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ld be well known to the wisest Red men。 He was war chief of all Red men who loved the land； the land had chosen him。
As he stood there near the bank of the Hio； he felt like he was the face of the land。 The fire of the sun； the breath of the air； the strength of the earth； the speed of the water； all reached into him and looked out on the world through his eyes。 I am the land； I am the hands and feet and mouth and voice of the land as it struggles to rid itself of the White man。
These were his thoughts。
He stood there until it was fully dark。 The other Red men had returned to their lodges or their cabins to sleep or to lie drunken and as good as dead till morning。 Ta…Kumsaw came out of his redbird trance and heard laughter from the Red village； laughter and singing from the White soldiers inside the fort。
Ta…Kumsaw walked away from the place where he had stood so many hours。 His legs were stiff； but he did not stagger； he forced his legs to move smoothly； and the ground yielded gently under his feet。 The White man had to wear rough heavy boots to walk far in this land； because the dirt scuffed and tore at his feet； the Red man could wear the same moccasins for years； because the land was gentle and weled his step。 As he moved； Ta…Kumsaw felt soil； wind； river； and lightning all moving with him； the land within him； all things living； and he the hands and feet and face of the land。
There was a shout inside the fort。 And more shouts：
〃Thief！ Thief！ Stop him！〃
〃He's got a keg！〃
Curses； howls。 Then the worst sound： a gunshot。 Ta…Kumsaw waited for the sting of death。 It didn't e。
A shadowy man rose above the parapet。 Whatever man it was； he balanced a keg on his shoulders。 For a moment he teetered on the very peak of the stockade poles； then jumped down。 Ta…Kumsaw knew it was a Red man because he could jump from three man…heights； holding a heavy keg； and make almost no sound upon landing。
On purpose maybe； or maybe not； the fleeing thief ran straight to Ta…Kumsaw and stopped before him。 Ta…Kumsaw looked down。 By starlight he knew the man。
〃Lolla…Wossiky；〃 he said。
〃Got a keg；〃 said Lolla…Wossiky。
〃I should break that keg；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
Lolla…Wossiky cocked his head like the redbird and regarded his brother。 〃Then I'd have to take another。〃
The White men chasing Lolla…Wossiky came to the gate； clamoring for the guard to open it。 I have to remember this； thought Ta…Kumsaw。 This is a way to get them to open the gate for me。 Even as he thought that； however； he also put his arm around his brother； keg and all。 Ta…Kumsaw felt the green land like a second heartbeat； strong within him； and as he held his brother； the same power of the land flowed into Lolla…Wossiky。 Ta…Kumsaw heard him gasp。
The Whites ran out of the fort。 Even though Ta…Kumsaw and Lolla…Wossiky stood in the open； in plain sight； the White soldiers did not see them。 Or no； they saw； they simply did not notice the two Shaw…Nee。 They ran past； shouting and firing randomly into the woods。 They gathered near the brothers； so close they could have lifted an arm and touched them。 But they did not lift their arms； they did not touch the Red men。
After a while the Whites gave up the search and returned to the fort； cursing and muttering。
〃It was that one…eye Red。〃
〃The Shaw…Nee drunk。〃
〃Lolla…Wossiky。〃
〃If I find him； I'll kill him。〃
〃Hang the thieving devil。〃
They said these things； and there was Lolla…Wossiky； not a stone's throw from them； holding the keg on his shoulder。
When the last White man was inside the fort； Lolla…Wossiky giggled。
〃You laugh with the White man's poison on your shoulders；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
〃I laugh with my brother's arm across my back；〃 answered Lolla…Wossiky。
〃Leave that whisky； Brother； and e with me；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。 〃The redbird heard my story； and remembers me in her song。〃
〃Then I will listen to that song and be glad all my life；〃 said Lolla…Wossiky。
〃The land is with me； Brother。 I'm the face of the land； the land is my breath and blood。〃
〃Then I will hear your heartbeat in the pulse of the wind；〃 said Lolla…Wossiky。
〃I will drive the White man back into the sea；〃 said Ta…Kumsaw。
In answer； Lolla…Wossiky began to weep； not drunken weeping； but the dry； heavy sobs of a man burdened down with grief。 Ta…Kumsaw tried to tighten his embrace； but his brother pushed him away and staggered off； still carrying the keg； into the darkness and the trees。
Ta…Kumsaw did not follow him。 He knew why his brother was grieving： because the land had filled Ta…Kumsaw with power； power enough to stand among the drunken Whites and seem as invisible as a tree。 And Lolla…Wossiky knew that by rights whatever power Ta…Kumsaw had； Lolla…Wossiky should have had ten times that power。
But the White man had stolen it from Lolla…Wossiky with murders and likker； until Lolla…Wossiky wasn't man enough to have the redbird learn his song or the land fill up his heart。
Never mind； never mind； never mind。
The land has chosen me to be its voice； and so I must begin to speak。 I will no longer stay here； trying to shame the wretched drunks who have already been killed by their thirst for the White man's poison。 I will give no more warnings to White liars。 I will go to the Reds who are still alive； still men； and gather them together。 As one great people we will drive the White man back across the sea。
Chapter 3 De Maureas
Frederic； the young te de Maurepas； and Gilbert； the aging Marquis de La Fayette； stood together at the railing of the canal barge； looking out across Lake Irrakwa。 The sail of the Marie…Philippe was plainly visible now； they had been watching for hours as it came closer across this least and lowest of the Great Lakes。
Frederic could not remember when he had last been so humiliated on behalf of his nation。 Perhaps the time when Cardinal What's…his…name had tried to bribe Queen Marie…Antoinette。 Oh but of course Frederic had only been a boy； then； a mere twenty…five years old； callow and young； without experience of the world。 He had thought that no greater humiliation could e to France than to have it known that a cardinal would actually believe that the Queen could be bribed with a diamond necklace。 Or bribed at all； for that matter。 Now； of course； he understood that the real humiliation was that a French cardinal would be so stupid as to suppose that bribing the Queen was worth doing； the most she could do was influence the King； and since old King Louis never influenced anybody； there you were。
Personal humiliation was painful。 Humiliation of one's family was much worse。 Humiliation of one's social standing was agony to bear。 But humiliation of one's nation was the most excruciating of human miseries。
Now here he stood on a miserable canal barge； an American canal barge； tied at the verge of an American canal； waiting to greet a French general。 Why wasn't it a French canal？ Why hadn't the French been the first to engineer those clever locks and build a canal around the Canadian side of the falls？
〃Don't fume； my dear Frederic；〃 murmured La Fay