and pain。 And you would tell your brother。 You would tell your family。〃
〃Is something going to happen to them？〃
〃Not one of your family will die；〃 said the Prophet。 〃All safe and healthy when this is over。〃
〃Show me！〃
〃No；〃 said the Prophet。 〃I will break the tower now； and you will remember what we did and said here。 But the only way you'll ever e back and see these things is if you find the crystal city。〃
The Prophet knelt down at the place where the wall met the floor。 He pushed his bloody fingers into the wall and lifted。 The wall rose up； dissolved； turned to wind。 They were surrounded now by the scene they left so many hours before； it seemed。 The water； the storm； the twister rising back up into the clouds above them。 Lightning flashed all around them； and the rain came down； so fast it made the shore disappear。 The rain that landed on the crystal place where they stood turned to crystal； too； became part of the floor under them。
The Prophet went to the edge nearest the shore； and stepped out onto the rough water。 It went hard under his foot； but it still undulated slowly it wasn't as firm as the platform。 The Prophet reached back； took Alvin's hand； pulled him out onto the new path he was making on the surface of the lake。 It wasn't near as smooth as before； and the farther they walked the rougher it got； the more it moved； the slicker it got so it was hard to go up and over the waves。
〃We stayed too long！〃 cried the Prophet。
Alvin could feel the black water under the thin shell of crystal； roiling with hate。 Nothingness out of an ancient nightmare； wanting to break through the crystal； get hold of Al； suck him down； drown him； tear him to pieces； to the tiniest pieces of all； and discard him into the darkness。
〃It wasn't me！〃 shouted Alvin。
The Prophet turned around； picked him up； lifted him to his shoulders。 The rain beat down on him； the wind tried to tear him from the Prophet's shoulders。 Alvin clung tight to Tenskwa…Tawa's hair。 He could feel that now the Prophet's feet were sinking down into the water more and more with every step。 Behind them there wasn't a trace of a path； all of it gone； the waves rising higher and higher。
The Prophet stumbled； fell； Alvin fell too； forward； knowing he was going to drown
And found himself sprawled on the wet sand of the beach； the water licking up around him； sucking sand out from under him； trying to pull him back out into the water。 Then strong hands under his arms； pulling him away； up the beach； up toward the dunes。
〃He's out there； the Prophet！〃 Alvin shouted。 Or thought he shouted his voice was just a whisper； and he hardly made a sound。 It wouldn't have mattered； the wind being so loud。 He opened his eyes and they were whipped full of sand and rain。
Then Measure's lips were against his ear； yelling to him。 〃The Prophet's all right！ Ta…Kumsaw pulled him out！ I thought you were dead for sure； when that twister sucked you up！ Are you all right？〃
〃I saw everything！〃 Alvin cried。 But he was so feeble now that he couldn't make a sound； and he gave it up； let his body go limp； and collapsed into exhausted sleep。
Chapter 10 Gatlopp
Measure saw little of Alvin too little。 After the episode with the tornado on the lake； Measure would have thought Alvin would be awake to his danger here； eager to get away。 Instead he seemed to care for nothing but to be with the Prophet； listening to his stories and the perverse poetic wisdom he dispensed。
Once when Alvin was actually with him long enough to set and talk； Measure asked him why he bothered。 〃Even when them Reds talk English I can't understand them。 Talk about the land like it was a person； things about taking only the life that offers itself； the land dying east of the Mizzipy it ain't dying here； Al； as any fool can see。 And even if it's got smallpox； black death； and ten…thousand hangnails； there ain't no doctor knows how to cure it。〃
〃Tenskwa…Tawa does know how；〃 said Alvin。
〃Then let him do it； and let's get on home。〃
〃Another day； Measure。〃
〃Ma and Pa'll be worried sick； they think we're dead！〃
〃Tenskwa…Tawa says the land is working out its own course。〃
〃There you go again！ Land is land； and it ain't got a thing to do with Pa getting a bunch of the boys together bing through the woods to find us！〃
〃Go on without me； then。〃
But Measure wasn't ready to do that yet。 He didn't have no particular wish to face Ma if he came home without Alvin。 〃Oh； he was fine when I left him。 Just playing around with tornadoes and walking on water with a one…eyed Red。 Didn't want to e home just yet； you know how them ten…year…old boys are。〃 No； Measure wasn't ripe to e home just now； not if he didn't have Alvin in tow。 And it was sure he couldn't take Alvin against his will。 The boy wouldn't even listen to talk of escape。
The worst of it was that while everybody liked Alvin just fine； jabbering to him in English and Shaw…Nee； not a soul there would so much as talk to Measure； except Ta…Kumsaw himself； and the Prophet； who talked all the time whether anybody was listening or not。 It got powerful lonely； walking around all day。 And not walking far； either。 Nobody talked to him； but if he started heading away from the dunes toward the woods； somebody'd shoot off an arrow。 It'd land with a thud in the sand right by him。 They sure trusted their aim a lot better than Measure did。 He kept thinking about arrows drifting a little this way or that and hitting him。
Escape was a silly idea； when Measure gave it serious thought。 They'd track him down in no time。 But what he couldn't figure was why they didn't want him to go。 They weren't doing nothing with him。 He was pletely useless。 And they swore they had no plans to kill him or even break him up a little。
Fourth day at the dunes； though； it finally came to a head。 He went to Ta…Kumsaw and plain demanded that he be let go。 Ta…Kumsaw looked annoyed； but that was pretty normal for him。 This time； though； Measure didn't back down。
〃Don't you know it's plain stupid for you to keep us here？ It ain't like we disappeared without a trace； you know。 Our horses must have been found by now with your name all over them。〃
That was the first time Measure realized that Ta…Kumsaw didn't have a notion about them horses。 〃My name isn't on horses。〃
〃On their saddles； Chief。 Don't you know？ Them Chok…Taw who took us if they weren't your own boys； which I ain't quite satisfied about either； if you want to know they carved your name into the saddle on my horse and then jabbed the horse so it'd run。 The Prophet's name was carved in Alvin's saddle。 They must've gone home right away。〃
Ta…Kumsaw's face seemed to turn dark； his eyes flashing like lightning。 If you want to see a sky…god； thought Measure； this is what he looks like。 〃All the Whites；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃They'll think I stole you。〃
〃You didn't know？〃 asked Measure。 〃Well if that don't beat all。 I thought you Reds knew everything； the way you carry on。 I even tried to mention it to some of your boys； but they just turn their backs on me。 And all the time none of you knowed it。〃
〃I didn't know；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃But someone did。〃 He stalked off； as best you can do that in loose sand； then he turned back around。 〃e on； I want you！〃
So Measure followed him to the bark…covered wigwam where the Prophet held Bible classes or whatever it was he did all day。 Ta…Kumsaw wasn't shy about showing how angry he was。 Didn't say a thing just walked around the wigwam； kicking away the rocks that helped anchor it to the sand。 Then he picked up one end of it and started lifting。 〃Needs two men for this；〃 he said。
Measure squatted down next to him； got a grip； and counted to three。 Then he heaved。 Ta…Kumsaw didn't； so the wigwam only lifted about six inches and dropped back down。
Measure grunted from the exertion and glared at Ta…Kumsaw。 〃Why didn't you lift？〃
〃You only got to three；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
〃That's the count； Chief。 One； two； three。〃
〃You Whites are such fools。 Every man knows four is the strong number。〃
Ta…Kumsaw counted to four。 This time they lifted togeth