ollowed the
motion. A few rods in their front lay another of the low wooded islets,
but it appeared as calm and peaceful as if its solitude had never been
disturbed by the foot of man.

"I see nothing," he said, "but land and water; and a lovely scene it
is."

"Hist!" interrupted the scout. "Ay, Sagamore, there is always a reason
for what you do. 'Tis but a shade, and yet it is not natural. You see
the mist, major, that is rising above the island; you can't call it a
fog, for it is more like a streak of thin cloud--"

"It is vapor from the water."

"That a child could tell. But what is the edging of blacker smoke that
hangs along its lower side, and which you may trace down into the
thicket of hazel? 'Tis from a fire; but one that, in my judgment, has
been suffered to burn low."

"Let us then push for the place, and relieve our doubts," said the
impatient Duncan; "the party must be small that can lie on such a bit of
land."

"If you judge of Indian cunning by the rules you find in books, or by
white sagacity, they will lead you astray, if not to your death,"
returned Hawkeye, examining the signs of the place with that acuteness
which distinguished him. "If I may be permitted to speak in this matter,
it will be to say, that we have but two things to choose between: the
one is, to return, and give up all thoughts of following the Hurons--"

"Never!" exclaimed Heyward, in a voice far too loud for their
circumstances.

"Well, well," continued Hawkeye, making a hasty sign to repress his
impatience; "I am much of your mind myself; though I thought it becoming
my experience to tell the whole. We must then make a push, and if the
Indians or Frenchers are in the narrows, run the gauntlet through these
toppling mountains. Is there reason in my words, Sagamore?"

The Indian made no other answer than by dropping his paddle into the
water, and urging forward the canoe. As he held the office of directing
its course, his resolution was sufficiently indicated by the movement.
The whole party now plied their paddles vigorously, and in a very few
moments they had reached a point whence they might command an entire
view of the northern shore of the island, the side that had hitherto
been concealed.

"There they are, by all the truth of signs," whispered the scout; "two
canoes and a smoke. The knaves haven't yet got their eyes out of the
mist, or we should hear the accursed whoop. Together, friend! we are
leaving them, and ar