"There will Thayendanega meet his brother, the white chief, and without
firearms."

"To-day?" General Herkimer asked.

"When the next sun is three hours old Thayendanega will come with forty of
his people, and his white brother will bring no more than that number."

"It is well," General Herkimer replied, and it pleased me that he held
himself yet more stiffly than did the messenger. "Say to my brother,
Captain Brant, that we also will come without arms, and he and I shall
meet as we met years ago, when there was no need to light the pipe of
peace, because neither of us had listened to the songs of wicked men."

The Indian stalked away as before, and when he was gone Jacob, who, with
Sergeant Corney, had come up to hear what was being said, laid his hand on
my shoulder affectionately.

"I am goin' to be more of a man, Noel, havin' come to understand that
nothin' can be gained by ill-temper or impatience; but it is hard to
remain here idle when perhaps my father may at this moment be suffering
torture."

"If it was some one else's father, Jacob, you would say that there was no
danger anything of the kind would happen while Brant is makin' ready for
the interview with General Herkimer. Until that has come to an end your
father is safe, an' perhaps when the powwow is over we shall have him with
us."

"So Sergeant Corney has been tryin' to make me believe, an' it must be