"Delawares, listen to my words," he said. "You have asked us to do a big thing. You are a Delaware. The Delawares are our enemies. The words of our enemies are bad. If we do as you tell us you will go back and kill our brothers. No, Delaware, the Shawnees are not so foolish. Now I will tell you what our people propose to do. You must go back and bring Big Dog and Striking Bear to the river. Then you must make the call of Gokhos, the owl. Then we will send some warriors and your brother out there to meet you. Then we will let our brother walk away with you. Then Big Dog and Striking Bear will come to the camp. It is the only way to save yourself."
"It is useless," said Running Fox. "I see what you are trying to do. You cannot catch us so easy. I have given you my words. A Delaware will carry out what he proposes to do. If you let my brother walk out with me, your chief and Striking Bear will come back to you. If you do not do this thing, they will die when the next sun appears. There is no use of talking any more about it. The night is half gone. That ridge is a long ways off. There is little time. Tell me what you propose to do."
"Yes, Delaware, I will tell you!" Walking Bear shouted, furiously. "I intend to kill you. Then I will lead a war party to kill your friends on that ridge. That is what I propose to do."
He turned and began a fiery speech to his people. His words brought them to their feet, and roused them into a passion. As he continued speaking, they began to cry out and shake their fists at the Delawares. It was evident that the Shawnee war leader was deliberately inciting them to scorn the warning of Many Beavers and take vengeance upon their foes. As he finished talking, most of the warriors ran to the lodges and returned with their weapons. Then they formed a circle about the Delawares. Running Fox was seized and bound to the stake with Spotted Deer.
"Listen, you great war leader," Running Fox called out, sarcastically. "I know that you are trying to frighten me. I am laughing at you. You are afraid to kill me. You have heard the words of your brother, Many Beavers. Now I will tell you that whatever your people do to us, we will do to your brothers. Now do as you feel like doing."
At that moment Many Beavers began to speak. His voice was low and calm and it was apparent that he was attempting to pacify the Shawnees. However, as Walking Bear had thoroughly aroused them, the words of Many Beavers seemed to have little effect.
The warriors had already begun to circle about the stake, and as Spotted Deer had passed through two similar ordeals he knew what to expect. This time, however, he feared that the excited Shawnees might actually take his life. Running Fox, too, was beginning to feel less confident. The Shawnees were apparently relying upon some wily stratagem to save their tribesmen while they seemed determined to kill their foes. Running Fox wondered if a war party had secretly left the camp. The thought filled him with alarm.
Then as the warriors began to dance about the stake and brandish their weapons, the old Mystery Woman suddenly appeared before the Shawnees. She looked like one demented. Her eyes were wild and staring, her wrinkled yellow face was drawn with emotion and her short, white locks were rumpled in wild disorder. She pointed a bony arm at the Shawnees and began to shout wildly. The dancers stopped to listen. The Shawnees looked upon her in superstitious awe.
"Shawnees, Shawnees, Shawnees!" she screamed. "Think what you are about to do. You are about to throw away the life of Big Dog. You are about to throw away the life of the great warrior, Striking Bear. What will those great men think about you? I saw this thing in a dream. I told you about it. You wiped away my words. Now you are about to bring many bad days upon us. There is only one way to do. You must do as Many Beavers tells you to do. There is no other way. Big Dog is depending upon you. Striking Bear is depending upon you. They are saying, 'We are Shawnees. It is good. The Shawnees will not throw us away.' Are you going to give them to our enemies, the boastful Delawares? Are you going to let those people say, 'See how brave we are; we killed the great chief, Big Dog. The Shawnees were not sharp enough to save him.' How will you feel about that? You saw me try to kill that boastful young Delaware. Now I am glad I did not do it. If that foolish young warrior was not here, we could not save Big Dog. Are two Delaware boys worth as much as two great Shawnee warriors? No, no, no! Let them walk away. You call me a great Mystery Woman. Then listen to my words. Time is short. Let them run to that ridge and save our brothers. I know about this thing. It is good. They will do as they propose to do. I have made their hearts good to do this thing. It is the only way I can save Big Dog. Shawnees, you must listen to my words."
The Delawares felt sure she was speaking in their behalf. They believed that she had won the confidence of the Shawnees. They had begun to talk seriously among themselves. Many Beavers and the war leaders had called the warriors about them. The wild ceremony at the fire had suddenly come to an end. For the moment the Delawares were left alone. The old Mystery Woman rushed over to them and shook her finger in the face of Running Fox. She twisted her face into an ugly snarl, but her words were low and friendly.