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.Deerslayer knew that his adversary must be employed in reloading, unless he had fled.The former proved to be the case, for the young man had no sooner placed himself behind a tree, than he caught a glimpse of the arm of the Indian, his body being concealed by an oak, in the very act of forcing the leathered bullet home.Nothing would have been easier than to spring forward and decide the affair by a close assault on his unprepared foe, but every feeling of Deerslayer revolted at such a step, although his own life had just been attempted from a cover.He was as yet unpractised in the ruthless expedients of savage warfare, of which he knew nothing except by tradition and theory, and it struck him as an unfair advantage to assail an unarmed foe.His colour had heightened, his eye frowned, his lips were compressed, and all his energies were collected and ready, but, instead of advancing to fire, he dropped his rifle to the usual position of a sportsman in readiness to catch his aim, and muttered to himself, unconscious that he was speaking –»No – no – that may be red-skin warfare, but it's not a christian's gifts.Let the miscreant charge, and then we'll take it out like men; for the canoe he must not and shall not have.No – no; let him have time to load, and then God will take care of the right!«All this time the Indian had been so intent on his own movements, that he was even ignorant that his enemy was in the wood.His only apprehension was that the canoe would be recovered and carried away, before he might be in readiness to prevent it.He had sought the cover from habit, but was within a few feet of the fringe of bushes, and could be at the margin of the forest, in readiness to fire in a moment.The distance between him and his enemy was about fifty yards, and the trees were so arranged by nature that the line of sight was not interrupted, except by the particular tree behind which each party stood.His rifle was no sooner loaded, than the savage glanced around him, and advanced, incautiously as regarded the real, but stealthily as respected the fancied position of his enemy, until he was fairly exposed.Then Deerslayer stepped from behind his own cover, and hailed him.»This-a-way, red-skin; this-a-way, if you're looking for me,« he called out.»I'm young in war, but not so young as to stand on an open beach to be shot down like an owl by day-light.It rests on yourself whether it's peace, or war, atween us, for my gifts are white gifts, and I'm not one of them that thinks it valiant to slay human mortals singly, in the woods.«The savage was a good deal startled by this sudden discovery of the danger he run.He had a little knowledge of English, however, and caught the drift of the other's meaning.He was also too well schooled to betray alarm, but dropping the butt of his rifle to the earth, with an air of confidence, he made a gesture of lofty courtesy.All this was done with the ease and self possession of one accustomed to consider no man his superior.In the midst of this consummate acting, however, the volcano that raged within, caused his eyes to glare, and his nostrils to dilate, like those of some wild beast, that is suddenly prevented from taking the fatal leap.»Two canoe,« he said, in the deep guttural tones of his race, holding up the number of fingers he mentioned, by way of preventing mistakes – »one for you – one for me.«»No – no – Mingo, that will never do.You own neither; and neither shall you have, as long as I can prevent it.I know it's war atween your people and mine, but that's no reason why human mortals should slay each other, like savage creatur's, that meet in the woods; go your way then, and leave me to go mine.The world is large enough for us both, and when we meet fairly in battle, why the Lord will order the fate of each of us.«»Good!« exclaimed the Indian – »My brother, missionary – great talk; all about Manitou.«»Not so – not so, warrior.I'm not good enough for the Moravians, and am too good for most of the other vagabonds that preach about in the woods.No – no – I'm only a hunter as yet, though afore the peace is made, 'tis like enough there'll be occasion to strike a blow at some of your people.Still I wish it to be done in fair fight, and not in a quarrel about the ownership of a miserable canoe.«»Good! My brother very young – but, he very wise.Little warrior, great talker.Chief, sometime, in council.«»I do'n't know this, nor do I say it, Injin,« returned Deerslayer, colouring a little at the ill concealed sarcasm of the other's manner
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