evidently moving towards themselves. The waters made such an uproar
that little was to be apprehended from ordinary sounds, and the
Indian, turning his head, hastily said, "Leave it to the cunning
of the Great Serpent."

"Hugh!" exclaimed the strange savage, adding, in the language of
his people, "The canoe is found, but there were none to help me.
Come, let us raise it from the rock."

"Willingly," answered Chingachgook, who understood the dialect.
"Lead; we will follow."

The stranger, unable to distinguish between voices and accents amid
the raging of the rapid, led the way in the necessary direction;
and, the two others keeping close at his heels, all three speedily
reached the canoe. The Iroquois laid hold of one end, Chingachgook
placed himself in the centre, and Jasper went to the opposite
extremity, as it was important that the stranger should not detect
the presence of a pale-face, a discovery that might be made by
the parts of the dress the young man still wore, as well as by the
general appearance of his head.

"Lift," said the Iroquois in the sententious manner of his race;
and by a trifling effort the canoe was raised from the rock, held
a moment in the air to empty it, and then placed carefully on the
water in its proper position. All three held it firmly, lest it
should escape from their hands under the pressure of the violent
current, while the Iroquois, who led, of course, being at the
upper end of the boat, took the direction of the eastern shore,
or towards the spot where his friends waited his return.