Francois, bustling and important, announced a messenger from "our brothers, the Shawnees, who has come for this paleface, a runaway." "Let him enter," replied Ahneota, with dignity. A villainous looking fellow, accompanied by Caughnega, entered the lodge. Rodney did not recognize him, which was not strange; indeed, he may not have been one of the party that captured the boy. Having entered, he made formal demand for the return of the captive. To this Ahneota replied: "Our people are at peace with the paleface. They have wronged us, but we wait. Leaves do not fall until the tenth moon. The hatchet is buried. The paleface sits by our fires and smokes the pipe of peace." To this the Shawnee responded: "I have come for my prisoner. Our brother would not warm at the fire of the Wyandotte the snake from the lodge of the Shawnee." "Do you, my brother, come from the mighty Cornstalk, wise in counsel and fierce in war?" The Shawnee hesitated, and Ahneota continued: "Has he declared war on the paleface?" The Shawnee drew himself up, he was tall and strong, and replied: "If Shawnee meet Wyandotte bringing venison to his lodge does he ask him where he got it and take it from him?" "If my brother kill the paleface and bring war on the tribes when there is peace, shall my lodge be burned by the braves of the paleface? No, my brother. Go back to Cornstalk and say Ahneota would sit in council with him before the hatchet is dug up," saying which the old chief signified that the talk was at an end and the Shawnee withdrew discomfited. When Rodney learned what the old chief had done in his behalf his heart warmed in gratitude toward the old savage. At first opportunity he thanked him, but the Indian made no reply. Caughnega soon after left the village and did not return before the village was moved that fall farther north, where the hunting was said to be better. One day Louis came to him, crying, to bid him good-bye as Maman was to take him to the river, which he supposed meant back to his former home. She had told him he was to see Father Arbeille again and was to be taught how to be a wise boy. Louis did not want to go, and Rodney feared ill for the little fellow. There was nothing he could do, however. He did speak to Ahneota about it, and said he thought she had stolen the boy and intended no good toward him. "She would be like bear for cub, she would die for him. Would Little Knife do as much?" This name the savage had lately given the boy. The Indians termed the Virginians "Long Knives," hence the name, "Little Knife," applied to the lad.