"How fare you, Benjamin?" shouted Richard from the shore.
"The dumb devil can't swim a stroke!" exclaimed Kirby, rising, and beginning to throw aside his clothes.
"Paddle up, Mohegan," cried young Edwards, "where the light will show us how he lies, and let me dive for the body."
"Oh! save him! for God's sake, save him!" exclaimed Elizabeth, bowing her head on the side of the canoe in horror.
A powerful and dexterous sweep of Mohegan's paddle sent the canoe directly over the spot where the steward had fallen, and a loud shout from the Leather-stocking announced that he saw the body.
"Then steady the boat while I dive," again cried Edwards.
"Gently, lad, gently," said Natty; "I'll spear the creater up in half the time, and no risk to any body."
The form of Benjamin was lying, about half way to the bottom, grasping with either hand the bottoms of some broken rushes, by whose strength it was maintained in that position. The blood of Elizabeth curdled to her heart, as she saw the figure of a fellow-creature thus extended under an immense sheet of water, apparently in motion, by the undulations of the dying waves, with its face and hands, viewed by that light, and through the medium of the fluid, already coloured with livid hues like death.
At the same instant, she saw the shining tines of Natty's spear approaching the motionless head of the sufferer, and entwining themselves, rapidly and dexterously, in the hairs of his queue and the cape of his coat. The body was now raised slowly, looking ghastly and grim, as its features turned upward to the light, and approached the surface.
