Останній з Могікан

           Duncan,whoknewthattheanimalwasoftendomesticatedamongtheIndians,followedtheexampleofhiscompanion,believingthatsomefavoriteofthetribehadfounditswayintothethicket,insearchoffood.Theypasseditunmolested.Thoughobligedtocomenearlyincontactwiththemonster,theHuron,whohadatfirstsowarilydeterminedthecharacterofhisstrangevisitor,wasnowcontentwithproceedingwithoutwastingamomentinfurtherexamination;butHeywardwasunabletopreventhiseyesfromlookingbackward,insalutarywatchfulnessagainstattacksintherear.Hisuneasinesswasinnodegreediminishedwhenheperceivedthebeastrollingalongtheirpath,andfollowingtheirfootsteps.Hewouldhavespoken,buttheIndianatthatmomentshovedasideadoorofbark,andenteredacaverninthebosomofthemountain.

           Profitingbysoeasyamethodofretreat,Duncansteppedafterhim,andwasgladlyclosingtheslightcovertotheopening,whenhefeltitdrawnfromhishandbythebeast,whoseshaggyformimmediatelydarkenedthepassage.Theywerenowinastraightandlonggallery,inachasmoftherocks,whereretreatwithoutencounteringtheanimalwasimpossible.Makingthebestofthecircumstances,theyoungmanpressedforward,keepingascloseaspossibletohisconductor.Thebeargrowledfrequentlyathisheels,andonceortwiceitsenormouspawswerelaidonhisperson,asifdisposedtopreventhisfurtherpassageintotheden.