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Chapter 12
Thesavagetormentorsrecoiledbeforethesewarlikeintruders,andutteredastheyappearedinsuchquicksuccession,theoftenrepeatedandpeculiarexclamationofsurprise,followedbythewellknownanddreadedappellationsof—
"LeCerfAgile!LeGrosSerpent!"
ButthewaryandvigilantleaderoftheHuronswasnotsoeasilydisconcerted.Castinghiskeeneyesaroundthelittleplain,hecomprehendedthenatureoftheassaultataglance,andencouraginghisfollowersbyhisvoiceaswellasbyhisexample,heunsheathedhislonganddangerousknife,andrushedwithaloudwhoopupontheexpectingChingachgook.Itwasthesignalforageneralcombat.Neitherpartyhadfire-arms,andthecontestwastobedecidedinthedeadliestmanner;handtohand,withweaponsofoffence,andnoneofdefence.
Uncasansweredthewhoop,andleapingonanenemy,withasingle,welldirectedblowofhistomahawk,clefthimtothebrain.HeywardtoretheweaponofMaguafromthesapling,andrushedeagerlytowardsthefray.Asthecombatantswerenowequalinnumber,eachsingledanopponentfromtheadverseband.Therushandblowspassedwiththefuryofawhirlwind,andtheswiftnessoflightning.Hawkeyesoongotanotherenemywithinreachofhisarm,andwithonesweepofhisformidableweaponhebeatdowntheslightandinartificialdefencesofhisantagonist,crushinghimtotheearthwiththeblow.Heywardventuredtohurlthetomahawkhehadseized,tooardenttoawaitthemomentofclosing.
