Останній з Могікан
Chapter 21
Thewholepartynowproceeded,followingthecourseoftherill,keepinganxiouseyesontheregularimpressions.Thewatersoonflowedintoitsbedagain,butwatchingthegroundoneitherside,theforesterspursuedtheirwaycontentwithknowingthatthetraillaybeneath.Morethanhalfamilewaspassed,beforetherillrippledclosearoundthebaseofanextensiveanddryrock.HeretheypausedtomakesurethattheHuronshadnotquittedthewater.
Itwasfortunatetheydidso.ForthequickandactiveUncassoonfoundtheimpressionofafootonabunchofmoss,whereitwouldseemanIndianhadinadvertentlytrodden.Pursuingthedirectiongivenbythisdiscovery,heenteredtheneighboringthicket,andstruckthetrail,asfreshandobviousasithadbeenbeforetheyreachedthespring.Anothershoutannouncedthegoodfortuneoftheyouthtohiscompanions,andatonceterminatedthesearch.
"Ay,ithasbeenplannedwithIndianjudgment,"saidthescout,whenthepartywasassembledaroundtheplace;"andwouldhaveblindedwhiteeyes."
"Shallweproceed?"demandedHeyward.
"Softly,softly:weknowourpath;butitisgoodtoexaminetheformationofthings.Thisismyschooling,major;andifoneneglectsthebook,thereislittlechanceoflearningfromtheopenhandofProvidence.Allisplainbutonething,whichisthemannerthattheknavecontrivedtogetthegentleonesalongtheblindtrail.EvenaHuronwouldbetooproudtolettheirtenderfeettouchthewater."
