gain, weapon in hand,
ready to display his skill. "Here's birds in abundance, some in, and
some over the lake, and they keep at just a good range, hovering round
the hut. Speak your mind, Delaware, and p'int out the creatur' you wish
to alarm. Here's a diver nearest in, off to the eastward, and that's a
creatur' that buries itself at the flash, and will be like enough to try
both piece and powder."

Chingachgook was a man of few words. No sooner was the bird pointed out
to him than he took his aim and fired. The duck dove at the flash, as
had been expected, and the bullet skipped harmlessly along the surface
of the lake, first striking the water within a few inches of the spot
where the bird had so lately swam. Deerslayer laughed, cordially and
naturally, but at the same time he threw himself into an attitude
of preparation and stood keenly watching the sheet of placid water.
Presently a dark spot appeared, and then the duck arose to breathe, and
shook its wings. While in this act, a bullet passed directly through
its breast, actually turning it over lifeless on its back. At the next
moment, Deerslayer stood with the breech of his rifle on the platform,
as tranquil as if nothing had happened, though laughing in his own
peculiar manner.

"There's no great trial of the pieces in that!" he said, as if anxious
to prevent a false impression of his own merit. "No, that proof's
neither for nor ag'in the rifles, seeing it was all quickness of hand
and eye. I took the bird at a disadvantage, or he might have got under,
again, afore the bullet reached him. But the Sarpent is too wise to mind
such tricks, having long been used to them. Do you remember the time,
chief, when you thought yourself sartain of the wild-goose, and I took
him out of your very eyes, as it might be with a little smoke! Howsever,
such things pass for nothing atween fri'nds, and young folk will have
their fun, Judith. Ay; here's just the bird we want, for it's as good
for the fire, as it is for the aim, and nothing should be lost that can
be turned to just account. There, further north, Delaware."

The latter looked in the required direction, and he soon saw a large
black duck floating in stately repose on the water. At that distant day,
when so few men were present to derange the harmony of the wilderness,
all the smaller lakes with which the interior of New York so abounds
were places of resort for the migratory aquatic birds, and this sheet
like the oth