raised　his　hands　frantically；　bounded　backward；　and　fell
  into　the　water；　at　a　spot　where　the　current　swept　the　body
  away；　the　struggling　limbs　still　tossing　and　writhing　in
  the　agony　of　death。　　The　Delaware　made　a　vigorous　but
  unsuccessful　attempt　to　seize　an　arm；　with　the　hope　of
  securing　the　scalp；　but　the　bloodstained　waters　whirled
  down　the　current；　carrying　with　them　their　quivering
  burthen。
  All　this　passed　in　less　than　a　minute；　and　the　events
  were　so　sudden　and　unexpected；　that　men　less　accustomed
  than　the　Pathfinder　and　his　associates　to　forest　warfare
  would　have　been　at　a　loss　how　to　act。
  〃There　is　not　a　moment　to　lose；〃　said　Jasper；　tearing
  aside　the　bushes；　as　he　spoke　earnestly；　but　in　a　suppressed
  voice。　　〃Do　as　I　do；　Master　Cap；　if　you　would　save　your
  niece；　and　you；　Mabel；　lie　at　your　length　in　the　canoe。〃
  The　words　were　scarcely　uttered　when；　seizing　the　bow
  of　the　light　boat　he　dragged　it　along　the　shore；　wading
  himself；　while　Cap　aided　behind；　keeping　so　near　the　bank
  as　to　avoid　being　seen　by　the　savages　below；　and　striving
  to　gain　the　turn　in　the　river　above　him　which　would　ef…
  fectually　conceal　the　party　from　the　enemy。　　The　Path…
  finder's　canoe　lay　nearest　to　the　bank；　and　was　necessarily
  the　last　to　quit　the　shore。　　The　Delaware　leaped　on　the　nar…
  row　strand　and　plunged　into　the　forest；　it　being　his　assigned
  duty　to　watch　the　foe　in　that　quarter；　while　Arrowhead
  motioned　to　his　white　companion　to　seize　the　bow　of　the
  boat　and　to　follow　Jasper。　　All　this　was　the　work　of　an
  instant；　but　when　the　Pathfinder　reached　the　current　that
  was　sweeping　round　the　turn；　he　felt　a　sudden　change　in
  the　weight　he　was　dragging；　and；　looking　back；　he　found
  that　both　the　Tuscarora　and　his　wife　had　deserted　him。
  The　thought　of　treachery　flashed　upon　his　mind；　but　there
  was　no　time　to　pause；　for　the　wailing　shout　that　arose　from
  the　party　below　proclaimed　that　the　body　of　the　young
  Iroquois　had　floated　as　low　as　the　spot　reached　by　his
  friends。　　The　report　of　a　rifle　followed；　and　then　the
  guide　saw　that　Jasper；　having　doubled　the　bend　in　the
  river；　was　crossing　the　stream；　standing　erect　in　the　stern
  of　the　canoe；　while　Cap　was　seated　forward；　both　propel…
  ling　the　light　boat　with　vigorous　strokes　of　the　paddles。
  A　glance；　a　thought；　and　an　expedient　followed　each　other
  quickly　in　one　so　trained　in　the　vicissitudes　of　the　frontier
  warfare。　　Springing　into　the　stern　of　his　own　canoe；　he
  urged　it　by　a　vigorous　shove　into　the　current；　and　com…
  menced　crossing　the　stream　himself；　at　a　point　so　much
  lower　than　that　of　his　companions　as　to　offer　his　own
  person　for　a　target　to　the　enemy；　well　knowing　that　their
  keen　desire　to　secure　a　scalp　would　control　all　other　feelings。
  〃Keep　well　up　the　current；　Jasper；〃　shouted　the　gallant
  guide；　as　he　swept　the　water　with　long；　steady；　vigorous
  strokes　of　the　paddle；　〃keep　well　up　the　current；　and　pull
  for　the　alder　bushes　opposite。　　Presarve　the　Sergeant's
  daughter　before　all　things；　and　leave　these　Mingo　knaves
  to　the　Sarpent　and　me。〃
