。 If water ran so fast here； why didn't the valley fill right up to make a lake？ Why wasn't there a single stream running off the mound outside？ Where would such a stream e from； anyway？ The mound was man…made； like all the other mounds scattered all through the country； though none of the others was so old。 You don't get springs ing out of man…made hills。 It made him suspicious of this water； to have it be so impossible。 e to think of it； though； quite a few impossible things had happened to him in his life； and this was far from being the most peculiar。
Ta…Kumsaw said to drink if the mound offered him water； so he knelt and drank； plunging his face right into the water and sucking the water straight into his mouth。 It didn't take away the taste of the fruit。 If anything； it was stronger after he drank。
He knelt on the bank； studying the opposite shore of the brook。 The water was flowing differently there。 In fact； it was lapping the shore like ocean waves； and once that thought occurred to Alvin he saw that the shape of the opposite shore was just like the map of the east coast that Armor…of…God showed him。 The memory came back clear and sharp。 Here where the shore bowed outward； that was Carolina in the Crown Colonies。 This deep bay was the Chase…a…pick； and here was the mouth of the Potty…Mack； which made the border between the United States and the Crown Colonies。
Alvin stood and stepped across the stream。
It was just grass。 He didn't see no rivers or towns； no boundaries； no roads。 But from the coast； he could pretty much guess where the Hio country was； and where this very mound would be。 He took two steps； and all of a sudden there he saw Ta…Kumsaw and Taleswapper； setting on the ground in front of him； looking up at him as surprised as could be。
〃You climbed up after all；〃 said Alvin。
〃Nothing of the sort；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃We've been right here since you left。〃
〃Why did you e back down？〃 asked Ta…Kumsaw。
〃But I ain't down at all；〃 said Alvin。 〃I'm down here in the valley of the mound。〃
〃Valley？〃 asked Ta…Kumsaw。
〃We're down here below the mound；〃 said Taleswapper。
Then Alvin understood。 Not so as to put it into words； but well enough to use it； to use what the mound had given him。 He could travel across the face of the land like this； a hundred miles in a step； and see the people that he needed to see。 The people that he knew。 Measure。 Alvin touched his forehead in salute to the two men who waited for him； then took a small step。 They disappeared。
He found the town of Vigor Church easy enough。 First person he saw was Armor…of…God； kneeling in prayer。 Alvin didn't say nothing to him； for fear Armor might take it as a vision of the dead。 Where would Armor be； though？ In his own house？ In that case Vinegar Riley's place would be back this way； east of town。 He turned around。
He saw his own father； setting with Mother。 Pa was smoothing out some musket balls he'd cast。 And Ma was whispering to him； all urgent。 She was angry； and so was Pa。 〃Women and children； that's what they are in that town。 Even if the Prophet and Ta…Kumsaw killed our boys； them women and children there didn't do it。 You'll be no better than them if you raise a hand against them。 I won't see you e back into this house； I'll never see you again if you kill one soul of them。 I swear it； Alvin Miller。〃
Pa just kept on polishing； except once when he said； 〃They killed my boys。〃
Alvin tried to answer； opened his mouth to say； 〃But I ain't dead； Pa！〃
It didn't work。 He couldn't say a word。 He wasn't brought up here to give a vision to his parents； neither。 It was Measure he had to find； or Pa's own musket ball would kill the Shining Man。
It wasn't far； not even a step。 Alvin just inched his feet forward； and Ma and Pa disappeared。 He caught a glimpse of Calm and David； shooting their guns probably at targets。 And Wastenot and Wantnot； ramming something ramming shot down the barrel of a cannon。 Glimpses of other folks； though because he didn't know or care about them he didn't see them clear。 Finally he saw Measure。
He had to be dead。 His neck was broke； judging from the angle of his head； and his arms and legs were all broke； too。 Alvin didn't dare move； or he'd travel a mile in an instant； and Measure would disappear just like the others。 Alvin just stood there； and sent his spark out into the body of his brother； lying before him on the ground。
Alvin never felt such pain in all his life。 It wasn't Measure's pain； it was his own。 It was Alvin's sense of how things ought to be； of the right shape of things； inside Measure's body； nothing was going right。 Parts of him were dying； the blood was packed into his belly and crushing his own life out； his brain wasn't connected to his body no more； it was the most terrible mess Alvin ever saw； everything wrong； so wrong that it hurt him to see it； a pain so sharp he cried out。 But Measure didn't hear him。 Measure was beyond hearing。 If Measure wasn't dead he was half an inch from being dead； and that was sure。
Alvin went to his heart first。 It was still pumping； but there wasn't much blood left in the veins； it was all lost in Measure's chest and belly。 That was the first thing Alvin had to mend； heal up the blood vessels and get the blood back where it belonged； flowing in its channels。
Time； it all took time。 All the broken ribs； the cut…up organs。 All the bones； joining them without so much as a hand to help move something into the right place some of the bones were so out of line that he couldn't heal them at all。 He'd have to wait until Measure woke up enough to help him。
So Alvin got inside Measure's brain； the nerves running down his spine； and healed it all； put it back the way it had to be。
Measure woke with one long； terrible scream of agony。 He was alive and the pain was back； sharper and clearer than it ever was before。 I'm sorry； Measure。 I can't heal you up without letting the pain e back。 And I got to heal you； or too many innocent folks are dead。
Alvin didn't even notice that it was already night； and half his work still lay ahead of him。
Chapter 14 Tippy Canoe
In Prophetstown； no one but the children slept that night。 The adults all felt the circling White army； the bidings and hexes cast by the White troops were like trumpets and banners to the land…sense of the Reds。
Not all of them found they had the courage to keep their oath； now that iron…and…fire death was hours away。 But they kept the oath this far： They gathered their families and slipped out of Prophetstown； passing silently between panies of White soldiers； who neither heard nor saw them。 Knowing they could not die without defending themselves； they left； so that not one Red would mar the perfection of the Prophet's refusal to fight。
Tenskwa…Tawa was not surprised that some left； he was surprised that so many stayed。 Almost all。 So many who believed in him； so many who would prove that trust in blood。 He dreaded the morning； the pain of a single murder close at hand had cursed him with the black noise for many years。 True； it was his father who was killed； so the pain was more； but did he love the people of Prophetstown any less than he had loved his father？
Yet he had to fend off the black noise； keep his wits about him； or all their deaths would be in vain。 If their dying acplished nothing； he wouldn't have them do it。 So many times he had searched the crystal tower； tying to find some way to approach this day； some path that would lead to something good。 The best that he could find was the land divided； Red west of the Mizzipy； White to the east。 Even that； though； could be found only through the narrowest of paths。 So much depended on the White boys； so much on Tenskwa…Tawa； so much on White Murderer Harrison himself。 For in all the paths in which Harrison showed any mercy； the massacre of Tippy…Canoe did nothing to stop the destruction of the Reds； and； with them； the land。 In all those paths； the Red men dwindled； confined to tiny preserves of desolate land； until the whole land was White； and therefore brutalized into submission； stripped and cut and ravished； giving vast