Останній з Могікан
Chapter 32
"Ay!"saidHawkeye,consideringthedeer-skinthongandapron,withacoldanddiscouragingeye;"thethingmightdoitsworkamongarrows,orevenknives;buttheseMengwehavebeenfurnishedbytheFrencherswithagoodgroovedbarrelaman.However,itseemstobeyourgifttogounharmedamidfire;andasyouhavehithertobeenfavored—major,youhaveleftyourrifleatacock;asingleshotbeforethetimewouldbejusttwentyscalpslosttonopurpose—singer,youcanfollow;wemayfinduseforyouintheshoutings."
"Ithankyou,friend,"returnedDavid,supplyinghimself,likehisroyalnamesake,fromamongthepebblesofthebrook;"thoughnotgiventothedesiretokill,hadyousentmeawaymyspiritwouldhavebeentroubled."
"Remember,"addedthescout,tappinghisownheadsignificantlyonthatspotwhereGamutwasyetsore,"wecometofight,andnottomusickate.Untilthegeneralwhoopisgiven,nothingspeaksbuttherifle."
Davidnodded,asmuchastosignifyhisacquiescencewiththeterms;andthenHawkeye,castinganotherobservantglanceoverhisfollowers,madethesignaltoproceed.
Theirroutelay,forthedistanceofamile,alongthebedofthewater-course.Thoughprotectedfromanygreatdangerofobservationbytheprecipitousbanks,andthethickshrubberywhichskirtedthestream,noprecautionknowntoanIndianattackwasneglected.
