but I invy that man! Don't think, Hurry, that I'm consorting any
plan to put myself in his moccasins, for such a thought doesn't
harbor in my mind; but I can't help a little invy! 'Tis a nat'ral
feelin', and the best of us are but nat'ral, a'ter all, and give
way to such feelin's at times."

"You've only to marry Hetty to inherit half the estate," cried Hurry,
laughing; "the gal is comely; nay, if it wasn't for her sister's
beauty she would be even handsome; and then her wits are so small
that you may easily convart her into one of your own way of thinking,
in all things. Do you take Hetty off the old fellow's hands, and
I'll engage he'll give you an interest in every deer you can knock
over within five miles of his lake."

"Does game abound!" suddenly demanded the other, who paid but little
attention to March's raillery.

"It has the country to itself. Scarce a trigger is pulled on it;
and as for the trappers, this is not a region they greatly frequent.
I ought not to be so much here myself, but Jude pulls one way, while
the beaver pulls another. More than a hundred Spanish dollars has
that creatur' cost me the last two seasons, and yet I could not
forego the wish to look upon her face once more."

"Do the redmen often visit this lake, Hurry?" continued Deerslayer,
pursuing his own train of thought.

"Why, they come and go; sometimes in parties, and sometimes singly.
The country seems to belong to no native tribe in particular; and
so it has fallen into the hands of the Hutter tribe. The old man