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Chapter 21
Afterproceedingafewmiles,theprogressofHawkeye,wholedtheadvance,becamemoredeliberateandwatchful.Heoftenstoppedtoexaminethetrees;nordidhecrossarivulet,withoutattentivelyconsideringthequantity,thevelocity,andthecolorofitswaters.DistrustinghisownjudgmenthisappealstotheopinionofChingachgookwerefrequentandearnest.Duringoneoftheseconferences,HeywardobservedthatUncasstoodapatientandsilent,though,asheimagined,aninterestedlistener.Hewasstronglytemptedtoaddresstheyoungchief,anddemandhisopinionoftheirprogress;butthecalmanddignifieddemeanorofthenativeinducedhimtobelievethat,likehimself,theotherwaswhollydependentonthesagacityandintelligenceoftheseniorsoftheparty.Atlast,thescoutspokeinEnglish,andatonceexplainedtheembarrassmentoftheirsituation.
"WhenIfoundthatthehomepathoftheHuronsrunnorth,"hesaid,"itdidnotneedthejudgmentofmanylongyearstotellthattheywouldfollowthevalleys,andkeepatweenthewatersoftheHudsonandtheHorican,untiltheymightstrikethespringsoftheCanadastreams,whichwouldleadthemintotheheartofthecountryoftheFrenchers.Yetherearewe,withinashortrangeoftheScaroon,andnotasignofatrailhavewecrossed!Humannatur’isweak,anditispossiblewemaynothavetakentheproperscent."
"Heavenprotectusfromsuchanerror!"exclaimedDuncan."Letusretraceoursteps,andexamineaswego,withkeenereyes.
