"They're jumpin' inter the water to kim over here," said Rattleshag. "I don't like to shoot 'em, but I s'pose I must."
"I like it," replied Ethan, who had not yet conquered his hatred of the redskins.
"Don't be 'n a hurry, boy. Don't waste your lead," interposed the trapper, as Ethan was taking aim. "There ain't no more 'n six on 'em in the water, and we kin afford to wait till they git a little nearer. We kin fire shots enough to kill the whole on 'em without loadin' up."
"Who be they?" asked Ethan, trying to be as cool as the hardy trapper.
"I dunno."
"Be they Lean B'ar's men?"
"I reckon they ain't."
"I was afeerd the redskins that kim down to keep us safe had turned agin us."
"I reckon they hain't. They'd be afeerd we'd shoot the boy."
The half dozen savages in the water were wading across the river towards the bateau, evidently in the belief that the party had deserted her. They continued to hoot and yell, while they advanced, as though they intended to storm a garrisoned fortress, instead of capturing a deserted bateau.