He was Hua-awa-oma, the chieftain, and father of Arowaka.
He must have been surprised by the sight, knowing how resentful his son felt towards the white youth for overthrowing him, but the explanation was quickly made.
It seemed that Hua-awa-oma and his son had started out on a scout together (a number of warriors being similarly employed), when the former decided to return to camp. He directed his son to take a different route from his own, and thus it came about that they met as they did in the vicinity of the war party.
Arowaka dropped the hand of his new friend, and turning to his father, told him the story.
Of course, Jack did not understand a word spoken, but the language of the American Indian is largely made up of gesture, and our young friend was sure of the general run of the story.
He-who-Fights-Without-Falling (which, you know, was the meaning in English of the name of Hua-awa-oma) looked straight in the face of the narrator while he was speaking, but did not utter a word. Jack, however, noted the gleam of his eye, and he knew that whatever it might mean, it signified no harm to him.
The story was a brief one; but as the Christian kindness of Jack went home to the heart of the son, so did the touching narrative thereof stir the deepest feelings of the swarthy heathen who had wrenched the hair from the head of more than one quivering victim, and sunk his tomahawk into the brain of more than one poor wretch pleading for mercy.
When Arowaka ceased, his parent turned towards Jack and reached out his hand.
"Brave Yenghese--great warrior--Hua-awa-oma love him; no Wyandot hurt Jack--no hurt people of Jack!"
The meaning of the last remark was not fully understood by the lad until years afterwards. I will tell you about it later on.