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Chapter 21
Duncanwaitedseveralminutesinfeverishimpatience,beforehecaughtanotherglimpseofthescout.Thenhereappeared,creepingalongtheearth,fromwhichhisdresswashardlydistinguishable,directlyintherearofhisintendedcaptive.Havingreachedwithinafewyardsofthelatter,hearosetohisfeet,silentlyandslowly.Atthatinstant,severalloudblowswerestruckonthewater,andDuncanturnedhiseyesjustintimetoperceivethatahundreddarkformswereplunging,inabody,intothetroubledlittlesheet.Graspinghisrifle,hislookswereagainbentontheIndiannearhim.Insteadoftakingthealarm,theunconscioussavagestretchedforwardhisneck,asifhealsowatchedthemovementsaboutthegloomylake,withasortofsillycuriosity.Inthemeantime,theupliftedhandofHawkeyewasabovehim.But,withoutanyapparentreason,itwaswithdrawn,anditsownerindulgedinanotherlong,thoughstillsilent,fitofmerriment.WhenthepeculiarandheartylaughterofHawkeyewasended,insteadofgraspinghisvictimbythethroat,hetappedhimlightlyontheshoulder,andexclaimedaloud—
"Hownow,friend!haveyouamindtoteachthebeaverstosing?"
"Evenso,"wasthereadyanswer."ItwouldseemthattheBeingthatgavethempowertoimprovehisgiftssowell,wouldnotdenythemvoicestoproclaimhispraise."
