White Eyes parried this blow by saying that if the Delawares were determined to go upon the war path, he would go with them. "I have done what I could for peace," he said, "but if you choose to believe these lying vagabonds, you shall not go without me! And I shall not _follow_; I shall place myself at your head and none shall fight harder than I; I shall be the first to fall, for I do not wish to survive my nation; I will not live to mourn the destruction of a people who deserved a better fate." This appeal was overpowering. The council, with more enthusiasm than such a body generally shows, declared that they would wait the ten days, while others said with equal emphasis that they would never fight the Americans unless led by White Eyes. The baffled Pipe and his friends worked more determinedly than ever, and with such success that after several days, many of the Delawares began preparations for war White Eyes was warned that if he interfered again, he would be killed. Nine days had passed without a single fact appearing to disprove the rumors of the coming of the Americans. It looked as if nothing could calm the rising war spirit. Providentially, at this juncture, the German missionary Heckewelder, who had arrived among the Christian Delawares, not far from the village of White Eyes, learned of the crisis, and made haste to the settlement. His coming drew wide attention, and the warriors flocked thither from all points, anxious to learn the errand that had brought the white man thither. [Illustration: A PIONEER'S CABIN] The missionary and White Eyes had always been friends, but the chief now scowled at him and refused to take his offered hand. Heckewelder was amazed, but quickly read the meaning of the rebuff. Pipe had his spies in the crowd watching everything. If White Eyes welcomed the missionary, it would show that he had been invited to come, and that the whole affair was a scheme to throw dust in the eyes of the Delawares. If the chief showed a distrust, it would tell the contrary story. Heckewelder demanded the reason of the chief's churlish action. He answered: "I will tell you. If what has been told us is true, we have not a single friend among the Americans; therefore, we are the enemies of every white man and can look upon you as coming to us only to put us off our guard that our enemies may take us by surprise." Heckewelder strongly denied the charge, declaring that if he was not the friend of the Delawares, he never would have come among them. White Eyes fixed his piercing gaze upon the missionary, and in the hush that fell upon the throng, asked: "Will you tell me the truth as to what I shall ask you?" "I always strive to speak the truth and I shall not deceive you," was the reply.