The Mohegan Maiden — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE CUCKOO'S CALL : 21 Plainly they heard, stealing over the expanse of water, the low notes of a cuckoo! The men sxepanee’ significant glances. | ‘No bird sings like that, at. this -time of day,” remarked the young hunter. “It must be a signal.” “ Nar’ gansett,” sententiously returned Christian. ‘ “Of course it must be. They espy us, £00, without doubt.” “ Sartin—think we Injuns!” “ Perhaps so. We'll let them think it, if they choose, If they. stay that side of the river it will make no difference to them.” As the Narragansetts received no reply from the boat, it was but natural that they should feel some distrust, if they had not previously had their suspicions excited. At least the calls ceased, and for some time not a sound came to mar the Stillness which reigned upon the river. Archibald was be- ginning to feel that they might have been deceived, after all, and that the voice was really what it seemed—the notes of a bird. His Indian companion, however, with himself, kept wp ® close watch above and below, as well as on both banks of the stream. " “T do not believe the Narragansetts have any canoes,” he re- marked, at length, rather to himself than to those with him. “So if they are on the other side of the river, they will have to stay there for the present.” _ “ See, um got canoe,” remarked Christian, pointing away to the opposile shore. Archibald looked, and, after a close xamination, saw a speck appear, moving out fou ythe bank far ahead of them. It was aiming directly across the river, ind, after noticing it for a short time, the observers were satis- lied that it was the intention of the strange craft to intercept them. It appeared larger, too, as it came more plainly into View, and contained at least half a dozen savages. ee Had we better put into the woods, and give them fellows _ the slip ?” demanded Archibald: “They are too many for us. ” “Too many in woods,” was the prompt reply. ‘Not too many here. Guns shoot long. Nar’gansett only got arrows, No trees here for um. to run behind.” comicbooks.con