8 A Long Journey

CHAPTER 8 A Long Journey While the rest of the men searched the cave, the Hurons held Duncan, Cora, Alice, and David tightly. "What are they looking for?" Duncan asked Magua. "La Longue Carabine," he replied. "The long rifle—who you call Hawkeye. He and those he travels with are the enemies of my people." "He is gone," Duncan said. "Where is his body?" Magua demanded.

"Where can we find it?" "He's not dead," Duncan answered. "He escaped." "The Mohicans, too?" "Yes. They all swam down the river. You will not find them." Magua turned and explained to his men what had happened to Hawkeye and the Mohicans. Some raced down to the river to see for themselves. Others hit the walls of the cave in anger. Soon the four prisoners were pulled out of the cave and down toward the water. The men forced them into canoes and across the river. When they landed, half of the Hurons climbed on their horses and sped away to hunt Hawkeye and the Mohicans. Cora, Alice, David, and Duncan were left with Magua. Duncan thought that they would be taken straight to Montcalm. He slowly stepped forward to speak with Magua and offered him money to

take them to Fort William Henry. "Enough!" Magua said. "You will speak only when spoken to." Magua and his men pushed Cora and Alice into saddles on top of two horses. Duncan walked beside them as the entire party moved forward. Poor David also had to walk, even though his head still hurt. The party walked in the opposite direction of Fort William Henry. They followed a path that wound first one way and then another. Duncan knew that it was meant to confuse them so they wouldn't be able to find Magua's camp on their own. They walked a long distance without any hope of stopping. Cora remembered what Hawkeye had told her —to break a branch whenever she could. She reached out her slender arm and broke a twig that was within her grasp. It was hard to do because Magua's men were watching her every movement. But in one lucky moment, she was

able to drop her glove and break off a large branch. "Wait!" Magua shouted. "I saw that!" He quickly rode his horse over to the girls, jumped off, and picked up the glove. "There will be no more tricks like this—and no more breaking sticks, either." Magua told one of his men to go back along

the wrong path and break more branches. They traveled all day through pine trees, rough paths, and across brooks and streams. Speedy and certain of where he was going, Magua took his horse where there was no path as easily as where there was one. Finally they reached a meadow, and he motioned for Cora and Alice to come down off their horses. They walked up a large hill. When they got to the top, it was level and covered with trees. Magua threw himself on the ground to rest and ordered the others to do the same. The hill was perfect for resting. They were high enough up that it would be almost impossible for someone to rescue them without Magua seeing the person first. Duncan decided to try to talk to Magua again. "Do you not see the value in returning the girls to their father? He will reward you greatly." "The gray-haired leader is a hard man," Magua said. "He is hard on his warriors. His

eyes are made of stone." "He is a strong leader, true. But he loves Cora and Alice," Duncan answered. Magua's face had a very strange expression. Duncan did not know what to make of it. "Tell the dark-haired one that I want to speak to her," Magua said. Duncan didn't want to get Cora, but he did so anyway. As he led her back to where Magua stood, he whispered to her, "Offer him as much as you think your father would give for us. This could save our lives." Cora nodded. She understood they were in great danger. Magua looked at Duncan and said, "You. Leave." Duncan didn't move. But then Cora said, "It's fine. Please go and see that Alice is all right." Even though she was scared, Cora turned to Magua and said, "What do you have to say to the daughter of General Munro?"