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His cries were echoed from twenty mouths, for not only the jail, but the taverns had sent forth their numbers, some earnest in the pursuit, and others joining it as in sport.

As Elizabeth turned in at her father's gate, she saw the wood-chopper stop at the cart, when she gave Benjamin up for lost. While they were hurrying up the walk, two figures, stealing cautiously but quickly under the shades of the trees, met the eyes of the ladies, and in a moment Edwards and the hunter crossed their path.

"Miss Temple, I may never see you again," ex claimed the youth; "let me thank you for all your kindness; you do not, cannot know, my motives."

"Fly! fly!" cried Elizabeth-" the village is alarmed. Do not be found conversing with me at such a moment, and in these grounds.'

66 Nay, I must speak, though detection were certain."

"Your retreat to the bridge is already cut off; before you can gain the wood your pursuers will be there.-If”

"If what ?" cried the youth. "Your advice has saved me once already; I will follow it to death."

"The street is now silent and vacant," said Elizabeth, after a pause; 66 cross it, and you will find my father's boat in the lake. It would be easy for you to land from it where you pleased in the hills."

"But Judge Temple might complain of the trespass."

"His daughter shall be accountable, sir."

The youth uttered something in a low voice, that was heard only by Elizabeth, and turned to execute what she had suggested. As they were separating, Natty approached the heiress, and said

"You'll remember the canister of powder, chil

dren. Them beavers must be had, and I and the pups be getting old; we want the best of ammunition."

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"Come, Natty," said Edwards, impatiently. Coming, lad, coming. God bless you, young ones, both of ye, for ye mean well and kindly to

the old man."

The ladies paused until they lost sight of the retreating figures, when they immediately entered the Mansion-house.

While this scene was passing in the walk, Kirby had overtaken the cart, which was his own, and had been driven by Edwards without asking the owner, from the place where the patient oxen usually stood at evening, waiting the pleasure of their master.

"Woa-come hither, Golden," he cried; "why, how come you off the end of the bridge, where I left you, dummies ?"

"Heave ahead," muttered Benjamin, giving a random blow with his lash, that alighted on the shoulder of the other.

"Who the devil be you?" cried Billy, turning round in surprise, but unable to distinguish, in the dark, the hard visage that was just peering over the cart-rails.

"Who be I! why I'm helmsman aboard of this here craft, d'ye see, and a straight wake I'm making of it. Ay! ay! I've got the bridge right ahead, and the bilboes dead-aft; I calls that good steerage, boy. Heave ahead."

66 Lay your lash in the right spot, Mr. Benny Pump," said the wood-chopper, "or I'll put you in the palm of my hand, and box your ears. Where be you going with my team ?"

"Team!"

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"Why, you must know, Master Kirby, that the Leather-stocking and I-that's Benny Pump-you knows Ben?-well, Benny and I-no, me and Benny; dam-me if I know how 'tis ; but some of us are bound after a cargo of beaver-skins, d'ye see, and so we've pressed the cart to ship them 'ome in. I say, Master Kirby, what a lubberly oar you pull-you handle an oar, boy, pretty much as a cow would a musket, or a lady would a marling-spike."

Billy had discovered the state of the steward's mind, and he walked for some time alongside of the cart, musing with himself, when he took the goad from Benjamin, (who fell back on the hay, and was soon asleep,) and drove his cattle down the street, over the bridge, and up the mountain, towards a clearing in which he was to work the next day, without any other interruption than a few hasty questions from parties of the constables.

Elizabeth stood for an hour at the window of her room, and saw the torches of the pursuers gliding along the side of the mountain, and heard their shouts and alarms; but, at the end of that time, the last party returned, wearied and disappointed, and the village became again still as when she issued from the gate on her mission to the jail.

CHAPTER XVII.

And I could weep'-th' Oneida chief
His descant wildly thus begun-
'But that I may not stain with grief

The death song of my father's son.'"

Gertrude of Wyoming.

It was yet early on the following morning, when Elizabeth and Louisa met by appointment, and proceeded to the store of Monsieur Le Quoi, in order to redeem the pledge that the former had given to the Leather-stocking. The people were again assembling for the business of the day, but the hour was too soon for a crowd, and the ladies found the place in possession only of its polite owner, Billy Kirby, one female customer, and the boy who did the duty of helper or clerk.

Monsieur Le Quoi was perusing a packet of letters with manifest delight, while the wood-chopper, with one hand thrust into his bosom, and the other in the folds of his jacket, holding an axe under his right arm, stood sympathizing in the Frenchman's pleasure with a good-natured interest. The freedom of manners that prevailed in the new settlements, commonly levelled all difference in rank, and with it, frequently, all considerations of education and intelligence. At the time the ladies en

tered the store, they were unseen by the owner, who was saying to Kirby—

"Ah! ha! Monsieur Beel, dis lettair mak-a me de most happi of mans. Ah! ma chère France! I

vill see you aga'n."

"I rejoice, Monsieur, at any thing that contributes to your happiness," cried Elizabeth, "but must hope we are not going to lose you entirely."

"Ah! Ma'mselle Templ'! vat honneur I feel to me; mais l'ave lettair, dat mak-a mon cœur sautez de joie. Ah! Ma'mselle Templ', if you 'ave père, 'ave mère, 'ave leetl'-Jean-tone, vy you don't 'and de ladi a pins, eh!—if you 'ave amis beeg and leetl' you voud be glad to go back. Attendez vous, Ma'mselle, si vous plais; je vous lirai. A Monsieur Monsieur Le Quoi, de Mersereau à Templetone, Noo Yorck, les Etats Unis d'Amérique. Très cher ami. Je suis ravis"

"I apprehend that my French is not equal to your letter, Monsieur," said Elizabeth, glancing her eye expressively at her companion; "will you favour us with its substance in English ?"

"Oh! pardonnez moi-I 'ave been so long from Paris dat I do forget de-a-a-a-pronunshasshong. You will 'ave consideration pour moi, and vill excusez my read in France," returned the polite Gaul, bowing with deep humility, as if lamenting his ignorance of his own language; "mais I shall tell you en bon Anglois. I 'ave offeece à París, in Bureau, dans le temps du bon Louis; I fly; run avay to sav-a my 'ead. I'ave in Martinique von leetl' plantation pour sucre-ah! ha!vat you call in dis countray-ah! ha!-Monsieur Beel, vat you call de place vere you vork-a? eh ?” Clearing," said the wood-chopper, with a kind

66

nod.

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