  Jasper　flourished　his　paddle　as　a　signal　of　understand…
  ing；　while　shot　succeeded　shot　in　quick　succession；　all　now
  being　aimed　at　the　solitary　man　in　the　nearest　canoe。
  〃Ay；　empty　your　rifles　like　simpletons　as　you　are；〃　said
  the　Pathfinder；　who　had　acquired　a　habit　of　speaking　when
  alone；　from　passing　so　much　of　his　time　in　the　solitude　of
  the　forest；　〃empty　your　rifles　with　an　unsteady　aim；　and
  give　me　time　to　put　yard　upon　yard　of　river　between　us。
  I　will　not　revile　you　like　a　Delaware　or　a　Mohican；　for　my
  gifts　are　a　white　man's　gifts；　and　not　an　Indian's；　and
  boasting　in　battle　is　no　part　of　a　Christian　warrior；　but　I
  may　say　here；　all　alone　by　myself；　that　you　are　little　better
  than　so　many　men　from　the　town　shooting　at　robins　in
  the　orchards。　　That　was　well　meant；〃　throwing　back　his
  head；　as　a　rifle　bullet　cut　a　lock　of　hair　from　his　temple；
  〃but　the　lead　that　misses　by　an　inch　is　as　useless　as　the
  lead　that　never　quits　the　barrel。　　Bravely　done；　Jasper！
  the　Sergeant's　sweet　child　must　be　saved；　even　if　we　go　in
  without　our　own　scalps。〃
  By　this　time　the　Pathfinder　was　in　the　centre　of　the
  river；　and　almost　abreast　of　his　enemies；　while　the　other
  canoe；　impelled　by　the　vigorous　arms　of　Cap　and　Jasper；
  had　nearly　gained　the　opposite　shore　at　the　precise　spot
  that　had　been　pointed　out　to　them。　　The　old　mariner　now
  played　his　part　manfully；　for　he　was　on　his　proper　ele…
  ment；　loved　his　niece　sincerely；　had　a　proper　regard　for
  his　own　person；　and　was　not　unused　to　fire；　though　his
  experience　certainly　lay　in　a　very　different　species　of
  warfare。　　A　few　strokes　of　the　paddles　were　given；　and
  the　canoe　shot　into　the　bushes；　Mabel　was　hurried　to　land
  by　Jasper；　and　for　the　present　all　three　of　the　fugitives
  were　safe。
  Not　so　with　the　Pathfinder：　his　hardy　self…devotion
  had　brought　him　into　a　situation　of　unusual　exposure；　the
  hazards　of　which　were　much　increased　by　the　fact　that；
  just　as　he　drifted　nearest　to　the　enemy　the　party　on　the
  shore　rushed　down　the　bank　and　joined　their　friends　who
  still　stood　in　the　water。　　The　Oswego　was　about　a　cable's
  length　in　width　at　this　point；　and；　the　canoe　being　in　the
  centre；　the　object　was　only　a　hundred　yards　from　the　rifles
  that　were　constantly　discharged　at　it；　or；　at　the　usual
  target　distance　for　that　weapon。
  In　this　extremity　the　steadiness　and　skill　of　the　Path…
  finder　did　him　good　service。　　He　knew　that　his　safety　de…
  pended　altogether　on　keeping　in　motion；　for　a　stationary
  object　at　that　distance；　would　have　been　hit　nearly　every
  shot。　　Nor　was　motion　of　itself　sufficient；　for；　accustomed
  to　kill　the　bounding　deer；　his　enemies　probably　knew　how
  to　vary　the　line　of　aim　so　as　to　strike　him；　should　he　con…
  tinue　to　move　in　any　one　direction。　　He　was　consequently
  compelled　to　change　the　course　of　the　canoe；　　at　one　mo…
  ment　shooting　down　with　the　current；　with　the　swiftness
  of　an　arrow；　and　at　the　next　checking　its　progress　in　that
  direction；　to　glance　athwart　the　stream。　　Luckily　the
  Iroquois　could　not　reload　their　pieces　in　the　water；　and　the
