“Now, do not think that we did this thing to set ourselves off in female eyes.  It may be pleasant to the young to win each other’s good opinions by doing things which may seem praiseworthy and bold; but neither Eau-douce nor myself is of that race.  My natur’ has few turns in it, and is a straight natur’; nor would it be likely to lead me into a vanity of this sort while out on duty.  As for Jasper, he would sooner go over the Oswego Falls, without a looker-on, than do it before a hundred pair of eyes.  I know the lad well from much consorting, and I am sure he is not boastful or vainglorious.”

Mabel rewarded the scout with a smile, which served to keep the canoes together for some time longer; for the sight of youth and beauty was so rare on that remote frontier, that even the rebuked and self-mortified feelings of this wanderer of the forest were sensibly touched by the blooming loveliness of the girl.

“We did it for the best,” Pathfinder continued; “’twas all for the best.  Had we waited to carry the canoe across the portage, time would have been lost, and nothing is so precious as time when you are mistrustful of Mingos.”

“But we have little to fear now.  The canoes move swiftly, and two hours, you have said, will carry us down to the fort.”

“It shall be a cunning Iroquois who hurts a hair of your head, pretty one; for all here are bound to the Sergeant, and most, I think, to yourself, to see you safe from harm.  Ha, Eau-douce! what is that in the river, at the lower turn, yonder, beneath the bushes, —­ I mean standing on the rock?”

“’Tis the Big Serpent, Pathfinder; he is making signs to us in a way I don’t understand.”

“’Tis the Sarpent, as sure as I’m a white man, and he wishes us to drop in nearer to his shore.  Mischief is brewing, or one of his deliberation and steadiness would never take this trouble.  Courage, all!  We are men, and must meet devilry as becomes our color and our callings.  Ah, I never knew good come of boasting!  And here, just as I was vaunting of our safety, comes danger to give me the lie.”

CHAPTER IV

Art, stryving to compare
With nature, did an arber greene dispred,
Fram’d of wanton yvie flowing fayre,
Through which the fragrant eglantines did spred. 
Spenser.

The Oswego, below the falls, is a more rapid, unequal stream than it is above them.  There are places where the river flows in the quiet stillness of deep water, but many shoals and rapids occur; and at that distant day, when everything was in its natural state, some of the passes were not altogether without hazard.  Very little exertion was required on the part of those who managed the canoes, except in those places where the swiftness of the current and the presence of the rocks required care; then, indeed, not only vigilance, but great coolness, readiness, and strength of arm became necessary, in order to avoid the dangers.  Of all this the Mohican was aware, and he had judiciously selected a spot where the river flowed tranquilly to intercept the canoes, in order to make his communication without hazard to those he wished to speak.