Останній з Могікан
Chapter 7
ThefirstgenerousimpulseofDuncanwastorushtotherescueofthehaplesswretch;buthefelthimselfboundtothespotbytheirongraspoftheimmovablescout.
"Wouldyebringcertaindeathuponus,bytellingtheMingoswherewelie?"demandedHawkeye,sternly;"’tisachargeofpowdersaved,andammunitionisaspreciousnowasbreathtoaworrieddeer!Freshentheprimingofyourpistols—themistofthefallsisapttodampenthebrimstone—andstandfirmforaclosestruggle,whileIfireontheirrush."
Heplacedhisfingerinhismouth,anddrewalong,shrillwhistle,whichwasansweredfromtherocksthatwereguardedbytheMohicans.Duncancaughtglimpsesofheadsabovethescattereddrift-wood,asthissignalroseontheair,buttheydisappearedagainassuddenlyastheyhadglanceduponhissight.Alow,rustlingsoundnextdrewhisattentionbehindhim,andturninghishead,hebeheldUncaswithinafewfeet,creepingtohisside.HawkeyespoketohiminDelaware,whentheyoungchieftookhispositionwithsingularcautionandundisturbedcoolness.ToHeywardthiswasamomentoffeverishandimpatientsuspense;thoughthescoutsawfittoselectitasafitoccasiontoreadalecturetohismoreyouthfulassociatesontheartofusingfire-armswithdiscretion.
"Ofallwe’pons,"hecommenced,"thelong-barrelled,true-grooved,soft-metalledrifleisthemostdangerousinskilfulhands,thoughitwantsastrongarm,aquickeye,andgreatjudgmentincharging,toputforthallitsbeauties.
