رد

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Trail

Three days had passed. Fort William Henry had burnt down. The French soldiers had gone. The Indians had gone. The bodies of many English soldiers, women and children lay on the ground.

In the evening, five men walked through the forest. Munro, Duncan, Hawk-eye, Chingachgook and Uncas were looking for Cora and Alice. They found the dead bodies of many English people. The five men were sad and angry.

Suddenly, Uncas shouted to the others, ‘Look!’

He had a small piece of cloth in his hand.

‘That is a piece of Cora’s dress’ said Munro.

Uncas found footprints on the ground, near a tree.

‘Three people and a horse have stood here,’ he said.

Then Chingachgook found Alice’s necklace. And he found another piece of Cora’s dress.

Duncan took the necklace. He smiled. ‘Alice is alive,’ he said.

‘Miss Cora has left a trail,’ said Hawk-eye. ‘She has left pieces of her dress. We can follow this trail. But we must go quietly. Magua is with them.’

‘But it is late,’ said Hawk-eye. ‘We will eat some food. We will sleep here tonight. Tomorrow we will follow Miss Cora’s trail.’

Very early the next morning, Hawk-eye woke the English officers and the Mohicans.

The five men followed Cora’s trail. It led them to Lake Horican. Uncas and Chingachgook found a canoe in the grass near the lake.

The five men got into the canoe. The Mohicans paddled it along the lake.

After half an hour, Uncas spoke quietly.

‘Smoke,’ he said. He was looking at a small island in front of them.

‘Smoke from a fire,’ said Hawk-eye. ‘And there are two canoes.’

Suddenly, some Hurons ran from the trees on the island. They got into the two canoes.

‘They are following us,’ said Duncan. ‘Paddle faster!’

‘No! Stop paddling, Chingachgook,’ said Hawk-eye. ‘I will shoot them.’ And he lifted his long gun.

He fired. A Huron in the first canoe fell into the lake. The Hurons stopped their two canoes. They did not follow.

Chingachgook and Uncas started paddling again. The five men went on. They went north, up the lake.