el this!"

"Come, come," returned Hawkeye, uncasing his honest countenance, the
better to assure the wavering confidence of his companion; "you may see
a skin, which, if it be not as white as one of the gentle ones, has no
tinge of red to it that the winds of heaven and the sun have not
bestowed. Now let us to business."

"First tell me of the maiden, and of the youth who so bravely sought
her," interrupted David.

"Ay, they are happily freed from the tomahawks of these varlets. But can
you put me on the scent of Uncas?"

"The young man is in bondage, and much I fear his death is decreed. I
greatly mourn that one so well disposed should die in his ignorance, and
I have sought a goodly hymn--"

"Can you lead me to him?"

"The task will not be difficult," returned David, hesitating; "though I
greatly fear your presence would rather increase than mitigate his
unhappy fortunes."

"No more words, but lead on," returned Hawkeye, concealing his face
again, and setting the example in his own person, by instantly quitting
the lodge.

As they proceeded, the scout ascertained that his companion found access
to Uncas, under privilege of his imaginary infirmity, aided by the favor
he had acquired with one of the guards, who, in consequence of speaking
a little English, had been selected by David as the subject of a
religious conversation. How far the Huron comprehended the intentions of
his new friend, may well be doubted; but as exclusive attention is as
flattering to a savage as to a more civilized individual, it had
produced the effect we have mentioned. It is unnecessary to repeat the
shrewd manner with which the scout extracted these particulars from the
simple David; neither shall we dwell in this place on the nature of the
instructions he delivered, when completely master of all the necessary
facts; as the whole will be sufficiently explained to the reader in the
course of the narrative.

The lodge in which Uncas was confined was in the very centre of the
village, and in a situation, perhaps, more difficult than any other to
approach, or leave, without observation. But it was not the policy of
Hawkeye to affect the least concealment. Presuming on his disguise, and
his ability to sustain the character he had assumed, he took the most
plain and direct route to the place. The hour, however, afforded him
some little of that protection which he appeared so much to despise. The
boys were already buried in sleep, and all