Останній з Могікан

           Araretimetheknaveswouldhaveofit,couldtheytieTheBoundingElkandTheLongCarabine,astheycallme,tothesamestake!ThoughwhytheyhavegivenmesuchanameIneverknew,therebeingaslittlelikenessbetweenthegiftsof‘Killdeer,’andtheperformanceofoneofyourrealCanadacarabynes,asthereisbetweenthenatur’ofapipe-stoneandaflint!"

           "Keeptoyourtale,"saidtheimpatientHeyward;"weknownotatwhatmomenttheHuronsmayreturn."

           "Nofearofthem.Aconjurermusthavehistime,likeastragglingpriestinthesettlements.Weareassafefrominterruptionasamissionarywouldbeatthebeginningofatwohours’discourse.Well,UncasandIfellinwithareturnpartyofthevarlets;theladwasmuchtooforwardforascout;nay,forthatmatter,beingofhotblood,hewasnotsomuchtoblame;and,afterall,oneoftheHuronsprovedacoward,andinfleeingledhimintoanambushment."

           "Anddearlyhashepaidfortheweakness!"

           Thescoutsignificantlypassedhishandacrosshisownthroat,andnodded,asifhesaid,"Icomprehendyourmeaning."Afterwhichhecontinued,inamoreaudiblethoughscarcelymoreintelligiblelanguage—

           "AfterthelossoftheboyIturnedupontheHurons,asyoumayjudge.Therehavebeenscrimmagesatweenoneortwooftheiroutlyersandmyself;butthatisneitherherenorthere.So,afterIhadshottheimps,Igotinprettynightothelodgeswithoutfurthercommotion.