ry of Tippy…Canoe was true； and if every Red who heard that tale became filled with hate and wanted vengeance； wanted to kill every White man who didn't sail back to Europe； why； would that be a reason for Alvin to try to keep them from knowing？ Or wasn't that their natural right； to know the truth so as to be able to let the truth lead them to do good or evil； as they chose？
Not that Alvin could talk about natural rights and such out loud。 There wasn't much chance for conversation。 Sure enough； he was always with Ta…Kumsaw； never more than an arm's length off。 But Ta…Kumsaw almost never spoke to Alvin； and when he did it was things like 〃Catch a fish〃 or 〃e with me now。〃 Ta…Kumsaw made it plain that he had no friendship for Alvin now； and in fact he didn't much want a White along with him。 Ta…Kumsaw walked fast； in his Red man's way； and never looked back to see if Alvin was with him or not。 The only time he ever seemed to care that Alvin was there was when he turned to him and said； 〃Tell what happened at Tippy…Canoe。〃
One time； after they left a village so het up against Whites they were looking with interest at Alvin's own scalp； Alvin got to feeling defiant and he said； 〃Why don't you have me tell them about how you and I and Taleswapper all got into Eight…Face Mound？〃 Ta…Kumsaw's only answer was to walk so fast that Alvin had to run all day just keeping up。
Traveling with Ta…Kumsaw was like traveling alone； when it came to pany。 Alvin couldn't remember ever being so lonely in his life。 So why don't I leave； he asked himself。 Why do I keep going with him？ It ain't like it's fun； and I'm helping him start a war against my own folks； and it's getting colder all the time； like as if the sun gave up shining and the world was supposed to be grey bare trees and blinding snow from one end to the other； and he don't even want me here。
Why did Alvin go on？ It was partly Tenskwa…Tawa's prophecy that Ta…Kumsaw never would die if Alvin stuck close by。 Alvin might not like Ta…Kumsaw's pany； but Alvin knew he was a great and good man； and if Alvin could somehow help keep him alive； then it was his duty to give it a try as best he could。
But it was also more than that； more than the duty he felt to the Prophet； to care for his brother； more than the need he felt to act out the terrible punishment of his family by telling the tale of Tippy…Canoe all over the Red man's country。 Alvin couldn't exactly find it in words to tell himself inside his head as he ran along through the woods； lost in a halfway dream； the green of the forest guiding his footsteps and filling his head with the music of the earth。 No； that wasn't a word time。 But it was a time of understanding without words； of having a sense of rightness about what he was doing； a feeling that Alvin was like the oil on the axle of a wagon wheel that was carrying great events forward。 I might just get myself all used up； I might get burned away by the heat of the wheel rubbing on the axle； but the world is changing； and somehow I'm part of what's helping it go forward。 Ta…Kumsaw's building something； bringing together Red men to make something out of them。
It was the first time Alvin understood that something could be built out of people； that when Ta…Kumsaw talked them Reds into feeling with one heart and acting with one mind； they became something bigger than just a few people； and building something like that； it was against the Unmaker； wasn't it？ Just like Alvin always used to make little baskets by weaving grass。 The grass was nothing but grass by itself； but all wove together it was something more than grass。
Ta…Kumsaw's making something new where there wasn't nothing； but the new thing won't e to be without me。
That filled him with fear of helping make something he didn't understand； but it also filled him with eagerness to see the future。 So he pressed on； pushed forward； wore himself down； talked to Reds who started out suspicious and ended up filled with hate； and stared most of every day at the back of Ta…Kumsaw； running ahead of him ever deeper into the forest。 The green of the wood turned gold and red； then black with the rains of autumn on； the bare trees； and finally grey and white and still。 And all his worry； all his discouragement； all his confusion； all his grief for the terrible things he saw ing and the terrible things he'd seen in the past all turned into a weary distaste for winter； an impatience for the season to change； for the snow to melt and spring to e； and then summer。
Summer； when he could look back and think of all this as the past。 Summer； when he'd know pretty much how it all turned out； for good or ill； and not have this sickening snow…white dread in the back of his mind； masking all his other feelings the way snow masked the earth beneath it。
Until one day Alvin noticed that the air was somewhat warm； and the snow had slacked off the grass and dirt and was purely gone from the tree limbs； and there was a flash of red where a certain bird was getting itself ready to find him a wife and nestle in for egg season。 And on that very day； Ta…Kumsaw turned eastward； up over a ridge of hills； and stood perched atop a rock looking down on a valley of White men's farms in the northern part of the White man's state of Appalachee。
It was a sight Alvin had never seen before in his life。 Not like the French city of Detroit； people all packed in together； nor like the sparse settlements of the Wobbish country； with each farm carved out like a gouge in the greenwood forest。 Here the trees were all disciplined； lined up in rows to mark off one farmer's field from another。 Only on the hills skirting the valley were the trees somewhat wild again。 And as the ground softened today； there were farmers out cutting the earth open with their plows； just as gentle and shallow on the face of the earth as those Red warriors' flint knives against their thighs； teaching the blade to thirst； teaching the earth to bear； so that like the blood that seeped upward under the Red men's knives； the wheat or maize or rye or oats would seep upward； make a thin film of life across the skin of the earth； an open wound all summer until harvest blades made another kind of cut。 Then the snow again； it would form like a scab； to heal the earth until the next year's injury。 This whole valley was like that； broken like an old horse。
I shouldn't feel like this； thought Alvin。 I should be glad to see White lands again。 There was curls of smoke from a hundred chimneys up and down the valley。 There was folks there； children getting outside to play after being penned up the whole of winter； men sweating into the chilly air of early spring as they did their tasks； hard…working animals raising a steam from their nostrils and off their hot； heaving flanks。 This was like home； wasn't it？ This was what Armor and Father and every other White man wanted to turn the Wobbish country into； wasn't it？ This was civilization； one household butting up into the next one； all elbows jostling； all the land parceled out till nobody had no doubt at all who owned every inch of it； who had the right to use it and who was trespassing and better move along。
But after this year of being with Reds practically every minute and hardly seeing a White man except for Measure； for a while； and Taleswapper for a day or two； why； Alvin didn't see that valley with White eyes。 He saw it like a Red man； and so to Alvin it looked like the end of the world。
〃What're we doing here？〃 Alvin asked Ta…Kumsaw。
In answer； Ta…Kumsaw just walked right down from the mountain and on into the White man's valley； just like he had a right。 Alvin couldn't figure； but he followed tight。
To Alvin's surprise； as they traipsed right through a field。 half…plowed； the farmer didn't so much as yell at them to mind the furrows； he just looked up； squinted at them； and then waved。 〃Howdy； Ike！〃 he called。
Ike？
And Ta…Kumsaw raised his hand in greeting and walked on。
Alvin like to laughed out loud。 Ta…Kumsaw； being known to civilized farmers in a place like this； known so well that a White man could tell who he was at such a distance！ Ta…Kumsaw； the most ferocious hater of Whi