t Indians thought it necessary to be truthful to
friends only, Tecumseh was honest in his dealings with his enemies. He
often set white men an example of mercy.

An amusing story is told of him, which shows how kindly tolerant he was
where he could feel nothing but contempt for a man: One evening on
entering the house of a white man with whom he was acquainted, Tecumseh
found a gigantic stranger there, who was so badly frightened at sight of
him that he took refuge behind the other men in the room, begging them
to save him. Tecumseh stood a moment sternly watching the great fellow.
Then he went up and patted the cowering creature on the shoulder, saying
good naturedly, "Big baby; big baby!"

In 1804 and 1805, before the new chief was ready for decided action,
Governor Harrison, of Indiana Territory, made additional treaties with a
few weak and submissive tribes, by which he laid claim to more land.
This measure aroused such general indignation among the more hardy and
warlike Indians that Tecumseh felt the time had come when he might win
them to support his cherished plan of united opposition to the whites.

V. TECUMSEH'S BROTHER, THE PROPHET

Tecumseh had not been alone in his anxiety for the future of his race.
After the death of his elder brother he had made his twin brother,
Laulewasikaw, his trusted comrade. Together they had talked over the
decay in power and manliness that was swiftly overtaking the tribes, and
the wrongs the red men suffered at the hands of the white. They had not
spent their strength in useless murmurings, but had analyzed the causes
of trouble and decided how they might be removed.

[Illustration: THE PROPHET]

One day after brooding deeply over these matters Laulewasikaw fell upon
the earth in a swoon. For a long time he lay quite stiff and rigid, and
those who saw him thought he was dead. But by and by he gave a deep moan
and opened his eyes. For a moment he looked about as if he did not know
where he was. On coming to his senses he explained to his friends that
he had had a vision in which he had seen the Great Spirit, who had told
him what to do to save the Indian people from destruction.

From that time he styled himself "Prophet" and claimed to act under the
direction of the Great Spirit. He changed his name to Tenskwatawa to
signify that he was the "Open Door," through which all might learn the
will of the Great Spirit.

Though professing to have supernatural power himse