"Somebody sends us a messenger.

Is he white or Indian ?" "White," said the Sagamore briefly, his eyes still riveted on the approaching figure, which now I could see was clothed in deerskin shirt and leggins.
"He carries neither pack nor rifle; only a knife and pouch.

He is a wood-running fool!" I said, disgusted.

"Why do they send us such a forest-running battman, when they have Oneidas at headquarters, and Coureurs-de-Bois to spare who understand their business ?" "I make nothing of him," murmured the Mohican, his eyes fairly glittering with excitement and perplexity.
"Is he, perhaps, some fugitive from Butler's rangers ?" I whispered, utterly at a loss to account for such a silly spectacle.

"The pitiful idiot! Did you ever gaze upon the like, Mayaro--unless he be some French mission priest.