As the Delaware and Jasper well knew there must be several more
of the Iroquois on the rift, from the circumstance that their own
appearance had occasioned no surprise in the individual they had
met, both felt the necessity of extreme caution. Men less bold and
determined would have thought that they were incurring too great a
risk by thus venturing into the midst of their enemies; but these
hardy borderers were unacquainted with fear, were accustomed to
hazards, and so well understood the necessity of at least preventing
their foes from getting the boat, that they would have cheerfully
encountered even greater risks to secure their object. So
all-important to the safety of Mabel, indeed, did Jasper deem the
possession or the destruction of this canoe, that he had drawn
his knife, and stood ready to rip up the bark, in order to render
the boat temporarily unserviceable, should anything occur to compel
the Delaware and himself to abandon their prize.

In the meantime, the Iroquois, who led the way, proceeded slowly
through the water in the direction of his own party, still grasping
the canoe, and dragging his reluctant followers in his train.
Once Chingachgook raised his tomahawk, and was about to bury it
in the brain of his confiding and unsuspicious neighbor; but the
probability that the death-cry or the floating body might give the
alarm induced that wary chief to change his purpose. At the next
moment he regretted this indecision, for the three who clung to
the canoe suddenly found themselves in the centre of a party of no
less than four others who were in quest of it.

After the usual brief characteristic exclamations of satisfaction, the
savages eagerly laid hold of the canoe, for all seemed impressed