Thanks, Chase. James Fenimore Cooper is great. When I was little my grandfather used to call me Natty Bumppo (my real name is Nathaniel), and it's made a good nickname since.
Thanks again for your help, everyone.
Edit: If anyone here is interested in seeing the actual puzzle itself, you can do...
Thank you all for all of your help. Your insight (and your jokes :lol:) were much appreciated.
It was indeed a puzzle I was trying to solve, and your Chase's suggestion of charades clues ending up being right. Thanks again!