year. Those speeches had to be
written and memorized, and now White Bear must speak as the spirit moved
him. But he knew how to stand, how to project his voice, how to measure
his words. In his heart he thanked Mr. Winans for teaching him all that.

"The big American towns in the East are bigger than the biggest towns
ever built by any red men," he began. "In those villages the pale eyes
swarm like bees in a honey tree.

"Every summer the Americans have a great feast to celebrate the day they
told the Great Father of the British that they would no longer be his
children. One summer in a big town called New York I saw long knives
walk in long lines to honor this big day. Each man had a new rifle.
Eight at a time walked side by side, and it would take half a day to go
from one end of their line to the other. Then came more long knives on
horseback, as many as a herd of buffalo. And after them horses pulled
big thunder guns on wheels that shoot iron balls the size of a man's
head.

"The long knives were led by their Great Father, Sharp Knife, who was
visiting New York. He is very thin, with a cruel face and white hair. He
sits straight on his horse and wears a long knife at his belt.

"After all those long knives had walked through the town they came to an
open field, where they fired off all their thunder guns. The noise made
the earth tremble."

Allowing his legs and hands to shake also, as they demanded to do, White
Bear paused and let his gaze travel over the faces in the big circle
around the fire.

The red glow of the setting sun fell on the faintly smiling He Who Moves
Alertly. Black Hawk's back was to the sun, his face in shadow. Redbird
looked up at White Bear, eyes bright and full of love. Others might hate
what he said, but he was glad that Redbird heard how well and truly he
spoke.

Angry words hissed and sputtered like the burning logs. White Bear saw
Wolf Paw poke Little Crow, one of the leading braves, who was seated
beside him, and speak to him with muted voice but urgent gestures. The
brave got up and left the fire.

Owl Carver, seated beside Black Hawk, lifted his head. White Bear saw
bewilderment on his teacher's face, and shrank within himself at the
sight.

Owl Carver said, "White Bear is both pale eyes and Sauk. So far he
speaks to us only with the pale eyes half of his head. Let White Bear
tell us what vision the Turtle has given him."

White Bear felt a small surge of hope. What he had