  bushes　that　everywhere　fringed　the　shore　rendered　it　diffi…
  cult　to　keep　the　fugitive　in　view　when　on　the　land。　　Aided
  by　these　circumstances；　and　having　received　the　fire　of　all
  his　foes；　the　Pathfinder　was　gaining　fast　in　distance；　both
  downwards　and　across　the　current；　when　a　new　danger
  suddenly；　if　not　unexpectedly；　presented　itself；　by　the　ap…
  pearance　of　the　party　that　had　been　left　in　ambush　below
  with　a　view　to　watch　the　river。
  These　were　the　savages　alluded　to　in　the　short　dialogue
  already　related。　　They　were　no　less　than　ten　in　number；
  and；　understanding　all　the　advantages　of　their　bloody　oc…
  cupation；　they　had　posted　themselves　at　a　spot　where　the
  water　dashed　among　rocks　and　over　shallows；　in　a　way　to
  form　a　rapid　which；　in　the　language　of　the　country；　is
  called　a　rift。　　The　Pathfinder　saw　that；　if　he　entered　this
  rift；　he　should　be　compelled　to　approach　a　point　where　the
  Iroquois　had　posted　themselves；　for　the　current　was　irre…
  sistible；　and　the　rocks　allowed　no　other　safe　passage；　while
  death　or　captivity　would　be　the　probable　result　of　the
  attempt。　　All　his　efforts；　therefore；　were　turned　toward
  reaching　the　western　shore；　the　foe　being　all　on　the　eastern
  side　of　the　river；　but　the　exploit　surpassed　human　power；
  and　to　attempt　to　stem　the　stream　would　at　once　have　so
  far　diminished　the　motion　of　the　canoe　as　to　render　aim
  certain。　　In　this　exigency　the　guide　came　to　a　decision
  with　his　usual　cool　promptitude；　making　his　preparations
  accordingly。　　Instead　of　endeavoring　to　gain　the　channel；
  he　steered　towards　the　shallowest　part　of　the　stream；　on
  reaching　which　he　seized　his　rifle　and　pack；　leaped　into
  the　water；　and　began　to　wade　from　rock　to　rock；　taking
  the　direction　of　the　western　shore。　　The　canoe　whirled
  about　in　the　furious　current；　now　rolling　over　some　slip…
  pery　stone；　now　filling；　and　then　emptying　itself；　until　it
  lodged　on　the　shore；　within　a　few　yards　of　the　spot　where
  the　Iroquois　had　posted　themselves。
  In　the　meanwhile　the　Pathfinder　was　far　from　being　out
  of　danger；　for　the　first　minute；　admiration　of　his　prompti…
  tude　and　daring；　which　are　so　high　virtues　in　the　mind　of
  an　Indian；　kept　his　enemies　motionless；　but　the　desire　of
  revenge；　and　the　cravings　for　the　much…prized　trophy；
  soon　overcame　this　transient　feeling；　and　aroused　them
  from　their　stupor。　　Rifle　flashed　after　rifle；　and　the　bullets
  whistled　around　the　head　of　the　fugitive；　amid　the　roar
  of　the　waters。　　Still　he　proceeded　like　one　who　bore　a
  charmed　life；　for；　while　his　rude　frontier　garments　were
  more　than　once　cut；　his　skin　was　not　razed。
  As　the　Pathfinder；　in　several　instances；　was　compelled
  to　wade　in　water　which　rose　nearly　to　his　arms；　while　he
  kept　his　rifle　and　ammunition　elevated　above　the　raging
  current；　the　toil　soon　fatigued　him；　and　he　was　glad　to
  stop　at　a　large　stone；　or　a　small　rock；　which　rose　so　high
  above　the　river　that　its　upper　surface　was　dry。　　On　this
  stone　he　placed　his　powder…horn；　getting　behind　it　him…
  self；　so　as　to　have　the　advantage　of　a　partial　cover　for　his
  body。　　The　western　sh