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Chapter 27
Onceortwiceblackobjectswereseenrisingtothesurfaceofthewater,andtheHuronexpressedpleasure,conceivingthathiswordswerenotbestowedinvain.Justashehadendedhisaddress,theheadofalargebeaverwasthrustfromthedoorofalodge,whoseearthenwallshadbeenmuchinjured,andwhichthepartyhadbelieved,fromitssituation,tobeuninhabited.Suchanextraordinarysignofconfidencewasreceivedbytheoratorasahighlyfavorableomen;andthoughtheanimalretreatedalittleprecipitately,hewaslavishofhisthanksandcommendations.
WhenMaguathoughtsufficienttimehadbeenlostingratifyingthefamilyaffectionofthewarrior,heagainmadethesignaltoproceed.AstheIndiansmovedawayinabody,andwithastepthatwouldhavebeeninaudibletotheearsofanycommonman,thesamevenerable-lookingbeaveroncemoreventuredhisheadfromitscover.HadanyoftheHuronsturnedtolookbehindthem,theywouldhaveseentheanimalwatchingtheirmovementswithaninterestandsagacitythatmighteasilyhavebeenmistakenforreason.Indeed,soverydistinctandintelligiblewerethedevicesofthequadruped,thateventhemostexperiencedobserverwouldhavebeenatalosstoaccountforitsactions,untilthemomentwhenthepartyenteredtheforest,whenthewholewouldhavebeenexplained,byseeingtheentireanimalissuefromthelodge,uncasing,bytheact,thegravefeaturesofChingachgookfromhismaskoffur.
