At the end of the day the Delawares noted sudden activity in the Shawnee camp. It convinced them that the Shawnees were preparing for some unusual event. The village was brightly lighted by several great fires, and the people appeared to be gathering for an important ceremony.

"It is bad," said Painted Hawk, "Something big is going on down there. Perhaps the Shawnees are about to kill Spotted Deer."

"Yes, it is bad," agreed Crooked Foot.

"Perhaps the Shawnees are getting ready for Big Dog," suggested Dancing Owl.

Running Fox offered no opinion. The sudden bustle in the Shawnee camp had aroused his suspicions. He was unwilling to express the fears which had crept into his heart.

"Come, Running Fox, what do you make of it?" Yellow Wolf asked him.

"I believe Spotted Deer is in danger," said Running Fox. "There is no time to spare. I must go."

He hurried to the Shawnee captives. Turning Eagle was watching them. As Running Fox approached, Turning Eagle came to meet him.

"Big Dog and Many Beavers have been talking," he said.

Running Fox seemed unimpressed. He had slight doubt that the crafty Shawnees had discussed the possibility of betraying him into the hands of their people. The thought caused him little anxiety. Having made it plain that his peril was their peril, he believed that they would heed the warning.

"Many Beavers, I have some words for you," he told the Shawnee. "I am going to untie you. I am going with you to the Shawnee camp. If any harm comes to me, Big Dog and Striking Bear will die. If I do not bring back Spotted Deer before another sun comes, then they must die. Now you know about it. If you let your people kill me, you will know that they are also killing your brothers. I have spoken."

He stooped and freed Many Beavers. Then he ordered him to rise. The Shawnee obeyed. The Delawares watched suspiciously. They had serious misgivings about the outcome of the adventure.

"My brothers, keep my words," said Running Fox. "If I do not bring Spotted Deer here before the next sun comes, then you must kill these Shawnees. Then you must go to our people and tell them that I have followed Spotted Deer on the Long Trail."

Then he disappeared into the night with Many Beavers. They followed the steep, hazardous trail toward the river. Mauwallauwin gave them light, but the way was difficult and dangerous. The Shawnee walked ahead. He was without weapons. Running Fox followed close behind him. He was armed with bow and arrows. They traveled in silence. When they reached the end of the trail, the Shawnee led the way across the open stretch of beach that led to the camp.

As they finally drew near the village, they heard sounds which told them that a celebration of some sort was in progress. Running Fox grew anxious. He wondered if he had come too late to save Spotted Deer. A wild chorus of shouts rang through the night, and his courage weakened at the sound. The Shawnee suddenly stopped. Running Fox feared treachery.

"Something big is happening," Many Beavers told him. "I will go ahead and find out about it. Then I will come back and tell you about it."

"No," Running Fox said, sharply. "I will go with you."

"It is bad," the Shawnee warned him. "Perhaps my people are mad. If you go in there they may kill you."

"Big Dog and Striking Bear are on the ridge," Running Fox reminded him, significantly. "I am not afraid. Go into the camp. I will follow you."

Aware that further words would be useless, the Shawnee moved rapidly toward the entrance to the camp. Running Fox followed boldly after him. A few moments later they entered the village. The Shawnees were gathered about a great fire. They suddenly subsided into silent amazement at sight of Many Beavers and his companion. Many Beavers walked directly toward them.

"Keep close beside me," he warned Running Fox.

Once they had identified the Delaware, the Shawnees rushed toward him, calling out threateningly. Many Beavers held up his hand and called out in strong, commanding tones. The Shawnees became quiet. They crowded eagerly about the two warriors and began to speak excitedly to their tribesmen. Running Fox ignored them. He had suddenly discovered Spotted Deer tied to a stake near the fire. Everything else was forgotten. Spotted Deer was apparently unable to see him in the midst of the Shawnees.

"He is alive—it is enough," Running Fox murmured, thankfully.

In the meantime several warriors whom he took to be chiefs had made their way to Many Beavers. They were talking earnestly and the Delaware believed that Many Beavers was giving them the message from Big Dog. He watched closely. Many Beavers waved his arm toward the ridge. He was speaking seriously. The Shawnees showed interest. Then Many Beavers spoke to Running Fox.

"This man is Walking Bear," he said. "He is a great war leader. He will give you some words."

"Delaware, I see you have come to die with your brother," said the Shawnee.

