Summary

Chanuka wants to go on the hunt with the other Ojibway hunters, but he is too young. Seeing as how Chanuka can't go on the hunt, he goes exploring in "no mans" land. "No mans" land is the land between the Ojibway and Dakota tribes. While he was exploring, he stopped at the side of the river to explore on land. While he was on land, he saw a young Indian boy who was barely alive. The boy was under a dugout canoe, and looked severely hurt. Chanuka took pity on the boy and tried to revive him. Chanuka eventually got the boy back to conscientiousness. Chanuka stayed with the boy and helped him. While Chanuka was helping the boy, the boy tried to communicate with Chanuka. Chanuka only ignored the Dakota Indian, and made no effort to communicate with him. The Ojibway Indian had thoughts running through his head about taking back a Dakota warrior to the Ojibway tribe. He thought he would get a huge reward for bringing an enemy's warrior back to his tribe. The Dakota boy finally communicated with Chanuka and the Dakota's name was Neosho. Neosho and Chanuka gradually become friends even though their tribes were enemies. Neosho wants to go back to his Dakota tribe. So, Chanuka, out of friendship, gave Neosho a ride in his canoe back to the Dakota tribe. After Chanuka droppes off Neosho, he goes back to his Ojibway tribe. While he is on his way, he thought that he was going to get in trouble for being gone for so long. When he got back to his Ojibway tribe, he is summoned to the chief. The chief gives him an assignment to do, Chanuka is to go and see if the Dakota Indians had a successful hunt. If the Dakotas had a successful hunt, the Ojibway would not go to war with them. So Chanuka went back to the Dakota tribe's location and hides in the bushes. Suddenly, the Dakota warriors return home from their hunt with tons of buffalo. Seeing as how they had a good hunt, Chanuka knew that they were going to have a celebration. That celebration was called the buffalo dance. Chanuka wants to take something from the Dakota chief because the Ojibway Indians always said, "never come home empty-handed." Chanuka slips into the Dakota tribe and he rummages through the teepees while the Dakotas are getting ready for the buffalo dance. When Chanuka was about to go into the chief's teepee, he hears voices like a foot away. Chanuka hides behind some firewood, and Neosho appears to him. Neosho quickly gives Chanuka his costume that he was going to wear during the buffalo dance. Neosho also gives Chanuka his moccasins at the last moment. Then, Chanuka dances in the buffalo dance. After the celebration, he quickly returns home and tells the chief that the Dakotas had a successful hunt and there was no need for war.