“O Getanittowit, help me,” whispered Running Fox. “O Getanittowit, make me strong.”
As they danced past the stake each warrior crouched and yelled fiercely into the ears of the erect young Delaware. Several struck him across the face with their open palms, but he gave no evidence that he felt the blows. Convinced that he was about to receive the full fury of the hatred which the Mohawks held for his people, Running Fox resolved to die like a hero. The Mohawks were rapidly rousing themselves into a frenzy. They had drawn their knives, and were making vicious passes within a few inches of his body. Some who carried war-clubs rushed forward and struck the post within a handbreadth of his head. Running Fox bore it all without flinching.
Then Standing Wolf once more interrupted the proceedings. This time, however, he did not address the prisoner, but called several of his escort aside and began to talk earnestly. A number of fiendish old women immediately took advantage of the opportunity to attack the prisoner. They rushed upon him with their sticks, and began to beat him over the head and shoulders. Standing Wolf saw them, however, and promptly ordered them to stop. A moment or so afterward he spoke to the warriors. Running Fox watched him closely. He was unable to guess whether Standing Wolf was talking for or against him. The Mohawks received his words in silence, and the Delaware imagined he read disappointment in many of the faces. At the conclusion of the talk two warriors left the circle, and approached the prisoner. They stopped in front of him, and one drew his knife. He stood a moment staring fixedly into the eyes of Running Fox. The great crowd of Mohawks watched in ominous silence. Standing Wolf was standing with his arms folded across his breast, smiling grimly. Running Fox felt that his end was at hand, and he straightened proudly to receive the knife-thrust in his heart. A murmur of approval rose from the Mohawks. Many moments passed. Still the warrior hesitated to carry out his command. Running Fox felt himself weakening under the suspense. It was evident that the wily chief was hoping to break down his courage before he killed him. The thought gave the lad new strength. Having endured that far, he determined to maintain his nerve to the end. He waited, therefore, smiling scornfully into the eyes of the warrior who confronted him.
Then the Mohawk darted forward to perform his mission, but instead of driving his knife into the heart of the prisoner he passed behind him, and severed the thongs which bound him to the stake. A moment afterward two guards led the astounded Delaware back to the lodge in which he had been imprisoned.
“Well, my brother, Getanittowit has listened to the medicine-songs!” Spotted Deer cried, joyfully, as soon as the Mohawks had passed out. “I believed the Mohawks killed you, and I wanted to die. Now my heart is filled with songs. Tell me how you come to be alive.”
“I cannot tell you that,” Running Fox said, confusedly. “I believed I would be dead by now, and here I am alive. It is very mysterious.”
CHAPTER XV—A BATTLE WITH THE CHIPPEWAS
For a long time the lads were kept in continual doubt as to whether they were to live or die. Then they unexpectedly found a friend in the young son of one of the Mohawk medicine-men, a man of great influence with Standing Wolf. From that time their uncertainty was set at rest. The young Mohawk made them understand that they were not to be killed. Some time later, when he had learned to express himself in the Delaware tongue, he told why Running Fox had been spared.
The Mohawk said that Standing Wolf had determined to kill Running Fox, but the medicine-man interfered. The latter had had a dream concerning the youthful prisoners, and declared that a great calamity would fall upon the camp if they were put to death. At first Standing Wolf paid little attention to him, and prepared to carry out his revenge. However, at the very moment when Running Fox was tied to the torture stake misfortunes began to fall upon the camp. First an old man fell and broke his leg. Then a child of one of the women who was participating in the attack on Running Fox died suddenly while the mother was in the act of beating the prisoner. As a climax the medicine-bundle fell from its tripod in the sacred lodge, as the warriors were dancing about the stake. Word of the strange coincidences was instantly carried to the Mohawk chief, and when the alarmed medicine-man himself rushed up and told what had happened to the medicine-bundle even Standing Wolf became filled with superstitious awe, and immediately altered his decision regarding the fate of the captive.
The Delawares showed great interest in the Mohawk medicine-bundle, and asked a number of questions concerning it. They asked in vain, however, for the young Mohawk only shook his head, and pretended to misunderstand them. Fearing that further questioning might arouse his suspicions, they immediately changed the topic of conversation.