cracking on the narrow strip of land that concealed the bay from
the open lake. Both the adventurers started, and each extended a
hand towards his rifle, the weapon never being out of reach of the
arm.

"'Twas too heavy for any light creatur'," whispered Hurry, "and it
sounded like the tread of a man!"

"Not so- not so," returned Deerslayer; "'t was, as you say, too
heavy for one, but it was too light for the other. Put your paddle
in the water, and send the canoe in, to that log; I'll land and
cut off the creatur's retreat up the p'int, be it a Mingo, or be
it a muskrat."

As Hurry complied, Deerslayer was soon on the shore, advancing into
the thicket with a moccasined foot, and a caution that prevented
the least noise. In a minute he was in the centre of the narrow
strip of land, and moving slowly down towards its end, the bushes
rendering extreme watchfulness necessary. Just as be reached the
centre of the thicket the dried twigs cracked again, and the noise
was repeated at short intervals, as if some creature having life
walked slowly towards the point. Hurry heard these sounds also,
and pushing the canoe off into the bay, he seized his rifle to
watch the result. A breathless minute succeeded, after which a
noble buck walked out of the thicket, proceeded with a stately step
to the sandy extremity of the point, and began to slake his thirst
from the water of the lake. Hurry hesitated an instant; then raising
his rifle hastily to his shoulder, he took sight and fired. The
effect of this sudden interruption of the solemn stillness of such
a scene was not its least striking peculiarity. The report of the