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Chapter 32
Thescouthadstood,whilemakinghisobservations,shelteredbyabrake,andhiscompanionsstilllayinthebedoftheravine,throughwhichthesmallerstreamdebouched;butonhearinghislow,thoughintelligiblesignal,thewholepartystoleupthebank,likesomanydarkspectres,andsilentlyarrangedthemselvesaroundhim.Pointinginthedirectionhewishedtoproceed,Hawkeyeadvanced,thebandbreakingoffinsinglefiles,andfollowingsoaccuratelyinhisfootsteps,asiftoleaveit,ifweexceptHeywardandDavid,thetrailofbutasingleman.
Thepartywas,however,scarcelyuncoveredbeforeavolleyfromadozenrifleswasheardintheirrear;andaDelawareleapinghighintotheair,likeawoundeddeer,fellathiswholelength,perfectlydead.
"Ah!Ifearedsomedeviltrylikethis!"exclaimedthescout,inEnglish;adding,withthequicknessofthought,inhisadoptedtongue,"Tocover,men,andcharge!"
Thebanddispersedattheword,andbeforeHeywardhadwellrecoveredfromhissurprise,hefoundhimselfstandingalonewithDavid.Luckily,theHuronshadalreadyfallenback,andhewassafefromtheirfire.Butthisstateofthingswasevidentlytobeofshortcontinuance;forthescoutsettheexampleofpressingontheirretreat,bydischarginghisrifle,anddartingfromtreetotree,ashisenemyslowlyyieldedground.
