rrison was bound to take it wrong but to Hooch； it was all praise。 His kind of man。
〃It's Ta…Kumsaw and the Prophet； simple as that。 I got to kill them。 No； no； I take it back。 I got to beat them and kill them。 I got to take them on and make them both look like fools and then kill them。〃
〃Good idea。 I'll handle the betting on it。〃
〃I bet you would。 Stand there taking bets。 Well； I can't just take my soldiers up north to Vigor Church and wipe out Prophetstown； cause Armor…of…God would fight me every step of the way； probably get the army detachment at Fort Wayne to back him up。 Probably get my mission stripped or something。 So I've got to arrange things so the people in Vigor Church； all along the Wobbish； they all beg me to e up and get rid of them Reds。〃
Now； at last； Hooch understood what this was all about。 〃You want a provocation。〃
〃That's my boy； Hooch。 That's my boy。 I want some Reds to go up north and make some real trouble； and tell everybody that Ta…Kumsaw and the Prophet told them to do it。 Blame it all on them。〃
Hooch nodded。 〃I see。 It couldn't be just running off their cows or nothing like that。 No； the only thing that'll get those people up north screaming for Red blood is something real ugly。 Like capturing children and torturing them to death and then signing Ta…Kumsaw's name on them and leaving them where they'll be found。 Something like that。〃
〃Well； I wouldn't go so far as to tell anybody to do something awful like that； Hooch。 In fact I don't reckon I'd give them specific instructions at all。 Just tell them to do something that'd rile up the Whites up north； and then spread the word that Ta…Kumsaw ordered it。〃
〃But you wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be rape and torture。〃
〃I wouldn't want them to touch any White women； Hooch。 That's out of line。〃
〃Oh； that's right； pure truth；〃 said Hooch。 〃So it's definitely torturing children。 Boy children。〃
〃Like I said； I wouldn't ever tell somebody to do a thing like that。〃
Hooch nodded a little； his eyes closed。 Harrison might not tell somebody to do it； but he sure wasn't telling him not to do it； either。 〃And of course it couldn't be any Reds from around here； could it； Bill； cause they're all gone； and your tame Reds are the most worthless scum that ever lived on the face of the earth。〃
〃Pretty much； that's true。〃
〃So you need Reds from south of the river。 Reds who still haven't heard the Prophet's preaching； so they still want likker。 Reds who still have brains enough to do the job right。 Reds who have the blood thirst to kill children real slow。 And you need my cargo as a bribe。〃
〃Reckon so； Hooch。〃
〃You got it； Bill。 Dismiss charges against me； and you got all my likker free。 Just give me enough money to pay off my poleboys so they don't knife me on the way home； I hope that ain't too much to ask。〃
〃Now； Hooch； you know that ain't all I need。〃
〃But Bill； that's all I'll do。〃
〃I can't be the one to go ask them； Hooch。 I can't be the one to go tell them Cree…Eks or Choc…Taws what I need done。 It's got to be somebody else； somebody who if it gets found out I can say； I never told him to do that。 He used his own whisky to do it； I didn't have any idea。〃
〃Bill； I understand you； but you guessed right from the start。 You actually found something so low that I won't be part of it。〃
Harrison glowered at him。 〃Assaulting an officer is a hanging offense in this fort； Hooch。 Didn't I make that clear？〃
〃Bill； I've lied； cheated； and sometimes killed to get ahead in the world。 But one thing I've never done is bribe somebody to go steal some mother's children and torture them to death。 I honestly never did that； and I honestly never will。〃
Harrison studied Hooch's face and saw that it was true。 〃Well； don't that beat all。 There's actually a sin so bad that Hooch Palmer won't do it； even if he dies because of it。〃
〃You won't kill me； Bill。〃
〃Oh yes I will； Hooch。 There's two reasons I will。 First； you gave me the wrong answer to my request。 And second； you heard my request in the first place。 You're a dead man； Hooch。〃
〃Fine with me；〃 said Hooch。 〃Make it a real scratchy rope； too。 A good and tall gallows； with a twenty…foot drop。 I want a hanging that folks'll remember for a long time。〃
〃You'll get a tree limb and we'll raise the rope up slow； so you strangle instead of breaking your neck。〃
〃Just so it's memorable；〃 said Hooch。
Harrison called in some soldiers and had them take Hooch back to jail。 This time they did a little kicking and poking； so Hooch had a whole new batch of bruises； and maybe a broken rib。
He also didn't have much time。
So he lay down real calm on the floor of the jail。 The drunks were gone； but the three brawlers were still there； using all the cots； the floor was all that was available。 Hooch didn't much care。 He knew Harrison would give him an hour or two to think about it； then take him out and put the rope around his neck and kill him。 He might pretend to give him one last chance； of course； but he wouldn't mean it； because now he wouldn't trust Hooch。 Hooch had told him no； and so he'd never trust him to carry out the assignment if he let him go。
Well； Hooch planned to use the time wisely。 He started out pretty simply。 He closed his eyes and let some heat build up inside him。 A spark。 And then he sent that spark outside himself。 It was like what doodlebugs said they did； sending out their bug to go searching underground and see what it could see。 He set his spark to searching and pretty soon he found what he was looking for。 Governor Bill's own house。 His spark was too far away by now for him to find some particular spot in the house。 And his aim couldn't be too tight。 So instead he just pumped all his hate and rage and pain into the spark； built it hotter and hotter and hotter。 He let himself go like he never done before in his life。 And he kept pushing it and pushing it until he started hearing that most wele sound。
〃Fire！ Fire！〃 The shouts came from outside； from far away； but more and more people took up the cry。 Gunshots went off distress signals。
The three brawlers heard it； too。 One of them stepped on Hooch where he was lying on the floor； they were in such a hurry。 Stood at the door； they did； rattling and shouting at the guard。 〃Let us out！ Don't go trying to fight that fire without letting us out first！ Don't let us die in here！〃
Hooch hardly noticed the man stepping on him； he already hurt so bad。 Instead he just lay there； using his spark again； only this time heating up the metal inside the lock of the jail door。 Now his aim was tight and his spark could get much hotter。
The guard came in and put his key in the lock； turned it； opened the door。 〃You boys can e on out；〃 he said。 〃Sergeant said so； we need you to help with the fire brigade。〃
Hooch struggled to his feet； but the guard straight…armed him and shoved him back into the cell。 Hooch wasn't surprised。 But he made the spark go hotter yet； so hot that now the iron of the lock melted inside。 It even glowed red a little。 The guard slammed the door shut and went to turn the key。 By now it was so hot that it burned his hand。 He cussed and went for his shirttail to try and grab the key； but Hooch kicked the door open； knocking the guard down。 He stomped the guard in the face and kicked his head； which probably broke his neck； but Hooch didn't think of that as murder。 He thought of it as justice； cause the guard had been all set to leave him locked in his cell to burn to death。
Hooch walked on out of the jail。 Nobody paid him much attention。 He couldn't see the mansion from here； but he could see the smoke rising。 Sky was low and grey。 Probably it'd rain before it burned the stockade。 Hooch sure hoped not； though。 Hoped the whole place burned to the ground。 It was one thing to want to kill off Reds； that was fine with Hooch； he and Harrison saw eye to eye on that。 Kill them with likker if you can； bullets if you can't。 But you don't go killing White folks； you don't go hiring Reds to torture White babies。 Maybe to Harrison it was all part of the same thing。 Maybe to him it was like White soldiers