together in a mould of sticks, and suffered to harden, a foot or
two at a time, commencing at the bottom. When the entire chimney
had thus been raised, and had been properly bound in with outward
props, a brisk fire was kindled, and kept going until it was burned
to something like a brick-red. This had not been an easy operation,
nor had it succeeded entirely; but by dint of filling the cracks
with fresh clay, a safe fireplace and chimney had been obtained
in the end. This part of the work stood on the log-door, secured
beneath by an extra pile. There were a few other peculiarities
about this dwelling, which will better appear in the course of the
narrative.

"Old Tom is full of contrivances," added Hurry, "and he set his
heart on the success of his chimney, which threatened more than
once to give out altogether; but perseverance will even overcome
smoke; and now he has a comfortable cabin of it, though it did
promise, at one time, to be a chinky sort of a flue to carry flames
and fire."

"You seem to know the whole history of the castle, Hurry, chimney
and sides," said Deerslayer, smiling; "is love so overcoming that
it causes a man to study the story of his sweetheart's habitation ?"

"Partly that, lad, and partly eyesight," returned the good-natured
giant, laughing; "there was a large gang of us in the lake, the
summer the old fellow built, and we helped him along with the job.
I raised no small part of the weight of them uprights with my own
shoulders, and the axes flew, I can inform you, Master Natty, while
we were bee-ing it among the trees ashore. The old devil is no way
stingy about food, and as we had often eat at his hearth, we thought