the women, and most of the
warriors, had retired to their lodges for the night. Four or five of the
latter only lingered about the door of the prison of Uncas, wary but
close observers of the manner of their captive.

At the sight of Gamut, accompanied by one in the well known masquerade
of their most distinguished conjurer, they readily made way for them
both. Still they betrayed no intention to depart. On the other hand,
they were evidently disposed to remain bound to the place by an
additional interest in the mysterious mummeries that they of course
expected from such a visit.

From the total inability of the scout to address the Hurons in their own
language, he was compelled to trust the conversation entirely to David.
Notwithstanding the simplicity of the latter, he did ample justice to
the instructions he had received, more than fulfilling the strongest
hopes of his teacher.

"The Delawares are women!" he exclaimed, addressing himself to the
savage who had a slight understanding of the language in which he spoke;
"the Yengeese, my foolish countrymen, have told them to take up the
tomahawk, and strike their fathers in the Canadas, and they have
forgotten their sex. Does my brother wish to hear Le Cerf Agile ask for
his petticoats, and see him weep before the Hurons, at the stake?"

The exclamation "Hugh!" delivered in a strong tone of assent, announced
the gratification the savage would receive in witnessing such an
exhibition of weakness in an enemy so long hated and so much feared.

"Then let him step aside, and the cunning man will blow upon the dog!
Tell it to my brothers."

The Huron explained the meaning of David to his fellows, who, in their
turn, listened to the project with that sort of satisfaction that their
untamed spirits might be expected to find in such a refinement in
cruelty. They drew back a little from the entrance, and motioned to the
supposed conjurer to enter. But the bear, instead of obeying, maintained
the seat it had taken, and growled.

"The cunning man is afraid that his breath will blow upon his brothers,
and take away their courage too," continued David, improving the hint he
received; "they must stand farther off."

The Hurons, who would have deemed such a misfortune the heaviest
calamity that could befall them, fell back in a body, taking a position
where they were out of ear-shot, though at the same time they could
command a view of the entrance to the lodge. Then, as if sa