Chapter 26

           "Bot.—Letmeplaytheliontoo."

           MidsummerNight’sDream.

           NotwithstandingthehighresolutionofHawkeye,hefullycomprehendedallthedifficultiesanddangershewasabouttoincur.Inhisreturntothecamp,hisacuteandpractisedintellectswereintentlyengagedindevisingmeanstocounteractawatchfulnessandsuspiciononthepartofhisenemies,thatheknewwere,innodegree,inferiortohisown.NothingbutthecolorofhisskinhadsavedthelivesofMaguaandtheconjurer,whowouldhavebeenthefirstvictimssacrificedtohisownsecurity,hadnotthescoutbelievedsuchanact,howevercongenialitmightbetothenatureofanIndian,utterlyunworthyofonewhoboastedadescentfrommenthatknewnocrossofblood.Accordingly,hetrustedtothewithesandligamentswithwhichhehadboundhiscaptives,andpursuedhiswaydirectlytowardsthecentreofthelodges.

           Asheapproachedthebuildings,hisstepsbecamemoredeliberate,andhisvigilanteyesufferednosign,whetherfriendlyorhostile,toescapehim.Aneglectedhutwasalittleinadvanceoftheothers,andappearedasifithadbeendesertedwhenhalfcompleted—mostprobablyonaccountoffailinginsomeofthemoreimportantrequisites;suchasfoodorwater.Afaintlightglimmeredthroughitscracks,however,andannouncedthat,notwithstandingitsimperfectstructure,itwasnotwithoutatenant.Thither,then,thescoutproceeded,likeaprudentgeneral,whowasabouttofeeltheadvancedpositionsofhisenemy,beforehehazardedthemainattack.