در دهکده‌ی هورون‌ها

CHAPTER NINE

In the Hurons’ Village

Uncas was not afraid. The Hurons ran around him. They shouted. They pulled him towards the wooden building. Uncas saw Duncan outside the building.

‘Hawk-eye is safe, Uncas,’ Duncan said quietly. Then the Hurons took Uncas into the meeting-house.

Duncan walked through the village. He looked in the houses. Nobody stopped him. Nobody asked any questions. But Duncan did not find Alice and Cora.

He went back to the meeting-house. He went inside. Uncas was standing and the chiefs were sitting. Duncan sat down too. He sat near the wall.

Then another Huron came into the building. It was Magua! Magua did not see Duncan. But he saw Uncas. He shouted, ‘Mohican, you must die!’

Magua was angry. He turned to the chiefs. ‘Many Hurons died at Glenn’s Falls,’ he said. ‘This Mohican is our enemy!’

Magua and two Hurons took the young Mohican out of the meeting-house.

Then one of the chiefs spoke to Duncan. ‘Medicine man, the wife of one of my men is ill - she is sick. Can you make her well?’

‘Take me to the woman,’ said Duncan. He followed the chief out of the meeting-house. They went towards a hill. There was a cave in the hill.

Duncan saw a bear following them. But he was not afraid. Indians liked bears. They often had bears in their villages.

Duncan followed the chief into the cave. The cave was large and there were many rooms with stone walls. The chief took Duncan into one room. The sick woman was lying on the ground. Some other women were with her. Duncan looked at the sick woman. ‘She is dying,’ he thought.

The Huron chief waited and looked at Duncan.

Duncan turned to the Huron chief. ‘I must look at this sick woman alone,’ he said. ‘My medicine is secret. Go with these four women. Wait outside.’

The chief and the four women left the cave.

A few minutes later, the bear came into the cave. The bear made a loud noise. Duncan looked at the bear. Again, the bear made a loud noise. It walked towards Duncan. Suddenly, it took off its head! It was Hawk-eye! Hawk-eye was wearing a bear’s skin!

‘What-‘ said Duncan. Then he laughed. ‘Why are you wearing a bear’s skin’ he asked.

‘I found the bear’s skin in a Huron’s house,’ said Hawk-eye. ‘Now the Hurons will not stop me. But tell me. Where is Miss Alice?’

‘I have been unlucky. I have not found Alice or Cora. And Uncas is a prisoner of the Hurons.’

‘Magua has taken Miss Cora to the village of the Delawares,’ said Hawk-eye. ‘I heard two Hurons talking about her. Chingachgook and Munro are safe in the forest.’

Then Hawk-eye heard a noise. He looked over a stone wall. ‘Miss Alice is in the next room’ he said.

Duncan went into the next room. There were some blankets, cloths and animals’ skins in the room. And there was Alice. Her hands and feet were tied with rope. Her face was white. She was afraid.

‘Duncan’ she said. ‘You are here.’

‘Yes,’ said Duncan. He untied her hands and feet.

‘Where is Cora’ asked Alice. ‘Where is my father?’ ‘Your father is safe. He is with Chingachgook,’ said Duncan.

‘And Cora’ Alice asked again. ‘She is near here. She is at another village,’ said Duncan. ‘She is with the Delawares.’

Suddenly, somebody came into the room. It was Magua!