the creaters, but I would'nt be helping to such a sinful kind of fishing, for the best rifle that was ever brought out from the old countries. If they had fur like a beaver, or you could tan their hides, like a buck, something might be said in favour of taking them by the thousands with your nets; but as God made them for man's food, and for no other disarnable reason, I call it sinful and wasty to catch more than can be eat."

"Your reasoning is mine," cried Marmaduke; "for once, old hunter, we agree in our opinions; and I heartily wish we could make a convert of the Sheriff. A net of half the size of this would supply the whole village with fish, for a week, at one haul."

The Leather-stocking did not relish this alliance in sentiment, and he shook his head doubtingly, as he answered

"No, no; we are not much of one mind, Judge, or you'd never turn good hunting grounds into stumpy pastures. And you fish and hunt out of rule; but to me, the flesh is sweeter, where the creater has some chance for its life; for that reason, I always use a single ball, even if it be at a bird or a squirrel; besides, it saves lead, for, when a body knows how to shoot, one piece of lead is enough for all, except hard-lived animals."

The Sheriff heard these opinions with great indignation, and when he completed the last arrangement for the division, by carrying, with his own hands, a trout of a large size, and placing it on four different piles in succession, as his changeful ideas of justice required, he gave vent to his spleen by exclaiming

"A very pretty confederacy, indeed! Judge Temple, the landlord and owner of a township, with Nathaniel Bumppo, a lawless squatter, and

professed deer-killer, in order to preserve the game in the county! But, 'duke, when I fish, I fish, and don't play ;-so, away, boys, for another haul, and we'll send out wagons and carts, in the morning, to bring in our prizes!"

Marmaduke appeared to understand that all opposition to the will of the Sheriff would be useless, and he strolled from the fire to the place where the canoe of the hunters lay, whither the ladies and Oliver Edwards had already preceded him.

Curiosity induced the females to approach this spot, but it surely was a different motive that led the youth thither. Elizabeth examined the light ash timbers, and thin bark covering of the canoe in admiration of its neat but simple execution, and with wonder that any human being could be so daring as to trust his life in so frail a vessel. But the youth explained to her the buoyant properties of the boat, and its perfect safety, when under proper management, adding, in such glowing terms, a description of the manner in which the fish were struck with the spear, that she changed suddenly, from an apprehension of the danger of the excursion, to a desire to participate in its pleasures. She even ventured a proposition to that effect to her father, laughing at the same time, at her own wish, and accusing herself of acting under a woman's caprice.

"Say not so, Bess," returned the Judge; "I would have you above the idle fears of a silly girl. These canoes are the safest kind of boats to those who have skill and steady nerves. I have crossed the broadest part of the Oneida in one much smaller than this."

"And I the Ontary," interrupted the Leatherstocking; "and that with squaws in the canoe, too. But the Delaware women be used to the

paddle, and are down good hands in a boat of this nater. If the young woman would like to see an old man strike a trout for his breakfast, she is welcome to a seat and a sight. John will say the same, seeing that he built the canoe, which was only launched yesterday; for I'm not over curous at such small work as brooms, and basket-making, and other like Indian trades."

Natty gave the heiress one of his significant laughs, with a kind nod of his head, when he concluded this invitation; but Mohegan, with the native grace of an Indian, approached, and taking her soft white hand into his own swarthy and wrinkled palm, said

"Come, grand-daughter of Miquon, and John will be glad. Trust the Indian: his head is old, though his hand is not steady. The young Eagle will go, and see that no harm hurts his sister."

"Well, Mr. Edwards," cried Elizabeth, blushing slightly, "your friend, Mohegan, you see, has given a promise for you. Do you redeem the pledge

"With my life, if necessary, Miss Temple," cried the youth, with fervour. "The sight is worth some little apprehension, for of real danger there is none. I will go with you and Miss Grant, however, to save appearances.

"With me!" exclaimed Louisa ; 66 no, not with me, Mr. Edwards, nor surely do you mean to trust yourself in that slight canoe."

Mr.

"But I shall, for I have no apprehensions any longer," said Elizabeth, stepping into the boat, and taking a seat where the Indian directed. Edwards, you may remain, as three do seem to be enough for such an egg-shell."

"It shall hold a fourth," cried the young man, springing to her side, with a violence that nearly

shook the weak fabric of the vessel asunder ;"pardon me, Miss Temple, that I do not permit these venerable Charons to take you to the shades unattended by your genius."

"Is it a good or evil spirit?" asked Elizabeth. "Good to you."

"And mine," added the maiden, with an air that strangely blended pique with satisfaction. But the motion of the canoe gave rise to new ideas, and fortunately afforded a good excuse to the young man to change the discourse.

It appeared to Elizabeth that they glided over the water by magic, so easy and graceful was the manner in which Mohegan guided his little bark. A slight gesture with his spear indicated the way in which the Leather-stocking wished to go, and a profound silence was preserved by the whole party, as a precaution necessary to the success of their fishery. The shore, at that point of the lake, ran gradually off, and the water shoaled regularly, differing, in this particular, altogether, from those parts where the mountains rose, nearly in perpendicular precipices, from the beach. There, the largest vessels could have lain, with their yards locked in the branches of the pines; while here, a scanty growth of rushes lifted their tops above the lake, gently curling the waters, as their bending heads slowly waved with the passing breath of the night air. It was at the shallow points, only, that the bass could be found, or the net cast with suc

cess.

Elizabeth saw thousands of these fish swimming in shoals along the shallow and warm waters of the shore; for the flaring light of their torch exposed all the mysteries of the lake, laying them open to the eye, with a slight variation in colour, as plainly as if the limpid sheet of the Otsego was but an

other atmosphere. Every instant she expected to see the impending spear of Leather-stocking darting into the thronging hosts that were rushing beneath her, where it would seem that a blow could not go amiss; and where, as her father had already said, the prize that would be obtained was worthy of the notice of any epicure. But Natty had his peculiar habits, and, it would seem, his peculiar tastes also. His tall stature, and his erect posture, enabled him to see much further than those who, from motives of safety, were seated in the bottom of the canoe; and he turned his head warily, in every direction, frequently bending his body forward, and straining his vision, as if desirous of penetrating the darkness in the water, that surrounded their boundary of light. At length his anxious scrutiny was rewarded with success, and, waving his spear from the shore, he said in a cautious

tone

"Send her outside the bass, John; I see a laker there, that has run out of the school. It's sildom one finds such a creater in the shallow waters, where a spear can touch it."

Mohegan gave a wave of assent with his hand, and in the next instant the canoe was without the "run of the bass," and in water of nearly twenty feet in depth. A few additional knots were laid on the grating, and the light from the fire made to reach the bottom. Elizabeth then saw a fish of unusual size, floating above the small pieces of logs and sticks that were lying on the bottom. The animal was only distinguishable, at that distance, by a slight, but almost imperceptible motion of it fins and tail. The curiosity excited by this unu sual exposure of the secrets of the lake seemed to be mutual between the heiress of the land and the lord of these waters, for the "salmon-trout" soon