n a root cellar waiting to see how the plan worked out。
He burrowed his way through the potatoes to the back of the cellar。 There was more spiderwebs in his face and hair than he cared for； but this wasn't a time to worry about tidiness。 Pretty soon he cleared him a space at the back； with the potatoes pushed mostly to the front。 When they opened the doors； they'd just see a lot of potatoes。 Not a sign of his digging。
The root cellar was the normal kind。 Dug out； timbered over； roofed； and then the roof covered up with all the dirt from the hole。 He could dig into the back wall and e up behind the cellar； and they couldn't see a thing from the house at all。 It was bare…hands digging； but this was rich Wobbish soil。 He'd e out looking more like a Black than a Red； but he didn't much care。
Trouble was； the back wall wasn't dirt； it was wood。 They'd walled it in； right to the bottom。 Tidy folks。 The floor was dirt； all right。 But that meant digging down under the wall before he could tunnel up。 Instead of being something he could do overnight it'd take days。 And any time； they might catch him digging。 Or just plain drag him out and shoot him。 Or maybe even bring back them Chok…Taws； to do what they started leave him looking like Ta…Kumsaw and the Prophet had him tortured。 All possible。
Home wasn't ten miles away。 That's what plain drove him crazy。 So close to home； and they didn't even guess it； had no idea they ought to e to help。 He remembered that torch girl from Hatrack River； years ago； the one who saw them stuck in the river and sent help。 That's who I need right now； I need me a torch； somebody who'd find me and send help。
But that wasn't too likely。 Not for Measure。 If it was Alvin； now； there'd be eight miracles； whatever it took to get him out safe。 But for Measure； there'd be just whatever he could work up for hisself。
He broke a fingernail half off in the first ten minutes of digging。 The pain was real bad； and he knew he was bleeding。 If they dragged him out now； they'd know he was making a tunnel。 But it was his only chance。 So he kept digging； pain and all； every now and then stopping to toss out a potato that rolled down into the hole。
Pretty soon he took off his loincloth and used it in his work。 He'd loosen up the soil with his hands； then pile it onto the cloth and use that to hoist it up out of the hole。 It wasn't as good as having a spade； but it sure beat moving the dirt out one handful at a time。 What did he have； days？ Hours？
Chapter 11 Red Boy
It wasn't an hour after Measure left。 Ta…Kumsaw stood atop a dune； the White boy Alvin beside him。 And in front of him； Tenskwa…Tawa。 Lolla…Wossiky。 His brother； the boy who once cried for the death of bees。 A prophet； supposedly。 Speaking the will of the land； supposedly。 Speaking words of cowardice； surrender； defeat； destruction。
〃This is the oath of the land at peace；〃 said the Prophet。 〃To take none of the White man's weapons； none of the White man's tools； none of the White man's clothing； none of the White man's food； none of the White man's drink； and none of the White man's promises。 Above all； never to take a life that doesn't offer itself to die。〃
The Reds who heard him had heard it all before； as had Ta…Kumsaw。 Most of those who had e to Mizogan with them had already refused the Prophet's covenant of weakness。 They took a different oath； the oath of the land's anger； the oath that Ta…Kumsaw offered them。 Every White must live under Red man's law； or leave the land； or die。 A White man's weapons can be used； but only to defend Reds against murder and theft。 No Red man will torture or kill a prisoner man； woman； or child。 Above all； the death of no Red will go unavenged。
Ta…Kumsaw knew that if all the Reds of America took his oath； they could still defeat the White man。 Whites had only made such inroads because the Reds could never unite under one leader。 The Whites could always ally themselves with a tribe or two； who would lead them through the trackless forest and help them find their enemy。 If Reds had not turned renegade like the unspeakable Irrakwa； the half…White Cherriky then the White man could not have survived here in the land。 They would have been swallowed up； lost； as had happened to every other group that came from the old world。
When the Prophet finished his challenge； there were only a handful who took his oath； who would go back with him。 He seemed sad； Ta…Kumsaw thought。 Weighed down。 He turned his back on the ones who remained on the warriors； who would fight the White man。
〃Those men are yours；〃 said the Prophet。 〃I wish there weren't so many。〃
〃Mine； yes； but I wish there weren't so few。〃
〃Oh； you'll find allies enough。 Chok…Taw； Cree…Ek； Chicky…Saw； the vicious Semmy…Noll of the Oky…Fenoky。 Enough to raise the greatest army of Reds ever seen in this land； all thirsting for White man's blood。〃
〃Stand at my side in that battle；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
〃You'll lose your cause by killing；〃 said the Prophet。 〃I'll win my cause。〃
〃By dying。〃
〃If the land calls for my death； I'll answer。〃
〃And all your people with you。〃
The Prophet shook his head。 〃I've seen what I've seen。 The people of my oath are as much a part of the land as the bear or the buffalo； the squirrel or the beaver； the turkey or the pheasant or the grouse。 All those animals have stood still to take your arrow； haven't they？ Or stretched out their neck for your knife。 Or lain down their head for your tommy…hawk。〃
〃They're animals； meant to be meat。〃
〃They're alive； meant to live until they die； and when they die； die so that others can live。〃
〃Not me。 Not my people。 We won't stretch out our neck for the White man's knife。〃
The Prophet took Ta…Kumsaw by the shoulders； tears streaming down his face。 He pressed his cheek against Ta…Kumsaw's cheek； putting his tears on his brother's face。
〃e find me across the Mizzipy； when all this is done；〃 said the Prophet。
〃I'll never let the land be divided；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃The east doesn't belong to the White man。〃
〃The east will die；〃 said the Prophet。 〃Follow me west； where the White man will never go。〃
Ta…Kurnsaw said nothing。 The White boy Alvin touched the Prophet's hand。 〃Tenskwa…Tawa； does that mean I can never go west？〃
The Prophet laughed。 〃Why do you think I'm sending you with Ta…Kumsaw？ If anyone can turn a White boy Red； Ta…Kumsaw can。〃
〃I don't want him；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
〃Take him or die；〃 said the Prophet。
Then the Prophet walked down the slope of the dune； to the dozen men who waited for him； their palms dripping blood to seal the covenant。 They walked off along the shore of the lake； to where their families waited。 Tomorrow they'd be back in Prophetstown。 Ripe to be slaughtered。
Ta…Kumsaw waited until the Prophet had disappeared behind a dune。 Then he cried out to the hundreds who remained。 〃When will the White man have peace？〃
〃When he leaves！〃 they shouted。 〃When he dies！〃
Ta…Kumsaw laughed and held out his arms。 He felt their love and trust like the heat of the sun on a winter's day。 Lesser men had felt that heat before； but it had oppressed them； because they weren't worthy of the trust they had been given。 Not Ta…Kumsaw。 He had measured himself； and he knew that there was no task ahead of him that he couldn't acplish。 Only treachery could keep him from victory。 And Ta…Kumsaw was very good at knowing a man's heart。 Knowing if he could be trusted。 Knowing if he was a liar。 Hadn't he known Governor Harrison from the beginning？ A man like that couldn't hide from him。
They left only minutes later。 A few dozen men led the women and children to the new place where their wandering village would settle。 They stayed no more than three days in any place a permanent village like Prophetstown was an invitation to a massacre。 The only thing that kept the Prophet safe was sheer numbers。 Ten thousand Reds lived there now； more than had ever lived in any one place before。 And it was a miraculous place； Ta…Kumsaw knew it。 The maize grew up six ears to the stalk； thicker and milkier than any corn had ever been before。 Buffalo and deer wande