"Those words do not frighten me," Running Fox replied, angrily. "Many Beavers has told you what brings me here. I will not talk about it. Your great chief, Big Dog, and your brother, Striking Bear, are with my people. Do you wish to see them? Then go over there and untie my brother. If we do not go back to that place, your brothers will die. I have finished."

"Hi, Delaware, you speak big words," laughed the Shawnee leader.

At that moment a wild, hysterical laugh echoed through the camp. Then an old woman pushed her way through the crowd, and confronted Running Fox. She was a fierce-looking old creature. For a moment she stared searchingly into his face. Then she turned and addressed the Shawnees. Running Fox longed to know what she said.

"My people, what I dreamed about has come true," cried the old Mystery Woman. "Big Dog is in great danger. You must be careful what you do. Perhaps I can do something to save him. You must listen to my words and do as I tell you."

Her words filled Running Fox with excitement. He had suddenly recognized her voice. He felt sure that she was the mysterious Medicine Woman who had told him about Big Dog. He would have given much to have understood her words. The Shawnees were giving her serious attention. Running Fox took hope.

"She is talking against you," Many Beavers said, treacherously.

Running Fox betrayed no interest. He felt sure, however, that the strange old Medicine Woman would prove a valuable ally. Then Walking Bear, the Shawnee war leader, approached Running Fox and attempted to take his bow. Running Fox drew back threateningly.

"Come, Delaware, give me that bow," the Shawnee cried, angrily.

When Running Fox refused, "Walking Bear called to his people, and several warriors rushed forward and seized the Delaware. They took away his weapons and threw him to the ground. The Shawnees crowded forward to attack him, but Many Beavers and the war leader held them back. Then they tied his hands behind him and permitted him to rise. Running Fox remained calm. He smiled scornfully as the Shawnees led him toward the fire.

"My brother, I see that the Shawnees have caught you," Spotted Deer said, sadly. "It is bad. I am to blame for this. I have brought you here to die."

"No, my brother, we will not die," Running Fox assured him. "I have come here to take you away."

"How can you do that?" Spotted Deer asked, with surprise.

"Watch and listen," said Running Fox.

Many Beavers was talking to the Shawnee leaders. In a few moments he accompanied them to a big lodge near the center of the camp. Most of the Shawnees followed them. A number of warriors, however, seated themselves near the Delawares. The latter had little doubt that the Shawnees had gone to hold a council.

"Pretty soon they will let us walk out," Running Fox said, confidently.

The warriors who were guarding them made it plain that they did not wish them to talk. As the Delawares realized that it might be dangerous to defy them, they became quiet. Then they waited anxiously for the Shawnees to come from the lodge. Several times they heard the voice of the old Mystery Woman. Each of the Delawares longed to tell his friend about her, but feared that the Shawnees who were on guard might understand.

The night was half gone when the Shawnees finally came from the council lodge. They moved silently toward the fire, and seated themselves in a great circle about the Delawares. Then Many Beavers and Walking Bear approached Running Fox. Walking Bear began to speak.

"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.

"If you get away you must send those Shawnees to the camp," she said. "If you harm them I must die."

"I will send them," Running Fox promised her. "Be quick, tell me who you are."

"He knows," she murmured, as she rushed upon Spotted Deer and pretended to claw at his eyes.

Then Many Beavers and the war leader approached, and she hurried away. For some moments the Shawnees stared sullenly upon their foes. Then Walking Bear stepped forward and freed the Delawares from the stake. He showed no inclination to unbind their hands.

"Delawares, we will let you walk away," he said. "We will see if a Delaware will do as he proposes to do. If you kill Big Dog and Striking Bear, we will surely come and wipe away your people. Go, and send our brothers."

"Untie my hands," Running Fox commanded, fiercely.

"No," said Walking Bear.

"Then I will wait here and let your brothers die," said Running Fox.

"Come, come, untie his hands—there is little time," Many Beavers said, irritably.

He called a young warrior to free the Delawares. Then he motioned for them to go.

"Wait," said Running Fox. "I came here with a bow and some good arrows. I will take them away."

"Yes, I, too, had a good bow and some arrows and a good robe," declared Spotted Deer. "You must give them to me."

The Shawnees finally returned the weapons but refused to surrender the robe. The Delawares realized that it might be perilous to insist upon its return. They walked slowly toward the end of the camp while the Shawnees taunted and threatened, but made no attempt to harm them.

"Shawnees, listen to my words," Running Fox cried out, as he turned at the end of the village. "You are sharp. Perhaps you will try to do something. If you follow us, your chief will never come back."

The next moment the Delawares disappeared into the night.