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Chapter 20
"That’satrailthatnothingbutanosecanfollow,"saidthesatisfiedscout,lookingbackalongtheirdifficultway;"grassisatreacherouscarpetforaflyingpartytotreadon,butwoodandstonetakenoprintfromamoccasin.Hadyouwornyourarmedboots,theremight,indeed,havebeensomethingtofear;butwiththedeer-skinsuitablyprepared,amanmaytrusthimself,generally,onrockswithsafety.Shoveinthecanoenighertotheland,Uncas;thissandwilltakeastampaseasilyasthebutteroftheJarmansontheMohawk.Softly,lad,softly;itmustnottouchthebeach,ortheknaveswillknowbywhatroadwehavelefttheplace."
Theyoungmanobservedtheprecaution;andthescout,layingaboardfromtheruinstothecanoe,madeasignforthetwoofficerstoenter.Whenthiswasdone,everythingwasstudiouslyrestoredtoitsformerdisorder;andthenHawkeyesucceededinreachinghislittlebirchenvessel,withoutleavingbehindhimanyofthosemarkswhichheappearedsomuchtodread.Heywardwassilent,untiltheIndianshadcautiouslypaddledthecanoesomedistancefromthefort,andwithinthebroadanddarkshadowthatfellfromtheeasternmountainontheglassysurfaceofthelake;thenhedemanded—
"Whatneedhaveweforthisstolenandhurrieddeparture?"
"IfthebloodofanOneidacouldstainsuchasheetofpurewaterasthiswefloaton,"returnedthescout,"yourtwoeyeswouldansweryourownquestion.HaveyouforgottentheskulkingreptylethatUncasslew?"
"Bynomeans.
