his is reason; else how are people to judge of each other.
The skin is put on, over all, in order when a creatur', or a mortal, is
fairly seen, you may know at once what to make of him. You know a bear
from a hog, by his skin, and a gray squirrel from a black."

"True, Hurry," said the other looking back and smiling, "nevertheless,
they are both squirrels."

"Who denies it? But you'll not say that a red man and a white man are
both Injins?"

"But I do say they are both men. Men of different races and colors, and
having different gifts and traditions, but, in the main, with the same
natur'. Both have souls; and both will be held accountable for their
deeds in this life."

Hurry was one of those theorists who believed in the inferiority of all
the human race who were not white. His notions on the subject were
not very clear, nor were his definitions at all well settled; but his
opinions were none the less dogmatical or fierce. His conscience accused
him of sundry lawless acts against the Indians, and he had found it an
exceedingly easy mode of quieting it, by putting the whole family of
redmen, incontinently, without the category of human rights. Nothing
angered him sooner than to deny his proposition, more especially if the
denial were accompanied by a show of plausible argument; and he did not
listen to his companion's remarks with much composure of either manner
or feeling.

"You're a boy, Deerslayer, misled and misconsaited by Delaware arts, and
missionary ignorance," he exclaimed, with his usual indifference to the
forms of speech, when excited. "You may account yourself as a red-skin's
brother, but I hold'em all to be animals; with nothing human about 'em
but cunning. That they have, I'll allow; but so has a fox, or even a
bear. I'm older than you, and have lived longer in the woods--or, for
that matter, have lived always there, and am not to be told what an
Injin is or what he is not. If you wish to be considered a savage,
you've only to say so, and I'll name you as such to Judith and the old
man, and then we'll see how you'll like your welcome."

Here Hurry's imagination did his temper some service, since, by
conjuring up the reception his semi-aquatic acquaintance would be
likely to bestow on one thus introduced, he burst into a hearty fit
of laughter. Deerslayer too well knew the uselessness of attempting
to convince such a being of anything against his prejudices, to feel a
desire to undertake the task;