"Then I cannot accept your surrender. You may take all your weapons and return to your village, and if you choose to do so, join your late allies. We will not make a movement against you until you have done so. You must believe Suros and Uraso, and Oma and Muro, as well as myself."
He cast a curious glance about him, as the Professor spoke. This was a new species of warfare. What! allow him to return and continue the war, after he was in their power? The savage mind could not comprehend its meaning.
"Why does the White Chief offer me such terms? I am in his power."
"Because the white man does not believe in taking advantage of an enemy who has entrusted himself in his hands. As long as he is here he will not permit it, and the chiefs who are with me will not ask me to do it."
"I do not understand this. Does Suros say so?"
"The White Chief says the truth. He brings us a message from the Great Spirit. That message is different from the ones we learned. He has told me why our message is wrong, and my people will never again attack another people."
This declaration bewildered Tastoa. He had heard the words of the wise Suros. But Oma[p. 60] arose and said: "I have been your enemy and you have been ours. The White Chief has been good to us, and I could not understand why. He has told us new things, and how we may live in happiness, and we believe him. When we took your warriors and captured your villages three days ago, he ordered that no one should be hurt, and he has given the warriors the best of food, and treated them as he treated his own warriors. We will follow his ways."
Muro's eyes glistened as he arose to speak. "I and my people love the Great White Chief. I have come from their village, and all they have in the village is now coming to all of our people, and we are to learn the new way of living. From the time the White Chief rescued me from you, he has said to us, 'Do not kill; do not kill; but you have a right to defend yourselves.' They have made the weapons which talk with fire, and there are so many of them that they could quickly kill all of your people, if he would permit it. Now we are going to live like the White Chief tells us."
"Then, if the White Chief tells me I must believe the Chiefs I will do so."
"There is another thing which you must do. The Illyas have some of the white people in captivity. You must send a messenger and say that if they injure the captives I will visit them and destroy them and their villages, and that they must at once return to us, and if they do not, we will go there and take them by force."