Them Reds； they howled； they looked at each other with fear in their eyes； fear and anger at the strange things going on。 Alvin couldn't know it； being White； but the thing that made this worst of all for them was they couldn't feel it like they felt a White man's spells or charms or doodles。 A White man put a hex； they felt it like a bump in their land…sense； a beseeching was a nasty stink； a warding was a buzz when they came close。 But this that Alvin did； it didn't interrupt the land at all； their sense of how things ought to be didn't show them nothing different going on。 It was like all the natural laws had changed on them； and suddenly steel was soft and flesh was hard； rock was brittle and leather weak as grass。 They didn't look to Al or Measure as the cause of what was going on。 It was some natural force doing it； as best they could figure。
All that Alvin saw was their fear and anger and confusion； which pleased him well enough。 He wasn't cocky； though。 He knew there was some things he didn't know how to handle。 Water was the main one； if they took it in their heads to drown the boys； Al wouldn't know how to stop them； or save himself or Measure。 He was only ten； and being bound by rules he didn't understand； he hadn't figured out what…all his knack was good for； or how it worked。 Maybe there was things within his power that could be right spetackler； if he only knowed how； but the point was he didn't know； and so he only did the things that were within his reach。
This much was on his side they didn't think of drowning。 But they thought of fire。 Most likely they were planning that from the start folks told tales of finding torture victim in the Red wars back in New England； their blackened feet in the cooling ashes of a fire； where they had to watch their own toes char until the pain and bleeding and madness of it killed them。 Alvin saw them stoking up the fire； putting hot…burning branches on it to make it flare。 He didn't know how to take the heat out of a fire； he'd never tried。 So he thought as fast as he could； and while they were picking Measure up by his armpits and dragging him to the fire； Al got inside the firewood and broke it up； made it crumble into dust； so it burnt up fast； all at once； in a fire so fast it made a loud clap and a puff of bright hot light shot upward。 It rose so fast that it made a wind blow in from all directions onto the place where the fire had been； and it made a whirlwind for a second or two； whipping around； sucking up the ashes and then puffing them out to drift down like dust。
Just like that； nothing left of the fire at all except dust settling fine as mist all over the clearing。
Oh； they howled； they jumped and danced and beat on their own shoulders and chests。 And while they were carrying on like an Irish funeral； Al loosened the ropes on him and Measure； hoping against hope that they might even get away after all before their folks and neighbors found them and started in with shooting and killing and dying。
Measure felt the ropes loosening； of course； and looked sharp at Alvin； up to then he'd been almost as crazy with what was happening as the Reds。 Of course； he knew right off that it was Alvin doing it； but it wasn't as if Alvin could explain what he was planning it took Measure by surprise same as the others。 Now； though； he looked at Alvin and nodded； starting to twist his arms out of the ropes。 None of the Reds had noticed so far； and maybe they could get a running start； or maybe just maybe the Reds were so upset they wouldn't even try to follow。
Right then； though； everything changed。 There was a hooting sound from the forest； and then it got picked up by what sounded like three hundred owls； all in a circle。 Measure must have thought for a second that Al was causing that to happen； too； the way he looked at his little brother but the Reds knew what it was； and stopped their carrying on right away。 From the fear on their faces； though； Al figured it must be something good； maybe even something like rescue。
From； the forest all around the clearing there stepped out dozens； then a hundred Reds。 These were all carrying bows not a musket among them and the way they dressed and had their hair； Al reckoned them to be Shaw…Nee； and followers of the Prophet。 It was about the last thing Al expected； truth to tell。 It was White faces he wanted to see； not more Red ones。
One Red stepped out of the mass of the newers； a tall strong man with a face as hard and sharp as stone； it looked like。 He fired off a couple of harsh…sounding words； and immediately their captors began babbling； jabbering； pleading。 It was like a bunch of children； Al thought； doing something they knew they shouldn't ought to； and then their pa es along and catches them at it。 Having been caught in such mischief himself sometimes； he almost felt a little sympathy； till he remembered that what his captors had had in mind was cruel death for him and his brother。 Just because they ended up without a scratch didn't mean them Reds weren't guilty of the bad intent。
Then one word stuck out of all the yammering a name： Ta…Kumsaw。 Al looked at Measure to see if he'd heard； and Measure was looking at him； raising his eyebrows； asking the same thing。 They both mouthed the name at the same time。 Ta…Kumsaw。
Did this mean Ta…Kumsaw was in charge of all this？ Was he angry at the captors because they failed at the torture； or because they'd captured White boys at all？ There wasn't no explanation from the Reds； that was sure。 All that Al could know for sure was what they did。 The newe Reds took all the muskets away from the gun…toters； and then led them off into the woods。 Only about a dozen Reds stayed with Al and Measure。 Among them was Ta…Kumsaw。
〃They say you have fingers made of steel；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
Measure looked at Al for him to answer； and Al couldn't think of anything to say。 He was sure reluctant about telling this Red what it was he done。 So it was Measure answered him after all； by raising his hands and wiggling his fingers。 〃Just regular fingers near as I can tell；〃 he said。
Ta…Kumsaw reached out and took him by the hand a strong； hard grip； it must have been； cause Measure tried to pull away and couldn't。 〃Iron skin；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃Can't cut with knife。 Can't burn。 Boys made of stone。〃
He pulled Measure up to a standing position and； with his free hand； slapped him hard on the upper part of the arm。 〃Stone boy； throw me on the dirt！〃
〃I can't wrassle you；〃 said Measure。 〃I don't want a fight with nobody。〃
〃Throw me！〃 manded Ta…Kumsaw。 And he adjusted his grip； put out his foot； and waited until Measure put out his own foot to join him。 Facing off； man to man； the way the Reds did in their games。 Only this wasn't no game； not to these boys who'd been looking death in the face and didn't have no guarantee that it still wasn't just around the corner。
Al didn't know what he ought to do； but he was in a mood for doing something； ing on the heels of all his changing of things。 So it was almost without a thought of the consequences that the very moment Measure and Ta…Kumsaw started to push and pull on each other； Al made the dirt e all loose under Ta…Kumsaw's feet； so his own pushing made him fall ass over elbow in the dirt。
The other Reds had been kind of laughing and joshing about the wrassle； but when they saw the greatest chief of all the tribes； a man whose name was known from Boston to New Orleans； when they saw him smash on the ground like that they kind of left off laughing。 Truth to tell there wasn't a sound in that clearing。 Ta…Kumsaw picked himself up and looked at the dirt under his feet； scraping on it with his foot。 It was solid enough now； of course。 But he stepped a few feet away； onto the grass； and held out his hand again。
This time Measure had a little more confidence； and reached out to take his hand but at the last second； Ta…Kumsaw snatched his own hand away。 He stood very still； not looking at Measure or Al or anybody； just looking into space； his face all hard and set。 Then he turned to the other Reds and fired off a volley of words； spitting them out with all the Ss and Ks and Xs of Shaw…Nee