Останній з Могікан
Chapter 20
Itnowbecameentirelyatrialofspeed.Sorapidwastheprogressofthelightvessels,thatthelakecurledintheirfront,inminiaturewaves,andtheirmotionbecameundulatingbyitsownvelocity.Itwas,perhaps,owingtothiscircumstance,inadditiontothenecessityofkeepingeveryhandemployedatthepaddles,thattheHuronshadnotimmediaterecoursetotheirfire-arms.Theexertionsofthefugitivesweretooseveretocontinuelong,andthepursuershadtheadvantageofnumbers.Duncanobserved,withuneasiness,thatthescoutbegantolookanxiouslyabouthim,asifsearchingforsomefurthermeansofassistingtheirflight.
"Edgeheralittlemorefromthesun,Sagamore,"saidthestubbornwoodsman;"Iseetheknavesaresparingamantotherifle.Asinglebrokenbonemightloseusourscalps.Edgemorefromthesunandwewillputtheislandbetweenus."
Theexpedientwasnotwithoutitsuse.Along,lowislandlayatalittledistancebeforethem,andastheyclosedwithit,thechasingcanoewascompelledtotakeasideoppositetothatonwhichthepursuedpassed.Thescoutandhiscompanionsdidnotneglectthisadvantage,buttheinstanttheywerehidfromobservationbythebushes,theyredoubledeffortsthatbeforehadseemedprodigious.Thetwocanoescameroundthelastlowpoint,liketwocoursersatthetopoftheirspeed,thefugitivestakingthelead.Thischangehadbroughtthemnighertoeachother,however,whileitalteredtheirrelativepositions.
