6.
And the rabbit from his pathway
Leaped aside, and, at a distance,
Sat erect upon his haunches,
Half in fear, and half in frolic,
Saying to the little hunter,
"Do not shoot me, Hiawatha."
7.
But he heeded not nor heard them,
For his thoughts were with the red deer;
On their tracks his eyes were fastened,
Leading downward to the river,
To the ford across the river,
And as one in slumber walked he.
8.
Hidden in the alder bushes,
There he waited till the deer came,
Till he saw too antlers lifted,
Saw two eyes look from the thicket,
Saw two nostrils point to windward,
And the deer came down the pathway,
Flecked with leafy light and shadow.
And his heart within him fluttered,
Trembled like the leaves above him,
Like the birch leaf palpitated,
As the deer came down the pathway.
9.
Then, upon one knee uprising,
Hiawatha aimed an arrow;
Scarce a twig moved with his motion,
Scarce a leaf was stirred or rustled,
But the wary roebuck started,
Stamped with all his hoofs together,
Listened with one foot uplifted,
Leaped as if to meet the arrow;
Ah, the singing, fatal arrow,
Like a wasp it buzzed and stung him.
10.
Dead he lay there in the forest,
By the ford across the river;
Beat his timid heart no longer;
But the heart of Hiawatha
Throbbed, and shouted, and exulted,
As he bore the red deer homeward.
[!-- Marker --] LESSON XXXIX.
TRAIL, track; footprints.
IN' DICATED, pointed out; shown.
MURK' Y, dark; gloomy.
FLAM' BEAU, (flam' bo,) lighted torch.
RE FLECT' ING, throwing back.
LU' RID LY, gloomily; dismally.
SUS PECT' ING, mistrusting.
AS SAIL' ANTS, assaulters.
ECH' O, (ek' o,) sound reverberated.
RE LAPS' ED, fell back; returned.
EN VEL' OPED, inwrapped.
SUF FO CATED, smothered.
BRAND' ISHING, flourishing; waving.
RIG' ID, stiff.
BIV' OUAC, (biv' wak,) pass the night without tents.
PEER' ED, came in sight; appeared.
DE CLIV' I TY, gradual descent.
PRO LONG' ED, lengthened; continued.
COM' RADE, companion; associate.
A DESPERATE ENCOUNTER WITH A PANTHER.
BOY'S BOOK OF ADVENTURES.