h a hundred warriors, which is more to the purpose!"
exclaimed Rene in a tone of such excitement as greatly to astonish the
runner once more. Springing to his feet, the white chief ordered his
bow-bearer, who was in attendance, to summon to him, without delay, all
the principal men of the tribe, and in particular the chief
Yah-chi-la-ne. He was also to issue orders to his own war-party of a
hundred picked braves to prepare themselves, with all possible
despatch, for a forced journey to the great river of sunrise.

These messages from their chief caused the greatest excitement and
commotion among the Alachuas. They were obeyed without hesitation, and
while the braves of his own war-party restrung their bows, or secured
new heads of keenest flint to their lances, the principal men, with
Yah-chi-la-ne among them, repaired to his lodge.

No word was spoken until all were seated and their stone pipes were
well alight, when Rene, standing in their midst, addressed them and
said,

"Wise men of the Alachuas: it is now many moons since thou didst
receive Ta-lah-lo-ko into thy tribe, and open wide thy hearts to him.
In all this time he has been as one with thee in everything. Now he
would go. His own people, the pale-faces who dwell beyond the land of
sunrise, and beyond the great salt-waters, have come again. The heart
of Ta-lah-lo-ko sings for joy within him at the thought of seeing them
once more. The pledge of the Flamingo Feather holds him no longer, for
the old man to whom it was given has passed away. But the singing and
gladness of his heart is turned to sighing and to sadness by the
thought that he may never again see the land of the Alachuas. This may
not be; for if it is possible for him, he will come again from beyond
the great waters. Now he must go to his own people, who have many
wrongs to set right, and must do much fighting before they turn again
towards the sunrise. They call for help from the brave Alachuas.
Ta-lah-lo-ko and his own war-party will hasten to them. When the
fighting is done, they will return; but he must go first to the land of
the pale-faces. Until he comes, the brave and wise Yah-chi-la-ne will
guide your councils, and lead you on the war-path. Ta-lah-lo-ko has
spoken."

As Rene sat down, Yah-chi-la-ne and others sprang to their feet, and
begged him not to leave them. Yah-chi-la-ne declared that as he had
taken the place of Has-se (the Sunbeam), so he had become a flood of
s