〃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 together； got it up； tipped it clean over。 By now； of course； whoever was inside knew what was going on； but nobody shouted or nothing。 And when the wigwam lay on its back like a stranded turtle； there sat the Prophet and Alvin and a few Reds； cross…legged on blankets on the sand； the one…eyed Red still talking away like as if nothing had happened at all。
Ta…Kumsaw started bellowing in Shaw…Nee； and the Prophet answered him； mildly at first； but louder and louder as time went on。 It was quite a row； the sort of yelling that in Measure's experience always came to blows。 But not with these two Reds。 Just yelled for a half hour and then stood there； facing each other； breathing hard； saying nothing at all。 The silence was only a few minutes； but it felt longer than the shouting。
〃You understand any of this？〃 asked Measure。
〃I just know that the Prophet said Ta…Kumsaw was ing today； and he'd be very angry。〃
〃Well； if he knowed； why didn't he do something to change it？〃
〃Oh； he's real careful about that。 He's got everything going just the way it needs to； for the land to be divided right between White and Red。 If he goes and changes something because he knows what's going to happen； he might undo everything； mess it all up。 So he knows what's going to happen； but he don't tell a soul who might change it。〃
〃Well； what good does it do to know the future if you ain't going to do nothing about it？〃
〃Oh； he does things；〃 said Alvin。 〃He just doesn't necessarily tell folks what he's doing。 That's why he made the crystal tower when that storm came by。 To make sure the vision was still the way it was supposed to be； to make sure things hadn't gotten themselves off the right path。
〃What's all this about？ Why are they fighting？〃
〃You tell me； Measure。 You're the one helped him turn over the wigwam。〃
〃Beats me。 I just told him about his and the Prophet's names being carved on our saddles。〃
〃He knowed that；〃 said Alvin。
〃Well； he sure acted like he didn't hear of it before。〃
〃I told the Prophet myself； the night after he took me into the tower。〃
〃Didn't it e to your mind that maybe the Prophet didn't tell Ta…Kumsaw？〃
〃Why not？〃 asked Alvin。 〃Why wouldn't he tell it？〃
Measure nodded wisely。 〃I have a feeling that's the very question Ta…Kumsaw's asking his brother about right now。〃
〃It's crazy not to tell；〃 said Alvin。 〃I figured Ta…Kumsaw must've sent somebody by now to tell our folks we were all right。〃
〃You know what I think； Al？ I think your Prophet's been playing us all for fools。 I don't even have a guess as to why； but I think he's working out some plan； and part of that plan is keeping us from going home。 And since that means all our family and neighbors and all are going to be up in arms about it； you can figure it out。 The Prophet wants to get a real hot little shooting war going here。〃
〃No！〃 said Alvin。 〃The Prophet says no man can kill another man who doesn't want to die； that it's as wrong to kill a White man as it is to kill a wolf or a bear that you don't want for food。〃
〃Maybe he wants us for food。 But he's going to have a war if we don't get home and tell our kin that we're safe。〃
That was right when Ta…Kurnsaw and the Prophet fell silent。 And it was Measure who broke the silence。 〃Think you boys are about set to let us go home？〃 he asked。
The Prophet immediately sank down into a crosslegged position； sitting on a blanket across from the two Whites。 〃Go home； Measure；〃 said the Prophet。
〃Not without Alvin。〃
〃Yes without Alvin；〃 said the Prophet。 〃If he stays in this part of the country； he will die。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃
〃What I saw with my eyes！〃 said the Prophet。 〃The things to e。 If Alvin goes home now； he'll be dead in three days。 But you go； Measure。 Today in the afternoon is a very perfect time for you to go。〃
〃What are you going to do with Alvin？ You think he's going to be any safer with you？〃
〃Not with me；〃 said the Prophet。 〃With my brother。〃
〃This is all a stupid idea！〃 shouted Ta…Kumsaw。
〃My brother is going to make many visits。 With the French at Detroit； with the Irrakwa； the Appalachee nation； with the Chok…Taw and the Cree…Ek； every kind of Red man； every kind of White who might stop a very bad war from happening。〃
〃If I talk to Reds； Tenskwa…Tawa； I'll talk to them about ing to fight with me and drive the White men back across the mountains； back into their ships； back into the sea！〃
〃Talk about whatever you want； 〃 said Tenskwa…Tawa。 〃But leave this afternoon； and take the White boy who walks like a Red man。〃
〃No；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
Grief swept across Tenskwa…Tawa's face； and he moaned sharply。 〃Then all the land will die； not just a part。 If you don't do what I say today； then White man will kill all the land； from one ocean to the other； from north to south； all the land dead！ And Red men will die except a very few； who will live on tiny pieces of ugly desert land； like prisons； live there all their lives； because you did not obey what I saw in my vision！〃
〃Ta…Kumsaw does not obey these mad visions！ Ta…Kumsaw is the face of the land； the voice of the land！ The redbird told me； and you know that； Lolla…Wossiky！〃
The Prophet whispered。 〃Lolla…Wossiky is dead。〃
〃The voice of the land doesn't obey a one…eyed whisky…Red。 〃
The Prophet was stung to the heart； but he kept his face impassive。 〃You are the voice of the land's anger。 You will stand in battle against a mighty army of Whites。 I tell you this will happen before the first snow falls。 If the White boy Alvin is not with you； then you will die in defeat。〃
〃And if he is with me？〃
〃Then you will live；〃 said the Prophet。
〃I'm glad to go；〃 said Alvin。 When Measure started to argue； Alvin touched his arm。 〃You can tell Ma and Pa I'm all right。 But I want to go。 The Prophet told me； I can learn more from Ta…Kumsaw than any other man in the whole world。 〃
〃Then I'm going with you； too；〃 said Measure。 〃I gave my word to Pa and Ma both。〃
The Prophet looked coldly at Measure。 〃You will go back to your own people。〃
〃Then Alvin es with me。〃
〃You are not the one who says；〃 the Prophet retorted。
〃And you are？ Why； because your boys got all the arrows？〃
Ta…Kumsaw reached out； touched Measure on the shoulder。 〃You are not a fool； Measure。 Someone has to go back and tell your people that you and Alvin aren't dead。〃
〃If I leave him behind； how do I know he ain't dead； tell me that？〃
〃You know；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw； 〃because I say that while I live no Red man will hurt this boy。〃
〃And while he's with you； nobody can hurt you； either； is that it？ My little brother's a hostage； that's all〃
Measure could see that Ta…Kumsaw and Tenskwa…Tawa were both about as mad as they could be without killing him； and he knew he was so mad he was ready to break his hand on somebody's face。 And it might've e to that； too； except Alvin stood up； all ten years and sixty inches of him； and took charge。
〃Measure； you know better than anybody that I can take care of myself。 You just tell Pa and Ma about what I did with them Chok…Taw； and they'll see that I'm fit。 They were sending me off anyway； weren't they？ To be a prentice to blacksmith。 Well； I'm going to serve as prentice for a little while to Ta…Kumsaw； that's all。 And everybody knows that except for maybe Tom Jefferson； Ta…Kumsaw is the greatest man in America。 If I can somehow keep Ta…Kumsaw alive； then that's my duty。 And if you can stop a war from happening by going home； then that's your duty。 Don't you see？〃
Measure did see； right enough； and he even agreed。 But he also knew that he was going to have to face his parents。 〃There's a story in the Bible； about Joseph； the son of Jacob。 He was his father's favorite son； but his brothers hated him and sold him into slavery； and then they took some of his clothes and soaked them in goat's blood and tore them up and came and told their father； Look； he got hisself et