Harry
spoke pretty plainly of the whole family, as we journeyed this-a-way,
and he did hint something consarning Thomas Hutter's having been a
free-liver on the water, in his younger days. By free-liver, I mean that
he made free to live on other men's goods."

"He told you he was a pirate--there is no need of mincing matters
between friends. Read that, Deerslayer, and you will see that he told
you no more than the truth. This Thomas Hovey was the Thomas Hutter you
knew, as is seen by these letters."

As Judith spoke, with a flushed cheek and eyes dazzling with the
brilliancy of excitement, she held the newspaper towards her companion,
pointing to the proclamation of a Colonial Governor, already mentioned.

"Bless you, Judith!" answered the other laughing, "you might as well ask
me to print that--or, for that matter to write it. My edication has been
altogether in the woods; the only book I read, or care about reading,
is the one which God has opened afore all his creatur's in the noble
forests, broad lakes, rolling rivers, blue skies, and the winds and
tempests, and sunshine, and other glorious marvels of the land! This
book I can read, and I find it full of wisdom and knowledge."

"I crave your pardon, Deerslayer," said Judith, earnestly, more abashed
than was her wont, in finding that she had in advertently made an appeal
that might wound her compan ion's pride. "I had forgotten your manner of
life, and least of all did I wish to hurt your feelings."

"Hurt my feelin's? Why should it hurt my feelin's to ask me to read,
when I can't read. I'm a hunter--and I may now begin to say a warrior,
and no missionary, and therefore books and papers are of no account with
such as I--No, no--Judith," and here the young man laughed cordially,
"not even for wads, seeing that your true deerkiller always uses the
hide of a fa'a'n, if he's got one, or some other bit of leather suitably
prepared. There's some that do say, all that stands in print is true,
in which case I'll own an unl'arned man must be somewhat of a loser;
nevertheless, it can't be truer than that which God has printed with his
own hand in the sky, and the woods, and the rivers, and the springs."

"Well,