True Son is being marched back to white civilization in chapter four after the Indians agree to a treaty which will release the whites who had been taken captive. True Son has lived with the Lenne Lenapi or Delaware tribe for eleven years. He is accompanied for much of the journey by his Indian cousin Half Arrow and he is being guarded by Del Hardy, a white soldier who speaks the Indian language.
Right before they cross the river (probably the Ohio or Allegheny) into Fort Pitt, Del informs Half Arrow and Little Crane, who is accompanying his wife, that they can go no further into white territory. Half Arrow ignores this and continues to march side by side with True Son until they get to the ford in the river. When Dell pushes Half Arrow out of the way, True Son retaliates and attacks the guard. He is quickly restrained by a group of guards who then tie his arms. Half Arrow stands by passively. He knows that to resist would be to commit suicide.
Appropriately, Half Arrow's last words to True Son before they part company is a message from True Son's Indian father about patience and waiting for the right moment to escape. He tells True Son to bear "his hardship with patience and cheerfulness." He advises him to look for the proper time to act. Being impatient or foolish will lead to certain death. It is better to stay alive and go along with the white man until the time is "ripe" to overtake his captor.
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