hese White trappers would learn how to do it。 They would never learn。 How could the land accept the kind of man who would kill every beaver in a pond； just for the pelts； leaving the meat to rot； and no beaver left to bear young？
No wonder the bears killed these trappers whenever they could。 The land rejected them。
When I have driven the Americans from the land west of the mountains； thought Ta…Kumsaw； then I will drive out the Yankees from New England； and the Cavaliers from the Crown Colonies。 And when they're all gone； I'll turn to the Spanish of Florida and the French of Canada。 Today I'll make use of you for my own purpose； but tomorrow I'll drive you out； too。 Every White face that stays in this land will stay here because it's dead。 And in that day； beavers will die only when the land tells them it's the time and place to die。
The French mander in Detroit was officially de Maurepas； but Ta…Kumsaw avoided him whenever he could。 It was only the second man； Napoleon Bonaparte； who was worth talking to。
〃I heard you were at Lake Mizogan；〃 said Napoleon。 He spoke in French； of course； but Ta…Kumsaw had learned French at the same time he was leaming English； and from the same person。 〃e； sit down。〃 Napoleon looked with vague interest at the White boy Alvin； but said nothing to him。
〃I was there；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃So was my brother。〃
〃Ah。 But was there an army？〃
〃The seed of one；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃I gave up arguing with Tenskwa…Tawa。 I'll make an army out of other tribes。〃
〃When！〃 demanded Napoleon。 〃You e here two； three times each year； you tell me you're going to have an army。 Do you know how long I've waited？ Four years； four miserable years of exile。〃
〃I know how many years；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃You'll have your battle。〃
〃Before my hair turns grey？ Tell me that！ Do I have to be dying of old age before you'll call out a general rising of the Reds？ You know how helpless I am。 La Fayette and de Maurepas won't let me go more than fifty miles from here； won't give me any troops at all。 There has to be an army first； they say。 The Americans have to have some main force that you can fight with。 Well； the only thing that will cause those miserably independent bastards to unite is you。〃
〃I know；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
〃You promised me an army of ten thousand Reds； Ta…Kumsaw。 Instead I keep hearing about a city of ten thousand Quakers！〃
〃Not Quakers。〃
〃If they renounce war it amounts to the same thing。〃 Suddenly Napoleon let his voice bee soft； loving； persuasive。 〃Ta…Kumsaw； I need you； I depend on you； don't fail me。〃
Ta…Kumsaw laughed。 Napoleon learned long ago that his tricks worked on White men； but not half so well on Reds； and on Ta…Kumsaw not at all。 〃You care nothing for me； and I care nothing for you；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃You want one battle and a victory； so you can go home a hero to Paris。 I want one battle and a victory； so I can strike terror into White men's hearts and bring together an even greater army of Reds under my mand； to sweep the land south of here and drive the Englishmen back across the mountains。 One battle； one victory that's why we work together； and when that's done I'll never think of you again； and you'll never think of me。〃
Napoleon was angry； but he laughed。 〃Half true；〃 he said。 〃I won't care about you； but I'll think of you。 I've learned from you； Ta…Kumsaw。 That love of a mander makes men fight better than love of country； and love of country better than the hope of glory； and the hope of glory better than looting； and looting better than wages。 But best of all is to fight for a cause。 A great and noble dream。 I've always had the love of my men。 They would die for me。 But for a cause； they'd let their wives and children die and think it was worth the price。〃
〃How did you learn that from me？〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃That's my brother's talk； not mine。〃
〃Your brother？ I thought he didn't think anything was worth dying for。〃
〃No； he's very free with dying。 It's killing he won't do。〃
Napoleon laughed； and Ta…Kumsaw laughed with him。 〃You're right； you know。 We're not friends。 But I do like you。 What puzzles me is this when you've won； and all the White men are gone； you really mean to walk away and let all the tribes go back to the way they were before； separate； quarreling； weak。〃
〃Happy。 That's how we were before。 Many tribes； many languages； but one living land。〃
〃Weak；〃 said Napoleon again。 〃If I ever brought all of my land under my flag； Ta…Kumsaw； I'd hold them together so long and so tightly that they'd bee one great people； great and strong。 And if I ever do that； you can count on this。 We'll be back； and take your land away from you； just like every other land on Earth。 Count on it。〃
〃That's because you are evil； General Bonaparte。 You want to bend everything and everybody to your obedience。〃
〃That isn't evil； foolish savage。 If everybody obeyed me； then they'd be happy and safe； at peace； and； for the first time in all of history； free。〃
〃Safe； unless they opposed you。 Happy； unless they hated you。 Free； unless they wanted something contrary to your will。〃
〃Imagine； a Red man philosophizing。 Do those peasant squatters south of here know that you've read Newton； Voltaire； Rousseau； and Adam Smith？〃
〃I don't think they know I can read their languages。〃
Napoleon leaned across his desk。 〃We'll destroy them； Ta…Kumsaw； you and I together。 But you have to bring me an army。〃
〃My brother prophesies that we'll have that army before the year ends。〃
〃A prophecy？〃
〃All his prophecies e true。〃
〃Does he say we'll win？〃
Ta…Kumsaw laughed。 〃He says you'll be known as the greatest European general who ever lived。 And I will be known as the greatest Red。〃
Napoleon ran his fingers through his hair and smiled； almost boyish now； he could pass from menacing to friendly to adorable in moments。 〃That seems to dodge the question。 Dead men can be called great； too。〃
〃But men who lose battles are never called great； are they？ Noble； perhaps； even heroic。 But not great。〃
〃True； Ta…Kumsaw； true。 But your brother is being coy。 Oracular。 Delphic。〃
〃I don't know those words。〃
〃Of course you don't。 You're a savage。〃 Napoleon poured wine。 〃I forget myself。 Wine？〃
Ta…Kumsaw shook his head。
〃I suppose none for the boy；〃 said Napoleon。
〃He's only ten；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
〃In France； that means we water the wine half and half。 What are you doing with a White boy； Ta…Kumsaw？ Are you capturing children now？〃
〃This White boy；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw； 〃he's more than he seems。〃
〃In a loincloth he doesn't look like much。 Does he understand French？〃
〃Not a word；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃I came to ask you can you give us guns？〃
〃No；〃 said Napoleon。
〃'We can't fight bullets with arrows；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
〃La Fayette refuses to authorize us to issue you any guns。 Paris agrees with him。 They don't trust you。 They're afraid any guns they give you might someday be turned against us。〃
〃Then what good will it do me to raise an army？〃
Napoleon smiled； sipped his wine。 〃I've been speaking to some Irrakwa traders。〃
〃The Irrakwa are the urine of sick dogs；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃They were cruel； vicious animals before the White man came； and they are worse now。〃
〃Odd。 The English seemed to find them to be kindred spirits。 And La Fayette adores them。 All that matters now； though； is this： They manufacture guns； in large numbers； cheaply。 Not the most reliable weapons； but they use exactly the same size ammunition。 It means they can make balls that fit the barrel more tightly； with better aim。 And yet they sell them for less。〃
〃You'll buy them for us？〃
〃No。 You'll buy them。〃
〃We don't have money。〃
〃Pelts；〃 said Napoleon。 〃Beaver pelts。 Minks。 Deerhides and buffalo leather。〃
Ta…Kumsaw shook his head。 〃We can't ask these animals to die for the sake of guns。〃
〃Too bad；〃 said Napoleon。 〃You Reds have a knack for hunting； I've been told。〃
〃True Reds do。 The Irrakwa don't。 They've used White man's machines so long now that they're dead to the land； just like White men。 Or they'd go and get the pelts they wan